People pay me money to teach them how to fundraise. I’m really glad that they do, but the answer is so very simple.
Learn how to have a conversation.
That’s it.
That’s the big secret.
I don’t mean to be flippant, but the best fundraisers are the ones who are able to really hear the dreams and desires of their prospective donor and align it to the work of their organization.
As fundraisers, we’re often too busy being in our own heads, over-thinking and strategizing about how to manipulate a conversation. I haven’t even mentioned all of the money baggage we bring into a conversation and the assumptions we make about wealthy people. It’s a real mess.
Instead, we can approach each new visit from a place of abundance (“This is not the last donor in the world. There are plenty more out there.”), curiosity (“I wonder what they care about and how we can help them achieve their personal vision?”) and humility (“How can I serve and help them to be the hero of their own story?”).
When we focus less on ourselves and our needs (organizational and otherwise) and focus instead on what our donors want to achieve and how a gift makes that possible, we unlock potential. Also, when we come from a place of abundance and belief in the bounty of the universe, we are totally OK with a donor who isn’t “our people.” Not everyone is going to be your donor and that’s fine.
In other words, it’s not about you.
You have two ears and one mouth. Use accordingly.
