Human nature, especially in American culture, tells us that we are special and unique, so we often assume that one size cannot really fit all. It is central to our fundamental nature to want to tweak things to fit our situation—to customize and modify "just a little"—to make it our own.

Even when people hear that this response is the number-one pitfall of groups that are not successful with the Benevon Model, their first reaction is that this statistic does not apply to them. Rather than accepting the model as a tried and true recipe—like the family recipe for perfect pie crust—many people can't resist the temptation to "get creative."

We measure and track the success of every group we train and, far and away, this is the most common reason for achieving anything less than stellar results with our model; people are so tempted to fiddle with it that they make a few ever-so-slight modifications that fundamentally affect everything.

Here are some of the typical mistakes groups make when they "get creative" with the model:

1. Combining a Point of Entry^® with an Ask Event^™. In other words, asking for money before people have had an opportunity to go through the sequential process of becoming educated, inspired, and cultivated—if they choose to become more involved at all. These groups forget that the model is entirely permission-based.
2. Having a Point of Entry that lacks emotion. Skipping over the essential testing and refining of the Point of Entry content will result in a lackluster Point of Entry that will not inspire guests to tell others about the organization's work. These referrals are an essential component for keeping the model alive.
3. Thinking that they can skip the Follow-Up that is required at every step of the model. After working so hard to put on an event, the group doesn't take the time to find out what people really think of it and how they might like to get more involved.
4. Asking before the fruit is ripened. Some groups revert back to strong-arming "just this once, because we need the money so badly," not realizing the longer-term cost of alienating a donor.
5. Deviating from the three suggested multiple-year giving levels at an Ask Event, such as adding a fourth level or having the lowest level be anything less than $1,000 a year for each of the next five years.
6. Not giving powerful examples to Ask Event guests of exactly what each level of support could "buy."
7. Having an entertaining, inspirational, or intellectual speaker at the Ask Event in addition to the Visionary Leader^™ Talk.
8. Letting the Pitch Person at the Ask Event deviate in any way from the prepared script. This is a very painful deviation from the model and has cost many groups dearly.
9. Having Table Captains follow up with the guests who did not give to ask them for money.
10. Having more than 5% of the Table Captains be staff members.

Before you launch into the model, ask yourself, "Are we really willing to follow the recipe exactly as it is written and to resist the temptation to modify the model?"