Reality check.
What is your real goal with fundraising?
Think about this carefully.
Obviously (I hope), it’s not just to raise ‘money.’
Money is only as good as the purpose to which it’s applied.
So what’s fundraising for?
Have an answer?
Jot it down.
Okay… let’s get to it.
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I often say “if you want gifts, you must give them.”
I want to “clairify” that I mean this somewhat metaphorically.
I mean you shouldn’t focus only on getting, but also on giving.
Your relationship with your donors shouldn’t be all take, take, take.
That being said, most donors don’t want a lot of “stuff.” They particularly don’t want expensive and/or useless stuff. In other words, you don’t have to give them tangible gifts of tote bags, coffee mugs and socks. Instead, consider giving them “gratitude experiences.”
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Everything I learned about saying “thank you” I learned from:
According to Burk’s research from Donor-Centered Fundraising, more than 80% of thank you letters start with “Thank you for your generous gift of…” or “On behalf of the Board of Directors, thank you for your generous gift of…”
Why and How to Invoke the Power of Thank You
My mother was known for having impeccable manners. At her memorial service, it seemed as if every other person who shared a memory talked about her manners. They did so not in a nitpicking way, but in a loving way. It seemed she always knew just the right thing to do to show her appreciation.
Maybe that’s why I love writing thank you notes. Seriously, it’s my favorite thing to do in all of fundraising. And it’s undoubtedly why, when I first heard Penelope Burk speak in 2001, it completely changed my approach to the practice of donor development.
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When I started out, I was a terrible interview. My first boss told me she hired me despite the interview!
What I learned over the years was that to interview strong you need to know – going in – what points you want to make.
Then you make them! No matter what questions are asked of you.
This takes preparation and practice. But it’s easy to do once you get the knack of it.
You simply need a game plan.
And this plan begins with crafting your own passionate “Case for Support!”
When interviewing for a job, the essential elements you must include in this “case” are:
The secret to getting the job offer is to craft an offer that someone just can’t refuse.
Sound familiar? It’s just like…
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