The Extreme Fundraising Ezine

Moving Extreme Fundraising feed to Wordpress

2007-07-04T09:01:00.000-04:00

Hi there,

I'm having a problem getting Feedburner.com to recognize my EFE blog at http://fundraisingcoach.com/blog/ It still thinks it's at blogspot.

I'm going to delete this subscription. You'll have to resubcribe, hopefully by going to:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/extremefundraising
Sorry for the trouble!

The Extreme Fundraising Blog

2006-09-07T23:10:00.000-04:00

I've moved this blog back to my Fundraisingcoach.com site.

Check it out there: The Extreme Fundraising Blog

More thoughts on Rainmaking

2006-09-05T08:59:00.000-04:00

Last time, we looked at a concept in the book How To Become A Rainmaker by Jefferey Fox.

In that book, he say's the "Killer Sales Question #1" is

Do you have your appointment calendar handy?

What a great question. According to Fox, this results in an appointment more than 90% of the time!

If you're like me, you're the only person in your nonprofit solely dedicated to fundraising. Even thought I love fundraising, I keep getting bogged down by the aspects of my job that I'm not good at, the things that don't come naturally: event management, receipting, pledge reminders, the never ending details of direct mail, etc.

These activities are necessary but they don't bring in money to the hospital. Asking does. Especially face-to-face.

Most of my development carrier has involved a national constituency. I'd fly to a place, easily set up appointments, and make the calls. But here, 98% of our donors live in the area. Setting up appointments with local folks is an entirely different beast.

When you're flying in, you're a novelty. People make room in their schedule. When they see you each week at Rotary, you're a great guy, lot's of fun, but not a novelty. It's easy to let the discipline of face-to-face visits slide.

This summer I realized that, even though I know who my 100 top prospects are, I'm not seeing them. So I've set a goal of at least 2 face-to-face donor meetings a week. I have a standing Wednesday morning appointment with myself to book the visits for the following week. And I've asked a colleague to call me to see if I've done the visits and if I've set up next week's.

And I'll be asking this wonderful question:

Do you have your appointment calendar handy?

Conference for Nonprofits

2006-09-04T22:32:00.000-04:00

The lovely folks at Blackbaud have asked me to do two seminars.

If you're coming to Conference for Nonprofits in South Carolina this October 22-25, you can find me doing "Creating Donor Evangelists" on Monday and "Asking For Money: Taking the Fear out of Face-to-Face Solicitations" on Wednesday!

Be sure to let me know if you're coming. My email is marc@fundraisingcoach.com.

Have you thought of a non-event?

2006-08-25T08:39:00.000-04:00

We've had an interesting discussion on the AHP email list on holding "non-events," events that raise money but don't have any real event.

Rodger Wetzel from ND gave these great suggestions:

One example: A Non-event

Send out invitations that say something like: (Your organization) is holding its first annual Black Tie Non-Event. The event will NOT take place on (date). Cocktails (or refreshments) will NOT be served at 6 p.m., and dinner will NOT be served at 7 p.m. NO program will be held at 8 p.m. You will be saving yourself (itemize the money they will save by not having to attend your event, such as tuxedo rental, buying a new dress, babysitting, parking, cost of the dinner, cocktails/refreshments, having your hair done, etc.)
Then ask for a donation equaling that amount. If you're looking for smaller donations, make the non-event more casual (beach party, cocktail party, etc.)

Another example: The 'Stay at Home' Event
Ask people to buy a ticket to a non-event, entitling them to stay home and relax. Explain how much money the charity is saving by not renting a room, purchasing food/beverates, and entertainment. Emphasize how much the donor saves, with no expenses for a salon appointment, baby-sitter, parking, tuxedo rental, and so on. This is especially good if your target audience are people who are constantly on the go, who crave a quiet night at home. If your supporters who really look forward to a chance to get together, this may not be the right fit.
An extra benefit can be had by scheduling the non-event for the same night as a television show or TV special related to your cause. This could be an investigative report or a movie dramatizing your issues. It could be a concert, or a game your team is playing. Urge people to watch it, and learn more about what you do. Attach a couple of teabags, or packet of coffee - donated, of course - to the ticket.
You can even encourage the donors to throw their own neighborhood fundraising party. This do-it-yourself event may result in dozen of mini-events on the same night. Each can raise a little money, at minimal cost and send it to you. They can even compete for titles such as 'Most Money Raised', 'Most Fun', or 'Most Innovative'.

Rodger W. Wetzel, LSW, MPA/MHA
Director Eldercare,
Community Health & Foundation
St. Alexius Medical Center
PO Box 5510
Bismarck, ND 58506-5510

Example of using stories

2006-08-23T11:47:00.000-04:00

In my decade or so of doing fundraising, I don't ever remember having a community member tell me they really liked a fundraising letter I sent them.

This summer it happened! Someone at the gym I go to told me how much they enjoyed the letter they'd just received.

Could it be because I used stories?

Here's the letter, you be the judge. (This letter went to our inhouse mailing list.)

June XX, 2006

Name
Astreet
City, ST ZIP

Dear Name,

I’ve recently had the opportunity to read Pauline Buxton’s personal collection of Inland Hospital’s history. Her scrapbooks include pictures, newspaper clippings, and personal notes.

Amid all the articles about Inland, the most striking impression was the community support that’s been so significant in our 63 years.
Drs. Clare and Nora Brown saw a gap in healthcare in the community and moved 14 other physicians to give time and money to start what is now Inland.
Political leaders like Senators Margaret Chase Smith and Edmund Muskie helped secure necessary funding and equipment.
Community members were so committed they gave everything from hand-knitted bandages and teddy bears to huge fundraising balls and capital campaigns on behalf of Inland and Lakewood.
Inland has returned that commitment by providing five-star patient care and service, 24 hours per day, 7 days a week, for more than six decades. Today Inland is leading the way with electronic medical records to ensure physicians have all the information they need to treat patients with the best care possible. In addition, beginning this month, Inland is offering the area’s first non-invasive, three-dimensional diagnosis for heart disease using our brand new 64-slice Cardiac CT Angiography service.

Inland has come a long way since 1943. But some things haven’t changed. We are still a not-for-profit community hospital committed to serving the people of Waterville and the surrounding communities…and we continue to rely on these communities for support.

Please consider making a gift today...it will make a difference in our community. Your donation may be designated to the program of your choice or given in honor of your favorite caregiver.

Thank you,

Marc A. Pitman
Director, Inland Foundation

Thoughts on Rainmaking

2006-08-22T11:03:00.000-04:00

We've spent the last few issues of Extreme Fundraising looking at the importance of story. While reading Jeffrey Fox's "How to Become a Rainmaker" I recently read a question that will help you tell your story. Right at the beginning of the book he says:

Always Answer the Question, "Why Should This Customer Do Business With Us?"

What a great question for fundraisers!

It's so easy for us to focus in the "need" we have. I'm shocked at how many prospective clients and colleagues have answered the "why should a donor give to this project" with basically "If we don't have this capital expansion we'll die."

That won't motivate many donors.

It will motivate employees. (Or have the opposite effect of getting them so stressed out they become paralyzed and ineffective.)

It may motivate a few donors. If you're blessed with a core of diehard donors that have stuck with your organization for decades, this may be effective for them. But even they will get tired of "our future is doomed unless this happens" appeals.

So ask yourself: "Why should this donor make a substantial gift to us?"

If you don't know why most of your donors give to you, ask them. Either in your normal face-to-face conversations or in a survey or in a focus group. Don't ask them "Why in the world to you give to us?!" But ask them things like:

What caused you to make us one of your favorite charities?
What do you like most about the work our organization does?
What do you see as the most important things our group brings to the community?

Answers to these questions are gold! They will help you tell your story and attract more donors.
If you can't come up with any answers as to why a donor should give to you...it may be time to dust off your resume and think of your exit strategy. Sometimes you just get burnt out at a place and lose the ability to see all the great things your nonprofit is accomplishing. If this sounds like you, you're probably no longer serving your organization as well as it deserves. So start looking for the next thing, and for people that could take over for you.

For many of us, figuring out why a donor would do business with us is a bit challenging at first. But it soon becomes an excercise that sells us on our organization all over again. You'll be thinking "Hey, we really are doing cool things! We really are 'all that' to some people!"

That enthusiasm will shine through as you tell your story and ask for money.

In the meantime, consider going to your library or Amazon to pick up Fox's book How to Become a Rainmaker.

Who's Telling Good Stories?

2006-08-22T10:04:00.000-04:00

A few weeks back, a reader asked me for examples of organizations that told their stories well.

I drew a blank. Do you know of any groups that you think are telling their story well? Let me know by making a comment to this blog post.

One group that is incredibly consistent in their story telling is The Boston Project Ministries. (In the interest of full diclosure, I was with them when they started 10 years ago and I am currently coaching their board chair. But I have nothing to do with their excellence in story telling!)

Check them out at: http://www.tbpm.org/

And leave your comments below!

Another job opportunity: Cape Cod

2006-08-18T16:53:00.000-04:00

Here's another great looking job opportunity that's come across my desk:

Cape Cod Healthcare Foundation
Senior Development Officer
(Major Gifts)
Hyannis, MA
Summer 2006
NATIONAL SEARCH
Cape Cod Healthcare Foundation (CCHF) is seeking a talented, senior fundraising professional to participate in its upcoming, system-wide $100M capital campaign and to advance the major gifts program for Cape Cod Healthcare, a comprehensive medical network located throughout Cape Cod. Serving primarily the needs of Cape Cod Hospital, Falmouth Hospital and the VNA of Cape Cod, the SDO will work closely with volunteers, the Board of Trustees, physicians and administrative leaders. The Senior Development Officer (SDO) will be a proven professional capable of working independently and collaboratively as part of a strong advancement team.

THE OPPORTUNITY
Reporting directly to Tom Mundell, President of Cape Cod Healthcare Foundation, the SDO will join a development team strongly committed to the mission, vision and values of Cape Cod Healthcare. The SDO will work in a fundraising environment that measures success by the achievement of shared and individual goals and the ability to collaboratively plan and execute effective fundraising strategies.

The SDO is a newly added position to the fundraising team in response to the high volume of identified but uncultivated donor prospects on Cape Cod.

As an important member of the campaign team, the Senior Development Officer will:
Develop a portfolio of 75-100 major gift prospects with 6- to 7+ figure capacity through research and mining the Raiser’s Edge ® database;
Identify, cultivate and solicit major gifts from individuals and family foundations through planning and executing small events and other strategic relationships;
Work closely with volunteers, the Board of Trustees and community leaders to advance philanthropic giving;
Collaborate with CCH’s major gift team to coordinate fundraising efforts for the entire system;
Effectively articulate the message that individuals don’t need to leave the Cape for quality health care;
Travel out of state for approximately two weeks in the winter for visits with current and prospective donors.
Successful Candidates should demonstrate:
At least 10 years of increasing responsibility in major gift fundraising or a closely-related area;
Outstanding verbal and written communication skills;
Proven success with:
______ Prospect identification ______ Cultivation
______ Gift strategy development ______ Solicitation
______ Ask/close ______ Stewardship
Ability to work collaboratively with staff at all levels within an organization, as well as with board members, volunteers, and community leaders;
Capability to work both collaboratively as well as independently, and to think strategically;
Outstanding organizational skills with focused attention to detail and follow through
Ability to handle multiple projects concurrently.
Note: Previous healthcare experience is not required.

Cape Cod Healthcare and Cape Cod Healthcare Foundation are equal opportunity employers.

For more information about Cape Cod Healthcare Foundation, please visit:
www.givetocapecodhealth.org

For more information about Cape Cod Healthcare, please visit:
www.capecodhealthcare.org

Email resume and cover letter in confidence to: capecodhealthcare@developmentguild.com

Lisa Gell, SPHR, Development Guild/DDI. 1-800-537-9011 x 293

Quick Survey UPDATE

2006-08-14T20:20:00.000-04:00

WOW! I'm excited about the enthusiasm you're expressing for this upcoming course!!

Thank you all for the quick response to my Fundraising Master Mind survey.

Unfortunately, I wasn't clear on the first question. I'm trying to see what course you think would be the most helpful for you.

Rather than making everyone do the entire survey over, would you answer this even quicker follow up survey?

The follow up survey link is: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=537822469644

Help Needed: Quick Survey

2006-08-14T11:03:00.000-04:00

Greetings from Maine!

I'm looking at starting a very special Fundraising Coach Master Mind Group next January.

This group would be limited to 12 participants. Through weekly calls, we'll focus on a specific fundraising or nonprofit management topic. Over the weeks, each participant will be able to incorporate the aspects of the course into their daily lives. Each call will allow time for group conversation. And there will be a group email list as well as the ability to email me directly.

I'm really excited about this! I've made incredible leaps forward because of groups like these.

Would you help me design this course? I've set up a brief, 1-page survey at:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=621862466367

Thank you!

Marc

Fundraising in the Bible

2006-08-10T00:32:00.000-04:00

For the first time ever, my ongoing article on Fundraising in the Bible is available in web format.

Web pages: http://fundraisingcoach.com/bible.htm

PDF version http://fundraisingcoach.com/fundraisinginbible.pdf

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Poor service? You're busted

2006-07-25T13:15:00.000-04:00

Check out Jeff Brook's post on poor service: Donor Power Blog: Poor service? You're busted.

Great links to a scary (but believable) call to AOL and a Comcast tech guy asleep on a couch on hold with his own tech support!

But then check yourself, is your nonprofit giving any better service?

How hard is it for people to get information from you? Is it like canceling an AOL account?

Bad service used to "just" lose customers. Now it's causing the employees to lose their jobs. This stuff is going out all over the blogosphere now. (Personally, I'm all for accountability.)

So remember, if you identify ways to improve your service, you may just be saving your organization and your job.

A good time to throw stones

2006-07-25T09:45:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago, I reported on a talk by Andy Goodman and the importance of story. (Click here to read that post.)

A few days ago, one of you posted this comment to that post:

I recently found your site. Thank you for sharing these tips! I have volunteered to write the newsletter and other literature for a small nonprofit humane association. After spending many years working in the legal field, most of my attempts at writing look like legal pleadings; a far cry from fundraising. But after reading your post about story telling, I put together a flyer telling the story of one of our dogs. And today we received a $200 donation as a result of the flyer. Thank you!

Stories can be very powerful!

During his talk, Andy Goodman stressed the importance of telling a story correctly.

Most of us in the nonprofit world tell boring stories with really long words and phrases like "disadvantaged youth." Why is that? We have some of the most exciting stories to tell! When we tell them in the laborious way we usually do, we're stealing the opportunity for people to "get" what we're doing. Let’s not rob the world of these great stories anymore!

Good stories have a hero. According to Andy, this hero needs to be a person, not an organization. That hero needs to have a goal, some desirable end result. And the story is getting the hero through the barriers to finally achieving that goal. More compelling stories have more barriers.

Early in his career in writing for TV, a mentor told Andy the way to tell a story was:

Act I: Get your hero up a tree
Act II: Throw rocks at him
Act III: Get him down

The more rocks you throw, the more invested the audience will become with the story.

This reminds me of the first time I watched The Princess Bride. I was so relieved when they were making it out of the Fire Swamp. They'd already overcome years of separation, the Cliffs of Insanity, a sword fight, a wrestling match, a game of wits, the fire spurts, the lightning sand, and the Rodents Of Unusual Size. But they emerged from the Fire Swamp only to be captured by Prince Humperdinck! Act II seemed to go on forever! They just kept throwing rocks at this poor couple.

That's part of what makes it a great movie. (The book is even better!)

The next time you watch a TV show, see if it fits the Act I-Act II-Act III formula. (Andy says "24" is this on speed!)

And between now and the next issue of EFE, why not craft at least one compelling story about your organization and the people it serves. Try making it one of the core stories mentioned last time.

Go ahead, throw some stones!

The word that can destroy your marketing

2006-07-19T21:47:00.000-04:00

Check out the great post The word that can destroy your marketing over at the Donor Power Blog.

I'll give you a hint: the word is one letter long.

What do you think it is?

Career Change?

2006-07-17T08:48:00.000-04:00

This just came across my desk. Hope it's helpful!

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, VIRTUA HEALTH FOUNDATION
_________________________________________________________
Virtua Health is South Jersey’s leading community-based, not-for-profit healthcare provider servicing residents of Burlington, Camden and Gloucester Counties. Virtua Health is highly successful and has 1,100 beds, 53,000 admissions, 89,500 emergency department visits, 7,000 employees, and 1,600 physicians. The Burlington County and Voorhees hospitals offer OB/GYN services and deliver more babies than any other health system in the Delaware Valley. Programs of Excellence have been developed on a system-wide basis, beginning with maternal child health and also include Oncology, Cardiology and Orthopedics/Neuroscience.

The Virtua Health Foundation is the resource development arm of Virtua Health. With a large Board of Directors and an engaged Executive Committee, the Virtua Health Foundation serves to enhance Virtua’s mission through the development of philanthropic resources and the support of community education and outreach.

The Executive Director of the Virtua Health Foundation is responsible for the design and implementation of comprehensive fundraising and sponsored project programs to support the mission and long-range strategic goals of Virtua Health. The Executive Director generates financial support for service programs, and directs a program of fund management and funds allocation. The successful candidate will direct the planning and solicitation of Major Giving, Annual Appeals, Capital Campaigns and Planned Giving programs. Completion of an existing capital campaign is an immediate priority. He/She will work to ensure the coordination of fundraising activities with the requirements and long-range plans as approved by Virtua’s Foundation Board. Further, the individual will evaluate and coordinate the sponsored project programs with other fundraising efforts.

The ideal candidate must possess a Bachelor’s degree; a Master’s degree would be preferred. He/She will have a minimum of 10 years of relevant experience as a senior fundraising officer with a demonstrated record of accomplishment in raising major gifts from individuals, foundations and corporations. Qualified candidates will have demonstrated experience managing all dimensions of major, annual, capital, planned giving and fundraising programs, preferably in an academic medical center, pediatric hospital, medical center, institution of higher education or a large charitable organization.

For immediate consideration, or if you know of someone who may be interested, please contact:

Sara Brown, Director of Research
Tyler & Company
E-mail: sbrown@tylerandco.com
Phone: 770-396-3939
All inquiries will be handled confidentially.

End of your year?

2006-06-29T15:34:00.000-04:00

June 30 is the end of the fiscal year for many of you.

How are you going to set goals for next year?

If you haven't already tried the MagnetGoals Goal Setting program, why not do it now? It's free and powerful.

You can subscribe to the e-course by going to the bottom of the page at fundraisingcoach.com.

Or you can download a PDF of the workbook here.

Who's Telling Your Story?

2006-06-27T09:44:00.001-04:00

A few months ago, I attended "Meet the Funders" conference hosted by the Maine Philanthropy Center. The highlight for me was the keynote address by Andy Goodman on storytelling. If you ever are able to hear him speak, I highly recommend it!

He persuasively explained the importance of storytelling. Studies have shown our retention of information is remarkably better if the facts are presented in story form. It's practically something in our DNA as human beings. Evidently, some anthropologists have even defined us as the primates that tell stories!

Think about it from your own experience. If someone is unexpectedly late to a meeting with you, what's your automatic reaction? 9 times out of 10, you start creating a story for why they're late!

Nonprofits are notoriously bad at telling their story. And story telling is an extremely important part of fundraising! (If you don't believe me, look back to this post.)

Andy wants to help change that so much that he gives his book Why Bad Presentations Happen to Good Causes away free to nonprofits. (Click here to see if you qualify for a free copy.)

One of things Andy highly recommended nonprofits do is identify their "core stories" and make sure every staff and board member knows them. Here are six areas he suggests for core stories:

The Nature of Our Challenge Story: this describes "what we're up against" or "what's gone wrong"
The Creation Story: this tells "how we go started"
The Emblematic Success Story: is actually a collection of stories that tells of times you've "won" in ways that are uniquely you.
The Performance Stories: these are stories celebrating how your people go above and beyond the call of duty
The Striving to Improve Stories: stories about how you've tried something new and totally crashed-and-burned and what you've learned--these stories make risk taking safer
The Where We're Going Story: what is it you're creating; Kennedy's "We will go to the moon and back within this decade" gave NASA a story--they seem to be struggling to find one for years now

Andy pointed out that if you don't tell your stories, people will tell stories about you.

So how about you? Can you easily rattle of the stories specific to your organization? If not, why not?

After his talk, I walked up to him and asked him if the stories could be about an organization or if they should be about people. He said, “The hero has to be a person or people.”

As you're collecting your organization's stories, don’t fall into the trap of making your organization the hero. Celebrate the people--the founders, the employees, the volunteers, the donors, the parents, the children--that took the initiative and created these stories!

We're not as rational as we think we are

2006-06-19T11:07:00.000-04:00

Here's an interesting article from the New York Times: Investing in Good Deeds Without Checking the Prospectus.

How could this affect your fundraising? Especially since we all think we're being rational...

[I received this on a very helpful daily email of philanthropy news, a service from The Chronicle of Philanthropy. You can subscribe to this free email at http://philanthropy.com/services/daily/.

Job Opening: Maine's Childrens Home for Little Wanderers

2006-06-19T10:52:00.000-04:00

This just came across my desk. The Maine Children's Home is an incredible organization here in Waterville.

Director of Development - Maine Children's Home, Waterville, ME

This position requires a proven track record in identification, cultivation, stewardship & solicitation of individual, corporate gifts. The ability to communicate our vision in a bold, passionate & compelling manner is critical.

Qualifications include: A bachelors degree with at least two years of related fund raising experience or equivalent; high level of motivation and organization, attention to detail and excellent written and organizational skills; ability to meet deadlines and achieve ambitious goals is required; must have highly developed computer skills as demonstrated by proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and other database applications and programs.

Knowledge of GiftMakerPro, valid driver's license is necessary; must have an ability to manage and motivate staff & volunteers; and ability to make an impact in a not-for-profit environment. Competitive salary commensurate with experience. Excellent benefits.

Send Resume to:
Sharon H. Abrams, Executive Director
Maine Children's Home
93 Silver Street
Waterville, ME 04901
Fax: 207-872-7548
Email: sabrams@mainechildrenshome.org

Objections and direct mail

2006-06-13T09:45:00.000-04:00

We’ve spent the last couple of issues of Extreme Fundraising looking at objections. Before we go further, let’s use what we’ve learned. After reading this, see if you can use it this week.

Those of you who’ve been subscribed for any length of time know that I err on the side of raising serious money by asking for major gifts. (I tend to define that as gifts of at least $1000 a year.)

Think of the brainstorming exercise I talked about a couple of posts ago.

You and your team (paid or volunteer) make a game out of trying to find every single reason people won’t give to your cause.
Then you narrow it down to that most common 5 or 6.
Finally, you develop stories that you can use to answer these objections before you even ask the person for money.

Can you see how this could help you in the mundane things as direct mail or (heaven forbid!) phonathons? If you know the most common objections, you can develop copy and scripts that attempt to answer them.

Then you can have fun tweaking the copy and scripts. Each story won’t have equal success. Some will be totally ineffective. So keep monitoring their effectiveness. Dump the ones that don’t work and keep the ones that do.

4 Times to Deal with Objections

2006-05-30T09:52:00.000-04:00

We've spent the last couple issues of EFE looking at objections. If you're asking at high enough dollar amounts, you know they're going to come. Objections pop up in just about any walk of life—sales, dating, family...

By now you know that I believe objections are a great sign. It's a prospect's way of fogging a mirror. By pushing back a bit, they're showing that they're alive. Making objections is a normal part of being a human.

Sales and motivational guru Zig Ziglar says that there are four times to deal with objections:

before they happen
as they happen
after they happen
never

The good news is we can do something about the first three. The bad news is that if we don't deal with them in the first three times, we can't do anything about the fourth.

So use the brainstorm talked about in the last issue of EFE and see if you can create compelling answers to the 5 or 6 common objections your team comes up with. Then strategize with how to use these answers during each step of the process.

If we never deal with objections, we never deal with them. (Sounds like something Yogi Berra would say, doesn't it? *grin*)

Here's an encouraging note. Even if you deftly deal with every objection, four out of five times the prospect will likely say "no."

Most good fundraising gift charts recommend having 4 or 5 prospects for each gift. If you're looking for one person to give $100,000, you'll need four or five prospects capable of that. If you're looking for 20 people to give $1000, you'll need 80-100 people capable of giving that size gift.

So don't get discouraged if you're not seeing the gifts come in. A "no" can be a sign that you're one step closer to finding the prospect that is going to give!

And remember, if you're not getting any objections, you're not asking for enough money.

Postion Opening

2006-05-25T09:58:00.000-04:00

My friends at Blackbaud just sent me this. If you think it may be a fit for you, give them a call! Blackbaud seems like an incredibly cool place to work:

Our rapidly-growing public company (www.blackbaud.com) needs people with at least five years experience in fundraising for hospitals, colleges, or universities, ideally with experience in major gifts, planned giving, annual fund, or the like.
Blackbaud is a leader in technology for non-profits, with five times the market share of our competitors. We have at least five Principal Consultant positions to fill. We look for these individuals to be skilled fundraisers who confidently and competently use software to assist them with their fundraising and understand the benefits that technology brings to their fundraising efforts.
This position offers a competitive salary plus bonus (up to 30% of base) and benefits. It is about 70% travel, and there is also a lot of opportunity for rapid advancement. We are located in Charleston, SC, although relocation here is not a must.

Interested persons should send their e-resume to Marie-Louise Ramsdale at Marie-Louise.Ramsdale@Blackbaud.com. Also, I am happy to answer any questions about this position, and may be reached by email or by phone at 1.800.443.9441 X 3240.

5 Reasons to Like Objections

2006-05-16T09:35:00.000-04:00

Wouldn't it be nice if everyone said "yes" when you asked them for money?

But they don't, do they?

Often, they come up with a reason they can't possibly give at the level you've requested.

Despite how it feels, objections are actually a very good sign. While a "yes" would be terrific, an objection is at least not a no. (You may need to read that sentence a few times!)

In my 3-hour seminar "Asking for Money 2: How to Handle Objections," I offer five reasons to like objections:

Objections show interest. An objection is often a way for the prospect to say "Tell me more."
If there were no objections, you'd be out of a job! People would just be giving oodles of money to your cause and you'd be irrelevant!
Objections are better than questions. Both are calls for more information but questions can be merely polite--unattached and disinterested. Objections show some level of personal interest and connection with your soliciation.
You don't have to answer them all! Let me repeat that: YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER THEM ALL! You're a fundraiser, not an objection answering service. I recently had the wonderful experience of asking a prospect, "Is [the issue you just brought up] something that would keep you from making a gift?" It turns out the issue he was bringing up wasn't really important to his decision making. So we didn't have to deal with that particular objection at all!
In most cases, objections are similar. Sales guru Zig Ziglar says most solicitations are met with 5 or 6 common objections. Figure out these common objections and you're more than half way to answering them.

Why not get your staff together and brainstorm a huge list of objections? Maybe this could be done in a party like atmosphere or at the local pub. Make this fun. Pretend you've just been asked to give to your cause and rattle off all the reasons you couldn't do that.

Then look at the huge list, and narrow it down to five or six most common objections.

"My kids are in college."
"My businesses isn't doing that well this year."
"There are 17,000 other campaigns in our town." Etc.

Once you have this list, you're in power.

See what you can do to restructure your presentation. Perhaps you can incorporate stories of how others that are supporting the cause have overcome one of those objections.

If you know the person has kids in college, you may make an off-hand but strategic comment like: "You know, last week Joe said that this was so important for our community that he's making a leadership gift even though he's got 32 kids in college right now."

You may still get that objection but at least you've gone a long way to answering it before it even comes up.

I doubt I'll convince you to look forward to objections. But hopefully these will help take the sting (or surprise) out of them when they come.

Remember, if you're not getting any objections, you're not asking for enough money!

Possible career opportunity

2006-05-10T21:05:00.000-04:00

I just received this email from a colleague in MA. Does it fit you?

From time to time, we advise our friends about the executive searches that Mersky, Jaffe & Associates conducts in the nonprofit sector. I am pleased to share with you a position description for an exceptional opportunity to head up the lawyers’ Division of UJA/Federation of New York.

We are very proud of our association with UJA/Federation. I welcome your suggestions of promising candidates for the position.

If you have any questions or are interested in exploring working with us to assist you in filling positions within your organization, please contact me directly.

David A. Mersky,
Founder and Managing Director
Mersky, Jaffe & Associates
Offices in New York and Boston
V: 617-965-2347
F:413-556-1074
www.merskyjaffe.com

Get REAL: Dealing with Objections

2006-05-02T20:34:00.000-04:00

Last issue I said we'd learn to "Live/Love/Like" the person whether they say "yes" or "no." But asking for money rarely results in a simple "yes" or "no." Nine times out of ten, people raise objections and tell you why they couldn't possibly give what you'd asked.

So before we explore how to relate to people after the ask, let’s look at how to handle objections.
Think about your reaction to an objection. Is it an eager, joyous reaction? Or is it more akin to fear and dread?

I think most of us, at some level, take objections personally. This is scary! What if they ask a question I can't answer?

What if they're really saying, "I think you're nuts and don't have any idea why anyone with half a brain would make a gift to your organization!"

The good news is that they aren't.

Objections are part of the businesses. None of us want to look to "easy" when it comes to responding to requests. For those of you with kids, are there times you answer them "Maybe" when you know you really intend to do what they've requested? There's just something in us that doesn't want to look too easy.

As I see it, there are three main reasons for objections:

Lack of connection with the cause.
Lack of cultivation of the prospect.
The improper solicitation technique, either not knowing the donor (research and engage) or not thanking appropriately after the last gift.

The good news? The Get REAL process addresses all those areas!

Over the next few weeks we'll be diving into objections. Maybe you'll even learn to love objections.

But if not, at least you'll learn to feel prepared for them!

This week, think about the most recent set of objections you received. Do they fit one of the three main reasons?

The E-mail Solicitation Guide is in print!

2006-04-25T09:52:00.000-04:00

The "$100,000 Guide to E-Mail Solicitation" is now in print!

If you really like having a hard copy of this text--which is smart since you get to see the actual emails I write about--and if you aren't satisfied with the free download from Fundraisingcoach.com, this may be just what you are looking for!

You can purchase your very own copy here.

Get R.E.A.L. Review

2006-04-18T09:08:00.000-04:00

Since last fall, we’ve been working through the basics of asking people for money with the simple four-step formula: R.E.A.L.

Research,
Engage,
Ask, and
Love ‘em/Like ‘em/Live with their decision.

So far, we’ve looked at RESEARCH and ENGAGE and ASK. I hope these steps seem incredibly simple, common sense.

Asking people for money is not rocket science. Don’t get lost in researching and engaging. No one makes a gift without being asked. And remember, the reason you are even “engaging” them is that you want to ask them for money. You want them to invest in your cause.

And after the homework and relationship building you’ve done, actual solicitation will seem more like a conversation between colleagues than a sales pitch.

To review the earlier steps, check out some of these EFE blog posts:

In the upcoming issues, we’ll get to look into the last step: Like/Love/Live.

Fundraising is one of the most exciting professions on the planet! It's my hope that the simplicity of this process neutralizes the fear you may have in asking people for money.

Survey Update

2006-04-17T16:20:00.001-04:00

Here are the latest updates for the book naming contest:

Which is your favorite title? (You may vote for more than one.)

44.40% The R.E.A.L. Simple Guide to Asking for Money

22.20% The R.E.A.L. Simple Guide to Raising Money for Your Nonprofit: Why Individual Donors Are the Future of Fundraising

22.20% How To Ask for Money

22.20% Raising Money for what Matters Plugging into the Electricity: Connecting Donors with What Matters Most to Them

22.20% Other (please specify)
The R.E.A.L. Simple Guide to Raising Money

The R.E.A.L. Simple Guide to Raising Money: Why Individual Donors Are the Future of Fundraising

The R.E.A.L. Simple Guide to Asking for Money: Connecting Donors with What Matters Most to Them

11.10% The R.E.A.L. Simple Guide to Raising Money from Individual Donors: Research, Explore, Ask, and Love for Fundraising Success

11.10% Face2Face Solicitation

11.10% Get R.E.A.L.!

0% Asking for Money

There's still time to vote! Go to the survey and enter for a chance to win a free copy of the book.

Fundraising Tips

2006-04-17T13:54:00.000-04:00

The Chonicle of Philanthropy is always a wealth of information. In the article called Development Dollar Divide, they report on the awful and peristant gender gap in salaries. This is the 21st century, can't we get on the same pay scale?!

Anyway, the last bit includes fundraising tips from experts. It's well worth a look. It's great to see other fundraisers comparing asking for money to dating! [Like my Engage! and Charitable Impulse posts.] Here are some excerpts from the article. I've bolded a couple phrases.

Douglas M. Lawson, a New York fund-raising consultant, said that he likes to hold small dinner parties for donors and their friends, largely because he is an experienced cook. "Do what you do naturally," he said. "Cultivate from where you feel happy and comfortable."

Mariann Payne, director of major gifts at United Cerebral Palsy, in Washington, urged fund raisers to organize small, intimate events instead of "soul-sucking galas," which she said "sap your staff and sap your energy."

Gatherings such as movie premieres and art-gallery events can often be done inexpensively with big results, Ms. Payne said. She estimated that she spent about $5,000 on printing and other costs for "salon" gatherings that last year recruited 25 donors who gave $10,000 or more apiece...

...Fund raisers should take their time and hold several meetings with a potential donor before asking for a large donation, Mr. Lawson said. A good rule of thumb is to budget five in-person meetings with donors who will be asked for a six-figure gift and at least six meetings for any gift of $1-million or more, he said. "Fund raising is like dating. Don't propose right away. Cultivation takes time; solicitation is very short."

Often, he said, a donor will ask him, "How can I help?" after hearing about the project in multiple meetings.

Don't you just love the phrase "soul-sucking galas"?

Read the entire article here.

Seth's Blog: The 80/8 Rule

2006-04-10T11:02:00.000-04:00

Here's an interesting tidbit from Seth Godin.

The 80/8 Rule
Shane Wilson points us to Jim Barnes who quotes James Allen, Frederick F. Reichheld and Barney Hamilton, The Three "Ds" of Customer Experience, Harvard Business School Working Knowledge:

A study by Bain & Company found that 80 percent of companies surveyed believed that they delivered a "superior experience" to their customers. But, when customers were asked to indicate their perceptions of the experiences they have in dealing with companies, they rated only 8 percent of companies as truly delivering a superior experience
Seth's Blog: The 80/8 Rule

Are you glad they didn't ask your nonprofit's donors?

Using Props, Part II

2006-04-04T09:44:00.000-04:00

Last time, I introduced the concept of using props as a crutch during a solicitation. We specifically looked at the power of using a gift grid.

One of the most effective props is a simple rendition of the completed project. Get an artist to paint a picture of the completed project.

How happy will the kids be?
How relaxed will patients’ families be?
What will the stray pets’ accommodations look like?

If this sort of project has been completed somewhere else, get a picture. Not only will the picture communicate what you’re intending to do, it also shows the prospect that such a project can be completed successfully.

We have an amazing ability to absorb information from pictures. So use that to your advantage when asking for money.

Paint the picture both in words and in drawings.

Here’s a lesson from experience: if you’re using floor plans, be sure to mark out the old footprint. We’re expanding our nursing home to almost twice its size. The floor plans have been very helpful in telling the story. But they only show what the facility will look like.

They would’ve been far more impressive if the original floor plan were somehow indicated.

People know the building as its been for the last 30 years. Having the original footprint would’ve made it easier for them to orient themselves. And they wouldn’t have to take our word about the doubling of floor space; the evidence would be directly in front of them.

So how can you use props to help your solicitations this week? I bet you’ll love the results!

Book Title Survey still going

2006-04-04T09:42:00.000-04:00

My book is still a long way from being published. (I’m trying to figure out if I’ll self-publish or use an established publisher.) But you all are being very helpful with the title recommendations!

If you haven’t voted yet, the survey is at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=782361915043.

Remember, if you leave your name and contact info when you vote, you’ll be entered to win a free copy of the book when it eventually comes out!

Funding Joke

2006-03-26T15:14:00.000-05:00

Tom Suddes of ForImpact.org recently posted this joke to his blog:

"There is the story of a pastor who got up one Sunday and announced to his congregation: 'I have good news and bad news. The good news is, we have enough money to pay for our new building program. The bad news is, it's still out there in your pockets.'"

I love it!

For a link to the ForImpact blog, go to: Nugget: Funding Joke:

Proper Use of Spam (revisited)

2006-03-21T21:07:00.000-05:00

Just a reminder of the proper use of spam!

When you're asking for money, please remember that email addresses are a priviledge. Don't fall into the trap of using email just because "it's so cheap."

That kind of use could quickly devolve into spam. And, as the user guide clearly states, spam belongs on a frying pan--not in your inbox.

So remember:

Lift & Pull
Squeeze Until It Pops
Squeeze & Tap
Slice & Fry (of grill, bake, broil, microwave, eat cold)

See. There are many uses for spam. But none of them involve email.

(What is Spam anyway? Is it really "spork and ham"?)

[Click here for the original post.]

Using Props

2006-03-21T10:04:00.000-05:00

Even with the best preparation, asking for money can still be a bit nerve-wracking. Have you ever set up a solicitation appointment and gone to the meeting only to chicken out of asking?

I’m sure it’s happened to each of us at least once.

One of the best ways to help remind you to actually ask for money is using props. There’s a wonderful power in putting a piece of paper on the desk or propping a picture on a bookcase. All of a sudden, the solicitation is no longer you against them. Instead, you’re both focusing on the same thing. It’s as though you form a brief partnership.

One of the easiest props is using the gift grid you created during the research stage. You can create one easily by going to http://campagne.com/giftrange/.

This gift range chart shows how many gifts you need to successfully reach your goal. Moreover, it shows how many qualified prospects you should have at each gift level.

Why do I like this type of prop?

Even if you have a problem asking for the exact dollar amount, say $25,000, you can point to the section of the grid and ask, “Would you consider giving at this level?”

When the prospect can see the entire range of gifts and just may say, “No, but I can see giving at this higher level.” (It has happened!)

This grid can also become a great prospecting tool. Whether the person says “yes” or “no” to your solicitation, you can ask them if there is anyone they’d recommend you talk to about giving at that level.

They may not be able to think of anyone, but at least you’ve asked. If they do think of someone, you’ve significantly decreased your research time on that new person. With permission, you can even call them and say, “I was just talking about this project for XYZ nonprofit with Joe and he suggested I show it to you too. Would you have time in your schedule this Thursday or next Tuesday?”

One important note: don’t use the prop as a substitute for asking. Do a little PYITS (Putting Yourself In Their Shoes). Would you make a significant gift if you received a gift grid in the mail?

Probably not. So don’t risk it with your prospect. Your cause is too important. Set up the solicitation appointment, and bring the prop with you. You’ll be glad you did!

Book Title Vote Survey

2006-03-20T09:38:00.000-05:00

Thank you to everyone who's responded to my Would you help me name my book? post!

The response is so good, I'm having a challenge quantifying it. So I set up a survey at SurveyMonkey.com.

At the risk of being a pain, would you vote again? This time at the survey?

I have kept the responses so let me know if you need to be reminded of how you voted.

All participants will be entered into a drawing for a free copy of the book...when it eventually comes out!

FriendRaising by Hildy Gottlieb

2006-03-14T12:11:00.000-05:00

CharityChannel.com's Stephen Nill just reviewd Hildy Gottlieb's newest book.

I've enjoyed interacting with Hildy on the CharityChannel listservs. We even had the treat of speaking at the Hampton Roads Institute for Nonprofit Leadership this past January.

Check out the entire review at: WeReview.

Amazing customer service

2006-03-10T15:45:00.000-05:00

[Cross posted on my other blog, PursingPassion.com.]

This week I bought some perforated paper at Quill.com. It was my first Quill purchase.

When it came the next day (very fast), I saw that it was perforated in the wrong place. So I decided to return it.

The return process was incredibly simple. But what blew me away was the wonderful response I received. I've posted it below. How cool would it be if all companies were this remarkable?

--------------- Original Message ---------------
Subject: Re: Return Order
From: "info@quill.com"
Date: Thu, March 9, 2006 9:39 am
To: marc@vcwaterville.org
-------------------------------------------------
Dear Marc,
Thank you for writing Quill.com.
I apologize that your item does not meet your needs.
It is not necessary for you to return this to us.
Please donate this to the school, church or charitable organization of your choice.
I have processed a credit to your account that can be applied to any open invoice. You should receive a copy of this by mail in 5-7 business days.
If you would like a replacement, please order at your convenience. If we can be of assistance in finding an alternate item, please reply to this email.
We value your business. Thank you for choosing Quill.
Sincerely,
Jan S.
Electronic Correspondence
Representative
Quill Corporation
http://www.quill.com/
"So Fast. So Simple."

Reality Check

2006-03-08T14:24:00.000-05:00

This morning I set time to start calling prospects to set up solicitations.

And I found out I'm really good at distracting myself. I checked GoogleNews. Then I made a call.
I remembered I needed to read an article on one of the people before I called. I printed out the article and made another call.
I noticed I was behind in my reading the Chronicle of Philanthropy.

I wasn't even asking, I was just setting up appointments.

I'd already researched and engaged. I knew these were the right people to ask for this project.

And I was still procrastinating.

But I did get some calls in and set up a bunch of appointments. (Some solicitation; some cultivation.) So I have moved forward.

If you're in a procrastination mode too, check out my post called: Ask!

It helped me!

Would you help me name my book?

2006-03-07T14:54:00.000-05:00

I’m in the process of finishing writing the first draft of my book on asking for money. I want the book to be a very readable, practical, and inexpensive tool that you can give to board members and other volunteers. Something that will demystify the process of fundraising without getting overly complicated.

Hundreds of you read this email every other week. (Thank you!) Would you help me choose a title for the book?

The current ideas are:

The R.E.A.L. Simple Guide to Raising Money from Individual Donors: Research, Explore, Ask, and Love for Fundraising Success
The R.E.A.L. Simple Guide to Asking for Money
The R.E.A.L. Simple Guide to Raising Money for Your Nonprofit: Why Individual Donors Are the Future of Fundraising
How To Ask for Money
F2F Solicitation
Asking for Money
Get R.E.A.L.!
Raising Money for what Matters Plugging into the Electricity: Connecting Donors with What Matters Most to Them

You can email your votes to me at marc@fundraisingcoach.com or make a comment to this post.

Keep It Simple!

2006-03-07T14:52:00.000-05:00

Despite my amazing ability to complicate things, I’m a firm believer in keeping things simple. Simplicity has a beauty of its own. Especially in fundraising.

Asking people for money brings up all sorts of fears. Once a person overcomes those fears and starts trying to find out how to ask people for money, she’s often bogged down with all sorts of well meaning techniques and tools.

Think of the last book you read on fundraising. It often gets caught up in the morass of direct mail minutia, planned giving options, and gift grids and ratios.

I fear we’re running the risk of over complexity as we look specifically at “the ask.” We’ve been looking at this since January! Already we’ve covered

the need to just get out there and ask (“would you consider a gift of…”?),
the need to keep asking (multiple year gifts),
the importance of asking yourself first, and
the idea of making your solicitation concrete (tangibilitizing).

But when it comes right down to it, asking for money is simply story telling.

You figure out what people are most likely to resonate with your story.
You let people tell you their story.
Then you show them points of intersection with your organization’s story.
Then you ask if they’d consider investing in one of those points.
Then you go and tell that story to the next person.

What can you do this week to get out there and tell your story? Better yet, what can you do this week to get out there and listen to a prospect’s story?

Are You Paying Tax On Your Charitable Gifts?

2006-03-02T15:05:00.000-05:00

Here's an article I wrote last year around tax time.

Perhaps you'll find it helpful.

Are You Paying Tax On Your Charitable Gifts?

Calls to Action

2006-02-27T10:24:00.000-05:00

The Chronicle of Philanthropy's report on the eNonprofit Benchmarks Study states that emails that

"asked supporters to sign an online petition, send a message to a legislator
or other decision maker, or take some other action generated responses
from, on average, 10% of recipients.

"By comparison, fund-raising appeals sent by e-mail prompted an online
donation from only 0.3% of recipients, on average."

So an obvious question is: what call to action can you send your email list?

eNonprofit Benchmarks Study

2006-02-23T15:23:00.000-05:00

Finally a study that aims to create benchmarks and help nonprofits increase the effectiveness of using the Internet in their fundraising. You can download the free study at eNonprofit Benchmarks Study.

Guess what, they too found out that fundraising emails delivered later in the week seemed to get a better response! Just like my Tactical Tip #10 "Consider Your Timing." Check it out in my free Guide to E-mail Soliciation.

Tangibilitize Your Ask

2006-02-21T11:31:00.000-05:00

So by now you’ve made your own gift and have been practicing asking for money (“would you consider a gift of $___”).

Today let’s look at something many of us forget: tangibilitizing the ask.

While you probably won’t find tangibilitize in the dictionary, you WILL find it in practice all around you. Look at any piece of direct mail you receive that’s trying to get you to spend money. The good ones will break down “what you’ll get” for the cost of the investment. They make the offer tangible, giving concrete examples.

Put yourself in the seat of the donor. Someone’s just asked you to give $1000 to her project. They’ve done a wonderful job presenting their case and you’re convinced they’re doing incredible work. But give $1000 from your personal account? How would your $1000 really help them?

Check out the leadership giving page of the Alfond Youth Center. Moving past the glaring orange background, the lack of a title on the web browser, and the fact that the donor list is 2 years old, check out the section starting with “Your membership will enable a disadvantaged child to receive...”

I love it! My $1000 would provide:

A full year of After School programming.
Hot meals daily.
Camp scholarships.
The child’s choice of a variety of enrichment programs.

That makes my $1000 tangible. Wow, I could supply a kid with hot meals every day?! I can get my heart behind that.

The Heifer Project tangibilitizes extraordinarily well. Look at their gift catalog. All sorts of gift ranges represented by different animals and an ark. Very cool!

So what can you do to make your ask tangible? How many people will be served by $1000? How many days (or hours) of programming will a gift of $5000 fund? How many meals will be served or jobs created or students assisted?

As you make your solicitation tangible, remember to not overwhelm with options. Be sure to reread the Fundraising Fallacy on Cheez-its.

In a way, tangibilitizing is all about taking someone’s abstract gift of money and making it real.

So go out there and make it real today!

How to become a customer evangelism evangelist

2006-02-15T15:07:00.000-05:00

For all of you committed to Creating Donor Evangelists but are having a tough time convincing your nonprofit, check out McConnell & Huba's post on How to become a customer evangelism evangelist!

2/12/2006 Judaisms of Jesus' Time (Review of Luke 4-9)

2006-02-12T21:37:00.000-05:00

Click here for the "Judaism in Jesus' Time" slide.

[Update: Oops! This was supposed to go on the church blog! Oh well. Happy listening. *grin*]

Ask Yourself!

2006-02-07T09:07:00.000-05:00

We're still in the midst of exploring the "ask"step in the Get R.E.A.L. asking for money process. Last time we've seen the importance of asking a specific amount and asking for a repeated gift next year.

How are your solicitations going? Are you finding it easier now that you've been practicing?
Today I'll mention one of the single most important determiners of your effectiveness: making your own gift first.

Isn't it amazing how simple the basics are? There is nothing flashy about this step.
But have you made your gift?

It's far easier to ask someone to join you in making a gift than it is to simply ask them to make a gift. I think it's got something to do with how believable the cause is to you. If you've made a gift, deep inside of yourself you're more confident. You gave, so others will too.

People face a daily media blitz. So we've gotten pretty quick at figuring out if something is authentic or not. So have our donors.

And if you haven't given, your donor prospects will know. Intuitively. And they often won't give. They won't be able to articulate why they're not giving. They just won't make the gift.

Why should they? It the cause doesnt "sell" you, the one working on it 24/7, why should it "sell" them?

Be sure to put some of your money where your mouth is.

Make your gift first!

Question Marc

2006-02-07T09:05:00.000-05:00

Thank you to all who’ve emailed me with questions for the new “Question Marc” section I’d like to start here on the blog.

Please keep asking them (and give me permission to post them). Ask exactly the question you have, and I’ll obscure the details so none of your board members or donors can tie it to you. *grin*

Email your questions to marc@fundraisingcoach.com

Seth's Blog: Flipping the Funnel--new ebook

2006-02-01T09:49:00.000-05:00

Check out this Seth's Blog: Flipping the Funnel--new ebook.

I just love his take on the getting the word out. Sounds a lot like my Creating Donor Evangelists but he's light years ahead of me.

I'm not sure how I'll incorporate this in my day job. And I definitely don't "get" squidoo. But I do find myself wondering why I haven't started in Inland blog that features our great patient care stories.

You can download Flipping the Funnel for non-profits here.

Help Needed: Question Marc

2006-01-24T09:41:00.000-05:00

I’ve received some terrific questions from EFE subscribers over the years. Most of these questions are ones that would help all of us improve our fundraising and our ability to relate to donors.

So I’d like to explore a new feature on my blog called “Question Marc.” (Get it?)

All I need is your questions and permission to post them. Ask exactly the question you have, and I’ll obscure the details so none of your board members or donors can tie it to you. *grin*

Email your questions to marc@fundraisingcoach.com or post them below as a comment.

VOLUNTEER Hampton Roads

2006-01-24T09:40:00.000-05:00

I'll be at the VOLUNTEER Hampton Roads conference THIS Friday. (Read the original post here.)

Post a comment and let me know if you'll be there, I'd love to meet over coffee!

UPDATE: The Hampton Roads Institute for Nonprofit Leadership Fifth Annual Conference was a blast. Kudos to Ellen Farber for putting on such a great day. And thanks to all of you who were there!

Keep Asking!

2006-01-24T09:38:00.000-05:00

“I’d like to ask you to consider a gift of $5,000 to the campaign.”

Did you practice the question? Is it rolling off your tongue?

Keep on practicing. Then try adding higher dollar amounts.

I was just speaking with a new colleague who told me a cool story. In a past position, he and the board were hoping for a $50,000 gift from a donor for a campaign.

When they shared the story, the donor said, “I’m prepared to give you $50,000…” Here they all breathed an internal sigh of relief, but the donor hadn’t finished. “…a year for the next five years.”

How cool is that!

Granted, that doesn’t happen to all of us. Usually we’re the ones trying to remember the “…a year for the next five years” phrase. Last fall, a donor told me she doubled her gift simply because of that phrase.

She’d decided on a number and had written the check. We’d asked for a multi-year pledge and she had decided on a one-time gift. I was grateful for her including a gift to us at all, but I took a risk and said, “At the risk of appearing pushy, would you consider repeating that amount at this time next year too?”

It turns out the amount was a few thousand dollars! (When she told me she’d written a check, I’d fallen into the trap of thinking of my checkbook and the size check I could write. I should know better than to do that!)

But because I asked her to consider repeating the gift next year, she did.

You just never know until you ask!

Ask!

2006-01-10T09:17:00.000-05:00

All fall, we’ve been working through the basics of asking people for money with the simple four-step formula: R.E.A.L.

Research,
Engage,
Ask, and
Love ‘em.

Now we begin focusing on “ask.” Some of you may be wondering why it’s taken so long to get here. After all, we started this series back in September!

Remember, the Get R.E.A.L. formula is designed to take the fear out of asking. Which do you suppose is easier:

walking up to a stranger and asking her to give money to your cause, or
calling a person you’ve gotten to know and ask them to invest in an aspect of your mission you know interests them?

If you don’t do the research and the engaging, you won’t get to know people. Not everyone is going to give to your cause, no matter how important your cause is. Doing the first two steps helps you weed out those folks who won’t be interested in giving and helps you focus your activities on the folks who will.

Do you remember the #1 reason why people don’t give money to nonprofits? Right. They aren’t asked.

So ask!

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be looking at various parts of the “ask.”

For now, here’s the question that’s helped my raise millions of dollars:

“I’d like to ask you to consider a gift of $5,000 to the campaign.”

Change the amount to fit your situation and keep practicing the question until it rolls off your tongue!

It will be a valuable tool in your fundraising tool belt.

May 2006 be even more of an Extreme Fundraising year for you than 2005 was!

Get R.E.A.L. Review

2005-12-20T15:33:00.000-05:00

All fall, we’ve been working through the basics of asking people for money with the simple four-step formula: R.E.A.L.

Research,
Engage,
Ask, and
Love ‘em.

I love asking people for money! I hope that outlining a simple process like this will help get other people as fired-up about fundraising as I am!

So far, we’ve looked at RESEARCH and ENGAGE. (You can see the archives at http://frcoach.blogspot.com/). I hope that these two steps seem like incredibly simple common sense.

We’d do well to get to know people before we ask them for money. Through finding out about a prospect with simple research tools and getting to know them in conversation over a period of time, we can focus our ask on projects that the prospect will be predisposed to supporting. And they’ll know you too, making the actual solicitation more of a conversation between colleagues.

As normal as this sounds, we often forget to do it. Faced with the crisis of needed funding, we either blindly send out a letter to a chamber of commerce mailing list, or we start calling people we’d love to have make a gift.

Both approaches may get moderate short-term results. But neither builds long-term relationships for your organization.

Two Suggested Resolutions for the New Year
Here are a couple resolutions to consider for the New Year:

Make a practice of taking time to P.Y.I.T.S., “put yourself in their shoes.” Before you send a letter or make a call, take a moment to ask how you yourself would respond if you were about to receive such a letter or call.
Commit to reading Dale Carnegie’s classic “How to Win Friends and Influence People." I try to read this book at least once a year. Why not do it in 2006?

I wish you a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

Leadership Conference in VA

2005-12-20T15:30:00.000-05:00

I’ll be speaking at the Hampton Roads Institute for Nonprofit Leadership Fifth Annual Conference on held January 27, 2006.

Are you going? Or do you live in the Norfolk area?

I'd love to connect over a cup of coffee while I'm down there.

Drop me a line at marc@fundraisingcoach.com

Engage: Behind-the-scenes

2005-12-06T10:53:00.000-05:00

I’m reading Emmanuel Rosen's "The Anatomy of Buzz." Very slowly. I’ve got it on my PDA and read it only when I don’t have any other book handy. But it’s well worth reading. Really.

Last week, during a 70 minute failed attempt to give blood (they kept missing the vein!), I read Rosen’s thoughts on behind-the-scenes. He comments on how we all love to "feel" like we're getting a "behind-the-scenes" look at something. Even if we know it's not REALLY behind-the-scenes.

To this day, I fondly remember Walt Disney World’s "Keys to the Kingdom" tour I took back in '98. For 5 or so hours, we walked "back stage" and saw all the secrets of the kingdom. We knew that we weren't REALLY seeing all the secrets but it sure felt like they showed us alot. And for a person like me, that helped increase my enjoyment of the park on each subsequent visit.

In terms of the "Get R.E.A.L." approach to asking for money, behind-the-scenes activities fit in both the "Engage" step and the unwieldy named "Live/Love/Like" step.

As you think about your Engage activities for the coming year, what can you do to include your donor prospects in a behind-the-scenes activity?

Can you host a gathering at your construction site and have the general contractor speak?
What about a relaxed Q & A with your CEO?
What if you gave a tour of something you've always stayed away from touring--client homes, residence facilities, anything. I'm not advocating doing anything unethical. But all to often we go about business as usual because it's easier.

At one institution, I created a monthly 1-page/2-sides newsletter for class reps called "Rep Rap." I created it with a desktop publishing program template and photocopied them and sent them as self mailers. The informal nature of the newsletter made it feel like something hot-off-the-press.

Do you want to know my favorite part of the behind-the-scenes things? They often can be done with little or no expense. Given the very fact that it is behind-the-scenes, donor prospects expect it to not have the glitz and polish a regular activity would have.

To your fundraising success!

Marc

The Charitable Impulse

2005-11-22T10:28:00.000-05:00

I'm sitting in my office finally taking the time to read the Public Agenda Research Reports: The Charitable Impulse. This study interviewed donors and charity leaders to find out each others' perceptions.

Reading the comments of donors versus the perceptions of leaders, I'm reminded of all the times people tell me donors are really motivated by tax-deductibility of their gift. (They're not. Think about it in terms of your own giving. Time and again, donors are primarily motivated by the impact of the cause.)

Donors consistently trust local nonprofits more than national organizations or the government. They say that local nonprofits have heart and are able to make a real difference in their community.

Whether local or national, donor say they "feel personally betrayed" when scandals erupt because they feel that their "money was misused" (p. 8). This report says donors feel their charitable giving as a form of activism. A way of voting with their dollars.

Read this report--it's a free download here. How do you need to change the way you "engage" donors? Have you been trying to engage donor prospects in ways that do not interest them?

Remember, in the Get R.E.A.L.! process, the engage step is like dating. If you find out your date doesn't like Thai food, you don't insist on taking them to a Thai restaurant. (Unless you don't want a second date with that person!)

So if you're not talking about the heart of your cause and the people actively making a difference through your organization, take this time around the holiday to re-write all of your messaging. Or at least to re-script the talking points you use on a daily basis!

Have a great Thanksgiving!

Marc

Engage!

2005-11-08T16:56:00.000-05:00

FUNDRAISING BASICS: Get R.E.A.L! Engage!

All too often, we're totally backwards about asking people for money. Asking so fills us with fear that we put off the inevitable as long as possible. But at some point, our organizations goes into a financial crisis, and we have to ask. And we just blurt it out on letters or in person.

Imagine the donor process is like the dating process. We want to get married (get the gift) but we're scared to death of meeting people. So we stall, staying inside, not going on a single date. Then, we really NEED to get married so we run into the nearest bar and ask the person at the stool beside us if they'll marry us!

Crazy, isn't it?

So why do we do this with asking?

Even if we do the excellent work of the researching step, it's still too soon to ask for a major gift. We need to date the prospective donor first. I call this the "engage" step.

Research is behind the scenes; engaging involves direct communication with the prospect.

Be genuinely interested in them, not just their money. (Or your perception of their money--some folks look well off but are merely broke at a higher level.)

Take them out to lunch. Visit them when traveling in their area. Send them articles you think might interest them. Take note of what interests them, and what doesn’t. There's no point in asking someone to make a substantial gift to a cause they don't care about.

At least do the courtesy of trying to find something in your cause that relates to their interests.

Engaging is a two-way process. Be sure to share the successes your organization is experiencing. (Remember, people give to winning causes, not to needs!)

I feel this step is even more important than "research." No one raises money behind a desk. It's all about relationships. So get out there and meet your prospects.

But don’t get stuck here either. No prospect has ever made a significant gift just because you were friendly and engaging. They still need to be asked...

In Charleston, SC

2005-10-26T09:35:00.000-04:00

Good morning!

Today I'm in a wet Charleston, SC at Blackbaud's Conference on Philanthropy. I'm learning lots already. (I've even was able to attend a Jars of Clay concert. Sara Groves and Chris Rice also performed. It was incredible. Ok, that may not be "learning" in a strict sense... *grin*)

Since I'm on the road, we'll take a break from going through the "Get REAL" process.

Instead, why not re-listen to the interview I did for Sandra Sims at StepbyStepFundraising.com. The link is http://stepbystepfundraising.com/audio/marc.htm
Then ask yourself how you can either apply the Rule of 3's OR the percentages reported in GivingUSA to your work this week.

Happy fundraising!

Marc

PS With the new year fast approaching, it might be a good time to revisit your annual goals and start setting new ones for 2006. One tool many are finding helpful is the MagnetGoals program.

UPDATE: The original MagnetGoals link doesn't seem to be working. If you'd like to subscribe, you can use the form here on the right under the "archives." Happy goal setting!

Peer Reviews & the CPI Index

2005-10-11T09:55:00.000-04:00

I. FUNDRAISING BASICS: Get R.E.A.L.! Peer Reviews & The CPI Index

I. FUNDRAISING BASICS: Get R.E.A.L.! Peer Reviews & The CPI Index
In our last edition, we were discussing some different ways to do the "research" step of the Get R.E.A.L.! Process (Research, Engage, Ask, Live/Like/Love).

Now, let's look at two other Research tools: peer reviews and something I call "the CPI index."

Peer Reviews
One of the most effective ways of researching prospective donors is asking people about them. Nonprofits often compile a list of names and have "peer review" sessions. They present the list to a select group of peers and go over the names one by one. It can also be effective to do this this one-on-one with people.

These sessions can be highly informative and helpful in gathering anecdotal information as well as hard data. One of the most helpful parts of this type of review is establishing the relationships between prospective donors.

But not everyone is comfortable talking so frankly about their peers. So I developed the "CPI Index."

The CPI Index
The CPI Index is a form of research that attempts to "objectify" the information by scoring prospective donors on three criteria: capacity to give, philanthropic nature, and interest in your cause or organization. This helps you identify the prospective donors you should visit first.

Capacity: Does the person have money they can give your organization? If not, they won't be good prospects--no matter how nice they may be. (Face it, at some point, your nonprofit needs cash to pay the bills and accomplish its mission.)

Philanthropic Nature: Is the person a giver? If they don't give gifts to other organizations, chances are high they won't give gifts to yours.

Interest: Is she interested in your cause? Bill Gates may have high capacity and high philanthropic nature, but without an interest in your cause, you're not going to receive a gift from him.

For this kind of research, prepare a list like before but this time add the three CPI columns. Then ask people to score the prospective donors in each area on a scale of 1 (being lowest) to 5 (being highest). Then add up your scores.

People with 12's or higher should be on your top priority list. Get to them this week!

Be sure to also look at the people that scored high C's and P's but only mediocre I's. You can't impact whether or not the person has capacity or whether or not she is philanthropic. But you can impact how interested she is in your organization. These may be people to begin cultivating for a future gift.

Peer reviews and the CPI Index are two more ways to help you accomplish the "Research" step in the Get R.E.A.L.! process of asking for money. Next week we'll look at the step: "Engage."

Get R.E.A.L.! Research!

2005-09-27T04:20:00.000-04:00

I. FUNDRAISING BASICS: Get R.E.A.L.! Research
II. RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT: Blackbaud’s Conference on Philanthropy

I. FUNDRAISING BASICS: Get R.E.A.L.!
I love asking people for money! I like to think of the fundraiser as holding an electrical cord (the donor’s interests) and facing a wall of outlets (various aspects of the fundraiser’s organization). The fundraiser’s job is to get to know the donor well enough to know which outlet fits the electrical cord’s prongs. When the fundraiser plugs it in by asking for the gift, *bang* power flows!

Oddly, not everyone is as eager to ask for money as I am. It seems like “asking for money” outranks “public speaking” and “untimely death” on the list of most feared things!

My experience leads me to believe that most of this fear is fear of the unknown. Most of us aren’t brought up asking for money so we don’t realize we can be exactly who we are and still be successful fundraisers. So I’ve developed a simple formula to help neutralize the fear.

A SIMPLE FORMULA
In my seminars and trainings, I tell my audiences to get “R.E.A.L.” R.E.A.L is a simple four step formula I created to help people get as excited about asking for money as I am.

The four steps are:
1. Research,
2. Engage,
3. Ask, and
4. Love ‘em.

I'm writing a book on these but I wanted each of you to see a simple way to help board members, volunteers, even yourself(!) overcome this fear by touching on each of these in the ezine and blog over the coming weeks. Let's start with taking a quick look at research.

RESEARCH
I think most people are afraid of asking for money because they don't have a clue how the prospective donor will respond. That's why we need to do our homework before we ask.

Find out as much as you can about the person you’re going to meet. One way is to send all your database information to a vendor that specialized in prospect research and modeling. Groups like Blackbaud Analytics do this all the time. They have access to large amounts of public information. And they have formulas for knowing how to quantify that information.

This information can be like gold to your organization. It’s helping me cut my annual fund mailings from 14,000 records to about 4,000! Think of the savings in production and postage!

This can seem like an incredibly expensive step if you're not used to having a budget for prospect research. An alternative is to try using some simple, free tools like at Google.com. Type the person’s name in the Google search box and see what comes up. It may be helpful to put their name in quotes and spell out the state you live in to narrow the search. For a treasure trove of similar tools, check out the University of Vermont's Research Tools Page.

The point of research isn’t to be prying or snooping around. You're not the FBI. Research helps the donor as much as it helps you. For instance, if you found out they’ve written editorials against your cause, you won’t waste their time asking them to support it! Research also helps you feel more secure about your ask before you even get in front of the donor.

One warning: don’t get “analysis paralysis.” A prospect isn't going to make a gift just because a development person has done research. You've still got to ask! We'll get to that in a few weeks.

Next week we'll look at a couple more ways to do prospect research--peer reviews and, what I call, the CPI index.

II. RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT: Blackbaud’s Conference on Philanthropy
I love Blackbaud's Raiser's Edge. This year, the fundraising folks in our healthcare system are going to Blackbuad's Conference on Philanthropy next month.

Are you going? Or do you live in Charleston, SC?

I'd love to connect over a cup of coffee while I'm down there.

Drop me a line at marc@fundraisingcoach.com

The Basics are Extreme

2005-09-13T09:23:00.000-04:00

I. FUNDRAISING BASICS: Introduction
II. RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT: aweber.com

I. FUNDRAISING BASICS: Introduction
I’ve been publishing the Extreme Fundraising Ezine since 2003. How time flies! All that time, I’ve wondered when someone would ask me, “Marc, what’s so ‘extreme’ about your ezine? Most of it sounds like common sense.”

Fortunately, that hasn’t happened…yet! But here’s my reason for calling it “extreme.”

Have you ever gone to a basketball practice? No matter how good the team is, they still practice lay-ups. Boring, simple, lay-ups. But those simple basics are the foundation for a winning team.

I think it’s the same way with fundraising. So much of fundraising is common sense. And so much of it is repetitive. Too often, we get bored and end up trying gimmicks and trinkets to raise more money. And that becomes addicting. Who’s doing what? Who’s mailing what? What gimmick will increase giving by a percentage point?

All the while we’re forgetting the basics: fundraising is about people asking people to invest in a cause. It’s not a letter asking a person. It’s not a website asking a person. It’s a person asking a person. Plain and simple.

And incredibly extreme. If you start treating people like people, your response rates will go up far faster than a percent a year.

And you’ll see your costs come down. Why? You’ll be asking people based on their interests, not based on your organization’s need. No one gives to need anyway. Not even in disasters like Katrina. We’re giving to help the people needing help and to help the people doing the help.

So in an effort to help keep you at the peak of your game, I’m dedicating the next series of ezines/blogs to going back to the basics. If you’ve ever heard me speak, you’ll know the basics are summed up in the term “Get R.E.A.L.!”

We’ll go into that in depth over the coming weeks. But for now, why not look at your fundraising efforts and P.Y.I.T.S.—Put Yourself In Their Shoes. Step outside everything you know and ask, “How might this look to a donor?”

The results may surprise you!

Remember, fundraising IS an extreme sport!!

II. RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT: aweber.com
There are many terrific tools to help you create an ezine or some other broadcast mailing list for your organization. Ezines can be an incredibly effective way to stay close to the folks that love your cause and help them introduce their friends to that cause.

If you’re interested in starting an ezine or using broadcast mail, I’d highly recommend you check out http://www.aweber.com.

I’ve used them since 2003 and they just keep on getting better. One of my favorite features is the autoresponder. Remember the e-course you received when you signed up? That was part of the autoresponder feature.

I also love that you have the opportunity to easily manage your own subscriptions to any of my lists. You don’t have to wait for me to get around to unsubscribing you!

Give them a test drive by going to: http://marc.aweber.com (my affiliate link)or http://www.aweber.com (not an affiliate link)

To your extreme fundraising success!

Are You Sold on Your Cause?

2005-08-30T10:25:00.000-04:00

I received a terrific comment in response to an email I sent asking for help on a book I'm writing. After I answered it, I asked Lynn if I could reprint it here. I think we all face this scenario at one time or another!

Marc -
I'm currently working on a fundraiser and I still have trouble getting past the imposition of asking, feeling like it is a favor even when they have a budget for donations.
--Lynn

Dear Lynn,

Protecting the environment is one of the most important things a person could invest in!

I'll get into this in the book but here's a couple thoughts:
Are you sold on the cause? Really sold? Do you really believe this is an incredible investment for the donors?

If not, do whatever it takes to get there. Take another tour of the habitat. Talk to environmentalists. Talk to anyone that will convince you.

Get to know all you can about the prospects both online (Google, etc.) and in person. Go to the clubs they go to (Rotary, etc.). Find out what aspect of conservation is important to them. Is it protecting the natural habitat of a specific species of birds? Is it climate stabilization? Something else?
When you ask a person to invest in your project in a way that shows you know what's important to them, you increase your odds of a positive response AND you let the person know you think of them more as a person than as an ATM.

Thanks for your courage in pressing beyond your comfort to protect our natural resources!

Marc

I think we all could benefit from falling in love with our cause from time-to-time!

If you want a refresher on my GET R.E.A.L. approach to soliciting major gifts, check out my article here.

To you fundraising success!

Marc

[Special Request] Would you help me with my book?

2005-08-15T09:19:00.000-04:00

I'm in the l-o-n-g and slow process of writing a very practical guide on asking for money. And I could use your help.

My goal is to focus almost exclusively on how to make a face-to-face major gift soliciation. And to keep the book small enough for board members to feel they could read it in a plane flight.

I'm playing with the title but think it might be something like "The R.E.A.L. Simple Guide to Asking for Money." (R.E.A.L. is the acronym I use to teach fundraising: Research, Engage, Ask, Live/Like/Love).

If you were to spend money on such a book, what are the one or two most important things you would want the book to deal with?

Thank you so much!!

Marc

PS Feel free to post a comment here or email me at marc@fundraisingcoach.com.

Unclear Terms

2005-08-09T10:01:00.000-04:00

I. FUNDRAISING FOLLIES: Unclear Terms
II. RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT: Executive Director Opening

I. FUNDRAISING FOLLIES: Unclear Terms
The Inland Foundation just received a $400,000 matching challenge grant to help us complete our current $1.1 million campaign. I was thrilled but the people around me were happy but not all were as exuberant as I was. Especially the board chairs.

I couldn't figure out what the hesitation was about. This was a huge boon to our effort. As I discussed the gift with each person, they each asked, "Are we going to have to raise the entire $400,000 before we see any of the matching money?"

It turns out the matching gifts they'd all been familiar with were all-or-nothing propositions. You raise all the money or none of the match will be given. Wow! I've been a part of many matching gifts but none this strict. I had no idea how unclear the terms of this gift were to them.

Given their past experience, it's natural that they would be reserved about the news of a $400,000 matching gift. It's been very challenging raising the $660,000 we've raised this year. They were afraid that if we didn't raise the entire additional $400,000 we wouldn't see any of the challenge money.

I explained to them that this was a dollar-for-dollar match up to $400,000--every dollar we raise from here on out will be matched by the grant. That got them excited!

Matching challenges can be powerful ways for donors to leverage the impact of their philanthropy. Their gift helps breath life into the fundraising effort and they see the nonprofit stretch a bit to receive the full benefit of their generosity. That stretching helps the nonprofit grow its capacity either through increased giving from current donors or through new prospects coming on board to help the nonprofit meet the match.

Some matching grants are outright gifts that the nonprofit can use to inspire others. Others are 1:1 matches, others are 2:1 or even 3:1--that means every new $1 raised is matched with $3 from the matching grant. Just work with the donor to make sure her wishes are fully accomplished in a way that is most helpful to the nonprofit.

I have every reason to believe that we'll raise the full $400,000 and blow way past our $1.1 million goal. But if you're part of crafting a matching gift, remember to make sure that everyone involved is clear on the terms.

II. RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT: Executive Director Opening
Another job opening came across my desk since the last edition of Extreme Fundraising. This opportunity sounds great too!

Marc, Our firm has been retained to recruit an Executive Director for the Foundation for Bloomington Hospital and Healthcare System. Located in the diverse, college town of Bloomington , Indiana , Bloomington Hospital is a comprehensive 355-bed medical center offering high quality care to the residents of a nine-county region in southern Indiana .

The Executive Director will serve as the chief administrator of the Foundation. The ED has responsibility for developing and executing strategic plans; developing and implementing
fundraising strategies; managing to board-approved budgets; and for communicating the mission and vision to the Foundation's stakeholders and partners. This is an outstanding opportunity to work with a fabulous board and represent an organization that is respected and admired in the community.

Given your position, I am writing in the hope that you might identify for us individuals you feel are qualified and have the appropriate background for this position. We would appreciate any thoughts or suggestions you may have. Please feel free to contact me to discuss any ideas or questions you might have. I can be reached by phone: 312/876-9800, or by email at Mbermingham@qlksearch.com.

To your extreme fundraising success!

Marc

Entitlement

2005-07-20T08:20:00.000-04:00

I. Fundraising Follies: Entitlement
II. Resource Spotlight: Campaign Officer Opening

I. Fundraising Follies: Entitlement

entitlement
n : right granted by law or contract (especially a right to benefits)

[Written Wednesday, July 20, 2005]
Yet again it's time for Maine Public Broadcasting to do it's pledge drive. Rather than the normal NPR news programs, now much of the time is given over to folks talking about the importance of being a member. I appreciate public radio and am grateful for the programming. I really want to give money. But I'm afraid my gift may encourage them to continue raise money by interrupting my life as they've been doing for decades.

I couldn't live with that on my conscience.

I think what irks me most is the sense of entitlement the MPBN folks seem to have. I'm sure they don't mean to. But to an outsider, it often sounds like they're whining.

Here are some examples from the 7:55 a.m. slot on Wednesday, July 20. (Not exact quotes but very close. I've been hearing this stuff all week.)

When I hear: "We've already committed to the programming. Our bills are coming in. So now you have to pay."
I think things like: "Your not being able to pay your bills isn't my responsibility. I can't just hop on the radio when I can't pay my bills. I certainly couldn't run my business that way either. If they don't have even a rough idea if they'll be able to cover their committments, why would I want to give money to them in the first place?

When I hear things like: "Membership is important. You get to decide what is played here. You get to belong. We chose programs in response to members' surveys and comments. Now you need to do your part and join."
I think things like: "Who are you talking to? Me as a non-member or your current members. As a non-member, I certainly am not responsible to pay for choices you made based on member feedback. I'm not a member. I started pulling out my wallet when you talked about the importance of belonging and having a voice. But I shoved it back into my pocket when it felt like you were trying to guilt me into paying for decisions I didn't have a voice in."

I could go on but probably shouldn't. Who do they think is really listening? I bet it worked decades ago when there weren't many stations to choose from. But in an age of channel surfing, iPods, and satellite radio, interruption marketing is deadly. People will just surf away until the pitch is over.

I don't think I'd mind a 2- to 3-day pledge drive. But keeping it going until they've reached the goal seems wrong. Each show always has sponsorship blurbs. Why can't they air 10 second clips from regular members during the regular shows.

So why have I devoted so much of this issue of Extreme Fundraising to this rant? Because entitlement strikes us all.

Look at your web page or your latest fundraising appeal. How many times do you use the pronouns "we" and "us" or "you" and "yours"?

Donors aren't really interested in us. And no organization is entitled to a donor's money. Whether the donor's money is just that--her money. The challenge for us is to market our benefits to donors. Yep, market.

I've written an article on The Rule of Threes, a tool I use with my clients to help them tell their story consistently and organically. You can download The Rule of Threes PDF file here or view it online here.

In the meantime, let's remember that we need to earn the priviledge of being given money by a donor. And let's work hard to earn it!

II. Resource Spotlight: Campaign Officer Opening
This opening has come across my desk. If I weren't so happily employed I'd seriously look at it. It sounds like fun! If you're interested in learning more, or know someone that may be, just send an to Andrew Wheeler at his email below.

Bowdoin College in Maine seeks a talented individual to join the Development Office as a Capital Gift Officer. This person must possess a track record of cultivating relationships and have relevant experience (preferrably five years) soliticing gifts for either an educational, cultural, healthcare, or a non-profit organization. Ideal candidate will have a liberal arts educational background or have worked in this environment. Contact Andrew Wheeler at andrew.wheeler@divsearch.com for more information.

1,000 Days

2005-07-18T09:35:00.000-04:00

I've been a big fan of goal setting and planning. It's great to get a chance to lift our head out of the day-to-day drudgery and remember why we do what we do.

When I wanted to combine the power of planning and the beauty of simplicity, I created my own MagnetGoals program and e-course. The steps are simple but definitely not easy!

Even though I've written a program, I am always learning. These days, I'm getting a lot out of ForImpact.org. I've just finished the first step in writing a 1,000 Day Action Plan. I recommend you stop reading this blog, click through to it now, and get started!

I love these exercises. They become self-fulfilling prophecies!

Here are two other great ForImpact articles:

Act Now

The Power of For Impact Math.

Wow. Isn't it fulfilling to remember we are impacting people's lives?

Keepers of the Lore

2005-07-12T10:13:00.000-04:00

I. Fundraising Follies: Forgetting the Story
II. Resource Spotlight: WeReview

I. Fundraising Follies: Forgetting the Story
It seems so much of our time in the nonprofit world is what I call “present-future focus.” Our organizations can see the present and know exactly what we’re looking for in the future.But this present-future focus can cause us to forget the past.

Without the past, we wouldn’t have a present.

One of the reasons I love fundraising is that we get to learn the stories of our organizations. We also get to tell those stories to any and all that will listen. Everybody has a story to tell. And you’d be amazed at how willing they are to tell it.

I consider one of my unofficial titles to be “Keeper of the Lore.”

Asking the story is “right” on so many levels:

We prove to donors, and ourselves, that we are moreinterested in people than their pocket books.

We honor the hard work and sacrifices that people made forour organizations.

We get to tell these great stories to the people that arecurrently working in the organization.

I’m sure there’s more. It’s incredibly rewarding to see people thoroughly enjoy remembering the past. And there is a fundraising payoff: the whole time they’re remembering, they’re selling themselves on the how much they love our organization.

Although you won’t make a solicitation during this meeting, this could set the stage for any sort of ask, including planned gifts.

One more thing about telling the story: if your organization has donor plaques up, make it your role to be sure that they never get lost. So many times we change our facilities to meet our expanding needs. This is right and good. But we forget to honor the memory of the donors that sacrificed in the past. Find some way to make sure the plaques are taken care of.

Have fun keeping the lore!

II. Resource Spotlight: WeReview
I know I keep talking about CharityChannel, but it is an incredible resource. One of my favorite parts of the CharityChannel site is the WeReview section. With so many books being published that it’s hard to keep up.

WeReview helps. Here you can check out reviews of the newest books written by our colleagues around the world. And my favorite part: if you sign up for the WeReview newsletter, these terrific reviews can be delivered to your inbox.

To your extreme fundraising success!

Forgetting What Lies Behind...

2005-06-28T10:32:00.000-04:00

I. FUNDRAISING FOLLIES: Forgetting What Lies Behind…
II. RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT: Boards That Love Fundraising

I. FUNDRAISING FOLLIES: Forgetting What Lies Behind…
Have you ever heard the tale about the guy that was passed over for promotion? He complained to his boss, “How could you give the job to Frank? I have 10 years of experience. Why didn’t you choose me?”

His boss responded, “You don’t have 10 years of experience at your job. You have 1 year repeated 10 times.”

Does that sound like your fundraising program? June is the end of many of our fiscal years. And most of us have little option but to hit the ground running in July raising money for the next fiscal year.

But if we don’t learn from this year, how will we improve next year?

So ask yourselves questions like:

What three things did we do exceptionally well this year?
What three things should we stop doing?
What mailing, event, or appeal surprised us by its results? Would it be worth repeating next year?

Take a day with your staff (or with yourself if you’re an office of one!) to reflect and to celebrate. Don’t put this off. This kind of activity makes the following 364 days far more effective.

If you want help setting goals for the next 12 months, check out my free MagnetGoals goal setting e-course. It’s simple but definitely not easy. And, because it involves your whole life, not just your work, it is incredibly effective.

To subscribe to the MagnetGoals e-course, got to Fundraisingcoach.com.

Happy New (fiscal) Year!

II. RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT: Boards That Love Fundraising
One of the cooler things I get to do is participate in Charity Channel’s WeReview as a volunteer book reviewer. The book I’m currently reading for review is Boards that Love Fundraising by Robert M. Zimmerman and Ann W. Lehman. This book is simply great.

If you’re a paid development person, it’s everything you wish your board members understood about fundraising.

If you’re a board member, it’s everything you wish you’d been trained to do when you were recruited for the board.

This book is incredibly readable and packed with a terrific overview of fundraising, as well as dozens of exercises to do as a board. Whether you’re a seasoned professional fundraiser or brand-new to this role, Boards that Love Fundraising will help you improve your ability to raise money!

To your extreme fundraising success!

Marc

Having Fun with Fundraising on the Web

2005-06-22T10:45:00.000-04:00

I just love this website's home page! They mention fundraising FOUR TIMES! And it never feels overdone.

Isn't the handwritten "donate money here" awesome? It definitely shows you the banana--the one thing they want you to do--but it also makes you smile.

Take a minute right now and ask yourself how you can do something like this to your website. (You do have online giving, right? If not, click here to download a free PDF of my "$100,000 Guide to Email Solicitation." It includes a fairly simple way to provide online giving to your donors.)

Kudos to Moving Mountains Trust!

Are You Engaging Your Board?

2005-06-14T11:26:00.000-04:00

I. FUNDRAISING FOLLIES: Not Engaging Your Board
II. WANTED: Your Help With My New Book
III. RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT: CharityUniversity

I. FUNDRAISING FOLLIES: Not Engaging Your Board
Nonprofit board members must be the eighth wonder of the world! They have lives full of work, family, and obligations yet they commit enormous amounts of time and effort on our behalf.

Unfortunately, we often aren’t equipped with tools to engage board members effectively. As a result, board members experience the extremes of overwork or mere meeting attendance.

I’m experimenting with an idea inspired by Living Your Strengths: Discover Your God-Given Talents and Inspire Your Community by Albert Winseman, Donald Clifton, and Curt Liesveld.
The basic premise of this book is that if we focus on developing our hard-wired strengths, we’ll live much more productive and fulfilled lives.

I don’t know what board members think their strengths are and it would seem odd asking them, “What are your strengths?” So went to each of them and said:

I’ve been on boards that forgot that I wasn’t an employee of the nonprofit. And, I’ve been on boards that I feel like I’m merely showing up at meetings to rubber-stamp pre-determined decisions.

I don’t want your experience on this board to be either.

So if I were to come back to you in 12 months, what one thing would you be most proud of contributing to the board?

Then I shut up. And wait. Each board member had a reason for joining the board. This is one way to make sure they are contributing in ways meaningful both to them and to the nonprofit. Once they answer, and we agree on a way that what they said will best benefit the organization, it becomes my job to make sure that happens.

I don’t know what the results of this approach will be. I’m anticipating board members feeling more fulfilled with their participation. They’ll be able to point to at least on concrete improvement they contributed to.

That’s the kind of board I’d want to be on!

II. WANTED: Your Help With My New Book
Thanks to all of you who responded to me email asking how Creating Donor Evangelists request a few weeks ago. I have another request for help.

I’m in the process of writing a book with the working title Asking for Money: A Get R.E.A.L. Guide to Raising Money from Individuals. I want it to help take the fear out of asking people for money. At little more than 100 pages, it should be ideal for boards to read.

Based on your experience in this field, what topics would be the most helpful to you? If you’ve read books or taken fundraising courses, what do you wish they’d included?

As always, you can send your comments and suggestions to marc@fundraisingcoach.com. Thanks!

III. RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT: CharityUniversity
I’ve talked about this before. I you haven’t checked out CharityUniversity yet, do it now. They’ve just added dozens of new live and on demand classes to its line up.

While you’re there, check out “Fundraising 101” by yours truly. That link is:
http://charitychannel.com/publish/templates/?a=4709&z=58

To your extreme fundraising success!

Marc

Proper Spam User Guide

2005-06-02T21:50:00.000-04:00

Proper Spam User Guide

I always suspected there was a user's guide for spam out there somewhere.

Now I've found it!

When you're fundraising, please remember that email addresses are a priviledge. Don't fall into the trap of using email exclusively "because it's so cheap."

That could quickly devolve into spam. And, as the user guide clearly states, spam belongs on a frying pan--not in your inbox.

Too busy?

2005-05-31T14:51:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the May 31st edition of Extreme Fundraising

We're continuing to look at the mistakes we make in asking people for money. I’m transitioning the archives to http://blog.fundraisingcoach.com/ so if you’re looking for previous issues, check there first. Then check in http://fundraisingcoach.com/ezine.htm.

I. FUNDRAISING FOLLIES: BEING TOO BUSY
II. RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT: CDE THANKS
III. CHARITY UNIVERSITY

I. FUNDRAISING FOLLIES: BEING TOO BUSY
Have you ever heard the touching story about the founding of Stanford. The story goes that a poor looking couple went to Harvard to see about building a building in their son’s memory. The too busy Harvard president spurned them, saying, “Do you realize how much a building costs? We have over $7.5 million invested in our physical plant.” The wife looks at her husband and says, “Is that all it costs to start a university? Why don’t we start our own?” So the Stanfords went home to Palo Alto and started the university that bears their name.

First, that story isn’t true. It’s an urban legend. You can get the full story at:
http://www.snopes.com/glurge/stanford.htm

Nevertheless, the moral of the story is still good. Think about its implications. Are we so busy being managers and raising money that we forget to take time to be people? After all, ours is primarily a relationships business. And people are far more connected with each other than we’ll ever know.

Did you know the average planned giving prospect gives their favorite nonprofit $5 per year? $5. Every year. But statistics normally show the average planned gift is over $10,000.

What would an additional $10,000 do for your organization today?

So let’s remember that our business is about people, rich or poor. Yes, we need to be wise stewards of our limited resources, including time. But we also have to have the integrity to treat people well, regardless of their circumstances.

We can all improve on our people skills. What can you do today to get practice treating people a little better than you have been?

II. RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT: CDE THANKS
Thanks to all of you who responded to me email asking how Creating Donor Evangelists changed the way you approach your work. I’m honored by your kindness! I neglected to include that the CDE report is available free at http://fundraisingcoach.com/articles.htm. Just look for the guy with the sandwich board sign.

Congratulations to Jennifer Warwick, managing director of the Burdenski and Taylor Consulting Group and Rob Hatch, executive director of the Child Health Center! Both Jennifer and Rob knew that person that ordered coffee “black as midnight on a moonless night” was special agent Dale Cooper from the Twin Peaks TV series.

Please feel free to email me your thoughts about Creating Donor Evangelists or Twin Peaks at marc@fundraisingcoach.com.

III.CHARITY UNIVERSITY
A great resource just got even better. Charity University has just added dozens of new classes to its line up. Many of these are live calls so if you attend, you’ll be able to interact with the presenter.

Since the “on demand” classes are already recorded, you can access them when it’s most convenient to your schedule. Be sure to check out “Fundraising 101” by yours truly. That link is:
http://charitychannel.com/publish/templates/?a=4709&z=58

To your extreme fundraising success!

Work Your Plan

2005-05-17T10:34:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the May 17th edition of Extreme Fundraising!

I think we often learn more from our mistakes than our successes so we’re continuing to look at the mistakes we make in asking people for money. Previous issues of the EFE are available in the archives at http://fundraisingcoach.com/ezine.htm.

I. FUNDRAISING FOLLIES: NOT WORKING THE PLAN
II. RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT: FORIMPACT.ORG
III. CREATING DONOR EVANGELISTS AUDIO PROGRAM

I. FUNDRAISING FOLLIES: NOT WORKING THE PLAN
Have you ever heard the adage, “Plan your work; work your plan”? Why does it seem we have such a problem with that in fundraising?

We spend lots of time, money, and energy planning our work: studying our donors, interviewing prospects for a campaign, developing a strategy for solicitation, creating a timeline for activity. Then we look at the plan in all its beauty.

A few short weeks later we’re ready to scrap the plan and go to work creating a new one because the money isn’t rolling in. Somehow we forget that plans are not magic. They need to be worked.

We finally broke through that barrier in the campaign I’m helping direct. Finally, most people on the steering committee have gone through the entire to solicitation process with one of their prospects. And they’re developing confidence in the system we’d created. We’re still getting suggestions for cocktail parties but now more of the committee is saying, “Let’s try that after we’re done with our lists.” Yay!

As someone obviously committed to fundraising (why else would you be reading this ezine?), one of your mantra’s needs to be, “Let’s work the plan.” “Let’s get 50-100 solicitations under our belt before we change the process.” “Let’s do the work assigned to us before we begin new projects.”

If you need to be reminded yourself, feel free to give me a call: (207) 861-3377!

Plan your work. WORK YOUR PLAN.

[I’d love to hear your funniest mistakes! You can send them to me at marc@fundraisingcoach.com.]

II. RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT: FORIMPACT.ORG
I love reading the material of people committed enough to their cause to be bold in their statements. ForImpact.org http://forimpact.org/ is one such group. I look forward to reading their blog and email. And I can’t wait to try out one of their 15 minute Tuesday motivation calls.

If you’re interested in falling in love with your work and in increasing your organization’s income, their material is definitely worth checking out.

[If you have tools that you’d like to recommend, please email me at marc@fundraisingcoach.com]

III. CREATING DONOR EVANGELISTS AUDIO PROGRAM
Yesterday a client wrote me saying “I get something new from the Creating Donor Evangelists Audio Program each time I listen to it.” CDE is helping nonprofits around the country move their donors from simply being ATMs to acting like radical fans. The techniques are simple and low cost but take incredible discipline to make them work. To download the free written report, go to http://fundraisingcoach.com/article.htm.

To purchase your own copy of the audio program, go to http://fundraisingcoach.com/ or simply click on this link: http://tinyurl.com/3skl6. The CD is $14.99 and, if you order now, you’ll get free shipping.

To your extreme fundraising success!

Bloggers making a difference in philanthropy

2005-05-11T16:23:00.000-04:00

Here's an article in the Chronicle of Philanthropy on how blogging is opening foundations up to greater scrutiny.

In the article, auther William Schambra writes:

Bloggers are scrappy, radically individualistic insurgents. They like nothing better than to take on tottering institutional empires, where arrogant, insulated leaders have escaped accountability for their lethargy and corruption by virtue of the fear they have instilled within the respectable, established commentariat. So it is just a matter of time before serious blogging comes to philanthropy. But we need bloggers who are veterans of the field, and who know how to interpret the opaque, impenetrable jargon and stylized, empty ceremonies of that world. By mercilessly critiquing the foundation world's "official" literature and rituals, actual transparency might be encouraged.

You may need a subscription to get in but I think I've made it so you don't.

Are You Spreading Yourself Thin Enough?

2005-05-03T16:22:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the May 3rd edition of Extreme Fundraising!

We're continuing to look at the mistakes we make in asking people for money. Previous issues of the Extreme Fundraising Ezine are available in the archives at http://fundraisingcoach.com/ezine.htm.

--------------------------------------------------
I. Fundraising Follies: Not Spreading Yourself Thin Enough
II. Resource Spotlight: Weekly Call Sheets
III. Creating Donor Evangelists Audio Program
--------------------------------------------------

I. Fundraising Follies: Not Spreading Yourself Thin Enough
With all the pop-psychology in the air today, it seems the entire world is telling us to not “spread ourselves too thin.” And that’s appropriate in many areas…but deadly in fundraising. If we only talk to the same dozen people, we’re severely limiting our fundraising potential. One of the most important objectives of a fundraising program is to attract new people to the organization’s mission. I’ve found it extremely hard to attract new people without communicating with new people!

Tracking my touches was so rewarding, I actually designed my own form. On the form I recorded the person’s name and affiliation, how the contact was made, what the purpose of the contact was, and any other notes I might have. If someone called me, that went on the sheet. If I visited someone in their home, that did too. As I used it, I was amazed to see how natural it was to converse with a wide variety of graduation years in the course of a week.

One of the most rewarding outcomes of tracking my “touches” was the ability to quantify a highly relational business like alumni relations. My goal was to fill both sides of the sheet each week. I then gave a copy of the completed sheet for my supervisor. I didn’t believe she actually read it; but she did see that 80-100 touches were being made each week without her involvement. Organizational leadership types call that “impression management.” That way she’d have an answer, if she were ever asked the dreaded, “What does Marc do, anyway?”

Have you ever kept a log of the people you contact daily? Jot down the names of the people you “touch” in some way: by phone, letter, email, visit, etc. Then analyze the results. Are you touching a large number of people for your nonprofit? Are you touching a representative mix of you database? Or are you contacting the same six or seven people every day?

I highly recommend trying the call sheet for at least a week or two. One person from a school in Atlanta got so jazzed about the idea; she had her entire office use my form! Needless to say, not everyone was exactly thrilled. You might use the form and not be thrilled to. It’s not helpful for everyone. But give it a shot and let me know what you think.

[I'm convinced we learn more from our mistakes than from our successes. I'd love to hear your funniest mistakes! You can send them to me at marc@fundraisingcoach.com.]

II. Resource Spotlight: Weekly Call Sheets
You can download a free copy of the weekly call sheet in the “articles” section of Fundraisingcoach.com.

When I became was an alumni director, I was concerned I’d just communicate with the alumni that were my age and the ones that I liked. So I adapted a tool I first learned about in Frank Bettger’s How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling: I started tracking my activity.

You’ll see the place for the person’s name and the checkboxes for type of contact and purpose of contact. There are only three purposes for fundraising contact, right? Cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship. *grin*

Give yourself the challenge of trying to fill up all 94 slots. Don’t worry if you aren’t able to do it all at once. Set goals to increase the touches each week until both sides of the sheet are filled.

[If you have tools that you'd like to recommend, please email me at marc@fundraisingcoach.com]

To purchase your own copy, go to http://fundraisingcoach.com/ or simply click on this link: http://tinyurl.com/3skl6. The CD is $14.99 and, if you order now, you'll get free shipping.

To your extreme fundraising success!

Marc

Is Your Database Gathering Dust?

2005-04-19T16:21:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the April 19th edition of Extreme Fundraising!

We're continuing to look at the mistakes we make in asking people for money. Previous issues of the Extreme Fundraising Ezine are available in the archives at http://fundraisingcoach.com/ezine.htm.

--------------------------------------------------
I. Fundraising Follies: Database Dust
II. Resource Spotlight: eTapestry.com
III. Creating Donor Evangelists Audio Program
--------------------------------------------------
I. Fundraising Follies: Database Dust

Can I share with you one of my pet peeves? Databases that gather dust.

Databases are incredibly important in fundraising. Not only can they track donations, they serve as auxiliary memory for us. Used well, databases can become organizational memory. Anybody that interacts with a donor can put a quick note in the database. Donor's friends and relatives can be linked to each other. You can add attributes to donors to remind you who might be good board prospects or event volunteers. Best of all, databases allow you to dynamically sort all this information to do analysis and strategizing.

All too often, nonprofits seem to create huge, cumbersome spreadsheets in Excel. There's really no space to keep action notes. And don't even think about trying to track relationships!

Or nonprofits invest lots of money into an expensive program like Blackbaud's RaisersEdge and stop short of actually learning how use it. That's like buying a Cadillac and then not learning to drive it! It just sits in the driveway and rusts.

Also, what happens when the fundraiser leaves? The dusty database does virtually nothing for the next person. The new fundraiser has no idea who people are or what relationship they have with the organization. Have you every met a former board chair and had no idea of their history with your nonprofit? At best, it's embarrassing to the development officer. More likely, it's damaging to the nonprofit. Relationships are our business. When we don't treat them well, we won't be able to fund our mission.

So don't let your database gather dust! If you have one, use it. Schedule yourself for training or mark out time in your schedule to improve the information in your database. If you don't have one, why not send an email to your colleagues asking them what they're using?

[I'm convinced we learn more from our mistakes than from our successes. I'd love to hear your funniest mistakes! You can send them to me at marc@fundraisingcoach.com.]

II. Resource Spotlight: eTapestry.com
One of the most exciting databases I've seen is eTapestry.com. It seems to me that most fundraising databases are based 1980's technology. Sure, they're updated and improved, but the core is still a dinosaur of a database.

eTapestry is a tool specifically designed for the web. Wherever you have access to a web browser, you'll have access to your full database! As a fundraiser that loves to be on the road, this would be an incredible advantage.

So if you don't have a database, you may want to look at this product!

If you have tools that you'd like to recommend, please email me at marc@fundraisingcoach.com]

III. Creating Donor Evangelists Audio Program
Based on the popular written report, the Creating Donor Evangelists Audio Program is helping nonprofits around the country move their donors from simply being ATMs to acting like radical fans. The techniques are simple and low cost but take incredible discipline to make them work. To download the free report, go to http://fundraisingcoach.com/article.htm.

To purchase your own copy, go to http://fundraisingcoach.com/ or simply click on this link: http://tinyurl.com/3skl6. The CD is $14.99 and, if you order now, you'll get free shipping.

To your extreme fundraising success!

Marc

Flying Solo—Revisited

2005-03-15T13:09:00.000-05:00

--------------------------------------------------
I. Fundraising Follies: Flying Solo—Revisited
II. Resource Spotlight: CharityTalk
III. Creating Donor Evangelists Audio Program
--------------------------------------------------

I. Fundraising Follies: Flying Solo—Revisited
If you’ll remember from the last EFE, I blundered by letting a wonderful volunteer “fly solo” with her solicitations.

Many readers responded to my plight! Thank you. Among the responses were those like Irene McGee’s of Crowley County Nursing Center http://www.ccntr.com/ “Just be open and honest with her. She'll most likely be thankful.” Dan Hatch of Straight Ahead Ministries http://www.straightahead.org humorously suggested: “Forward this article to her and tell her you made a mistake in not planning to join her in her solicitation calls.”

I’m pleased to say that the volunteer dropped by my office a few days later and I was able make amends. I apologized and said I felt like I’d kind of left her all by herself. I told her I was committed to helping her make the solicitations and would clear my schedule to be with her on her calls.

She was relieved. She still needs to make the calls because she’s got the stronger relationships with our prospective donors. But now I’m back in as an aide and accountability person. I'll also be with her at the solicitations and make sure that the ask is specific and for the predetermined dollar amount.

As I reflected on this, I realized I’d forgotten something I repeatedly tell my seminar audiences: your nonprofit is not the center of your donor’s universe! She hadn’t been nearly consumed with the need to set up appointments as I had.

So we’re back on track to helping our organization raise $1.1 million in the next 5 months!

Thanks for your advice. I’d love to hear from more of you. Feel free to email me at marc@fundraisingcoach.com!

[I’m convinced we learn more from our mistakes than from our successes. I’d love to hear your funniest mistakes! You can send them to me at marc@fundraisingcoach.com.]

II. Resource Spotlight: CharityTalk
This week the resource spotlight swings back to a CharityChannel.com tool: CharityTalk. This listserv is a forum for anyone and everyone related to the nonprofit sector to ask questions and post recommendation. With thousands of people subscribed to this one list, CharityTalk is truly the “big tent” discussion list of the nonprofit world.

I love discussion lists because the emails come right to your inbox. I’m not very good at checking websites on a regular basis. But I do check my email. These messages come to my inbox. I simply skim the discussions and jump in when I feel I have something to share.

There’s truly nothing new under the sun. When you’re faced with a dilemma, CharityTalk is a wonderful place to go to get answers from colleagues around the world. I highly recommend you take a moment to go to http://charitychannel.com/forums/. You can subscribe to CharityTalk and check out CharityChannel’s other forums.

[If you have tools that you think should be considered for inclusion, please email me at marc@fundraisingcoach.com]

III. Creating Donor Evangelists Audio Program
Creating Donor Evangelists is helping people around the country move their donors from mere ATMs to radical fans. The techniques are low cost and at $14.99, so is the CD!

To purchase your own copy, go to http://fundraisingcoach.com/ or simply click on this link: http://tinyurl.com/3skl6

To your extreme fundraising success!

Flying Solo

2005-03-01T13:17:00.000-05:00

--------------------------------------------------
I. Fundraising Follies: Flying Solo
II. Resource Spotlight: Launchcast Radio
III. Creating Donor Evangelists Audio Program
--------------------------------------------------
I. Fundraising Follies: Flying Solo
The longer you’ve been raising money, the more annoying it is when you fall prey to a fundraising folly. Last week, I fell prey to one of the classic blunders: letting a solicitor fly solo. (This classic blunder comes immediately after “Never go in against a Sicilian when death is onthe line.”)

This solicitor is wonderfully gifted and incredibly connected in the community. She’s been an active volunteer and fundraiser for our organization for years. As the development person, I was paired up with her for the campaign solicitations. But, given her long relationships with many of these people, it felt like I might be intruding on a relationship if I went on a call with her.

So last week I called her to see how the calls were going and let her know I was available to go on with her anytime she’d like. She’d scheduled a number of the appointments and thanked me for my offer. We hung up, both feeling good about our selves and good about life.

Then I realized the problem: we’re asking people for considerably more money than they’ve ever given our organization. And I let her fly into this unknown territory without me there by her side to support her. These asks will be uncomfortable. Worse yet, without an accountability person, it’ll be far easier for her to chicken out. *sigh*

I’m not sure how I’m going to right this wrong. I’d love your suggestions! In the mean time, remember that it’s often more effective to do solicitations in pairs.

[I’m convinced we learn more from our mistakes than from our successes. I’d love to hear your funniest mistakes! You can send them to me at marc@fundraisingcoach.com.]

II. Resource Spotlight: Launchcast Radio
Ok, so this isn’t your normal fundraising tool. But the Extreme Fundraising Ezine isn’t your normal fundraising advice, is it?

I love Yahoo’s Launchcast Radio. They call it “music that listens to you” and it is. You can rate the artists, the songs, and the albums. Somehow, they play what you’ve rated and what you might like based on what you’ve rated. You can even reach different levels based on the number of ratings you’ve made. Having rated more than 5,000 things, I’m considered an “addict.”

You can also list other folks as “influencers.” Then you’ll get music based on your selections and influenced by theirs.

So why is this a fundraising tool? There’s nothing like jamming to good music while you’re doing database work! As a fundraiser, I continually find myself at a computer. Now I can always have my favorite music with me wherever my desk happens to be. Where else could I listen to my odd blend of folk, disco, 80’s, Christian, punk, rap, blues, and gospel?!

Check it out at http://launch.yahoo.com/launchcast/. I’d be honored to be one of your influencers. My Yahoo! id is “sbsmarc.”

[If you have tools that you think should be considered for inclusion, please email me at marc@fundraisingcoach.com]

III. Creating Donor Evangelists Audio Program
Creating Donor Evangelists is helping people around the country move their donors from mere ATMs to radical fans. The techniques are low cost and at $14.99, so is the CD! To purchase your own copy, go to http://fundraisingcoach.com/ or simply click on this link: http://tinyurl.com/3skl6

To your extreme fundraising success!

Creating Donor Evangelists Audio Program

2005-01-04T11:27:00.000-05:00

The Creating Donor Evangelists CD is finally done! Special congratulations to Joel Preston of the March of Dimes for buying the first copy back in October!

To purchase your own copy, go to: http://fundraisingcoach.com/cde.htm

Resource Spotlight: CharityUniversity

2005-01-04T11:25:00.000-05:00

For years I’ve relied on CharityChannel.com’s listservs to keep me in touch with colleagues
around the country. I’ve also loved their newsletters like my favorite, WeReview, which sends out books reviewed by our peers.

Now they’ve added an incredibly cool component to their offerings: CharityUniversity http://www.charityuniversity.com/.

No matter what issue you’re facing, or what subject you want to learn more about, their ever
expanding list of classes will help you grow as a professional. Better still, you are able to listen
to these classes when it fits your schedule!

[If you have tools that you think should be considered for inclusion, please email me at
marc@fundraisingcoach.com]

Fundraising Follies: Beware the Cheez-It Syndrome!

2005-01-04T11:15:00.000-05:00

Have you tried to buy a box of Cheez-Its in the supermarket lately? It’s intimidating! There are more than 10 different kinds of Cheez-Its!
Some of the varieties include:

Original
Reduced Fat
White Cheddar
Big Cheez-Its
Cheesy Sour Cream and Onion
Parmesan and Garlic
Cheddar Jack
SpongeBob Cheez-Its
Party Mix
Chili Cheese
Hot and Spicy

It takes so long to look at the wall of orangey-red boxes that you can forget what kind you were looking for!

The choice overwhelmed me enough that I first felt paralyzed. Then I felt stupid.

How was it that I, a guy with a Master’s degree, couldn’t make a simple choice about a box of crackers?! Not liking to feel stupid, I left the aisle.

Can you see how we do this Cheez-It thing all the time to our donors? We often give them so many options that we’re confusing them?

Does your reply form or web page have something like this?

“You can give __$1000, __ $500, __$100, __$50, __$25, __$12.50, or __any
amount.”

And also include something like this?

“Please send me information on planned giving, stock transfers, creating an
endowment, andcorporate matching gifts.”

Our intentions are good. We know there are lots of ways to support our organization and wedon’t know when we’ll have the donor’s attention again so we want to give them as much information as possible.

But PYITS: Put Yourself In Their Shoes.

Are all these options helping motivate a donor to giving or is it paralyzing him?

Options can be very helpful but psychology experts have proven too many options scare people away. So limit your choices to choices you’d be glad they chose.

Rather than sending a letter to all your donors listing giving options from $10-$10,000, why not segment donors and send slightly different letters with only three options:

something close to what they gave last year,
something bigger, and
something even bigger than that.

And, the next time you’re looking to buy Cheez-Its, go for the Chili Cheese—they’re incredible!

[I’m convinced we learn more from our mistakes than from our successes. I’d love to hear yourfunniest mistakes! You can send them to me at: marc@fundraisingcoach.com.]

Fundraising Follies: Admitting When You’ve Gone Too Far

2004-11-30T15:58:00.000-05:00

I love living in a democracy like the United States. But we were getting so many political fundraising letters, phone calls, and emails as Election Day drew near that I was seriously contemplating the benefits of monarchy!

I’ve never liked political fundraising or crisis appeals. As November 2nd approached, I cynically began to wonder if the political organizations were actually raising money to fund themselves for the next four years.

We all know that statistics consistently say the person most likely to make a gift is the person that just gave. So we dutifully ask the most recent givers to give again. That’s fine. But when is enough enough? How often can we keep going back to the same well? When do donors start getting tired of hearing from us?

Well one of the political groups I liked, but was liking a lot less, sent out a thank you email on November 17th. Near the end of the message, they dealt head-on with the issue of donor fatigue:

“…Because we had such a rich stockpile of outstanding candidates running for the House and the Senate this year, we asked you for money again and again and again over the past six months. We’re sure that many of you suffered from donor fatigue -- and we don’t blame you.”

They went on to illustrate how our support was helping significantly change our world. I’m glad I read through the message! My opinion of this group was drastically restored.

Don’t you think our donors might feel a bit of “donor fatigue” at the end of special projects and capital campaigns? What if you directly dealt with it?

“This project was so crucial to the future of our organization that, yes, we know we’ve probably asked you for money more than you’d like. You’re probably a little gun-shy about opening our mail. We don’t blame you. But look at the impact this is already having on the people we serve.”

You may just soothe some weary donors.

I’m convinced we learn more from our mistakes than from our successes. What have you learned in your time of asking? You can email me your funniest mistakes at: marc@fundraisingcoach.com.

Fundraising Follies: Say What You Mean

2004-11-16T15:56:00.000-05:00

We all know the number one reason people don’t give money is that they’re not asked. So the simple act of asking, no matter how badly, will significantly increase your odds of getting a gift. Having said that, it sure helps to ask in language the donor can understand.

Last month, I received a fundraising letter from a group I’ll call “Sywash.” The top of the letter said, “Help Meet Sywash’s Challenge!” Four paragraphs down, they finally got to the challenge:

“Sywash has been given an incredible opportunity by an anonymous donor to strengthen our financial base with a challenge to our annual fund supporters. As part of this challenge grant, we must secure $50,000 in new and increased funding from our under $1,000 givers during the coming months. Once we reach this goal, the donor will award an additional $100,000 to Sywash.”

I had to read that paragraph twice. The paragraph is all about “us” and “our goals”—even in the title of the challenge—a pitfall I talk about in my “Asking for Money” seminar. Moreover, there isn’t any end date given for the challenge! It’s left in a vague “during the coming months.”

Why not make a much more compelling challenge by issuing it in the voice of the anonymous donor?

“Sywash changed my life. I’m so convinced of the importance Sywash’s mission, I’m issuing a challenge to help them strengthen their financial base. Here’s the challenge: if all of you give $50,000 more than last year, I’ll give $100,000. Here’s the catch: I’ll only count gifts from new donors and increased gifts from donors who normally give less than $1,000. Are you in? Think about it, for every additional $1 you give, I’ll give $2. But hurry, you have to give before June 30th!”

I love this because donors can speak to each other in a much more direct style. If you do this, you’ll obviously need to run it past the donor first but chances are, it is closer to what they want to say. After all, shouldn’t a “challenge” be challenging?

The moral of the story: when you’re asking for money, be as politely direct as possible. Donors are busy and don’t have time to read-between-the-lines to figure out what you’re trying to say!

We often we learn more from our mistakes than from our successes. You can email me your funniest mistakes at: marc@fundraisingcoach.com.

Fundraising Follies: The Mickey D’s Fallacy

2004-11-02T15:48:00.000-05:00

This past weekend, a dear friend of the family moved out of her house and into senior housing. We had one day to get everything out of the house but her new apartment was full long before the house was empty. It felt like we were on the TV show “Clean Sweep”!

To save time, I ordered a dumpster. Rather than the cute little green one I’d expected, they brought a huge construction size monster dumpster. It’s a good thing! This woman was a bargain hunter and a pack rat. We threw out enough “seen on TV” gizmos and gadgets to fill up about half of the dumpster!

Only once did she get really upset—when I threw out a bucket that contained an expensive compost starter. Then it struck me, if she’d not spent so much money on “good deals” that she never used, she’d have been able to buy bucket loads of compost starter.

I call this “poverty thinking.” I see nonprofits stuck in this poverty thinking all the time. They’ve become so focused on stretching their money that they lose site of quality. They’ll put in the cheapest cabinets in the new building. Or they’ll bring their major donor to McDonald’s to show her how frugal they are.

Most donors, especially major donors, are wise enough to know that paying a little more up front can save lots of money down the road. Cheap cabinets may have saved a buck this year. But, due to less frequent repairs and replacements, buying a higher quality, more expensive cabinet will save them money over time.

It’s the same with cultivating donors. Paying a little more up front can save lots of money over time. Taking a donor out to a decent restaurant is a way of showing her that we value her. That her relationship means more to us than just the money she’s giving. She needs to know that we care about her and her interests.

The moral of the story: if a donor means enough to your nonprofit to take them out to dinner, go to a place with real silverware. By all means show them how well you stewarded the money they gave, but don’t be a cheapskate.

We often we learn more from our mistakes than from our successes. You can email me your craziest mistakes at: marc@fundraisingcoach.com.

Fundraising Follies: Do Your Homework!

2004-10-19T15:43:00.000-04:00

Regular readers of Extreme Fundraising will know that we’ve invested most of the year in exploring how our innate talents and abilities affect the way we ask people for money. I’m encouraged that many of you have experienced “ah-ha” moments as you’ve begun to strategize your work to align better with your hardwiring.

Today we’re starting on a very different, and pretty funny, series looking at some of the top “Fundraising Follies.” For the next few months, I’ll be highlighting some of the most common mistakes I see fundraisers make.

How do I know? I’ve made them!

In studying what not to do, we’ll draw some memorable pointers on what to do.

If you’ve ever heard me speak, you’ll know that my first professional fundraising ask was for $100,000. Today you’ll hear the story behind that ask. (I’ve changed the circumstances a bit to protect the anonymity of the donor.)

Back when I was cutting my teeth as a paid development person, my mentor kept intending to take me on visits as part of my training. But one thing always led to another and it never happened.

Plus, being a first-born and an extrovert, I didn’t want to wait. The organization was in an exciting time of growth and I wanted as many people as possible to get in on its success.
I love matching up donor interests with institutional needs. It’s like plugging an electrical cord into a wall outlet. When you find the outlet that matches the prongs, power is released!

Obviously, to make sure the plug and prongs fit, you need to do your homework in advance. As I did my homework, I noticed one of the naming opportunities in the campaign that would probably fit quite well with a particular donor. His son loved the computer lab of the newest building on campus. His son even volunteered in the lab to teach others how to use the computers. Even though the building was built, the lab was still a naming opportunity in the campaign.

I know some parents may feel odd about naming a building while their kids are still at the school. And I understand that. In this case, the donor’s wife had died tragically in a car crash a few months before. The entire school was shocked and gave lots of support to the student. I knew the student and felt that naming the lab in honor of his mother might be a fitting way to remember her life.

Since I had no idea of the financial capacity of this family, I decided to structure the ask around the wife’s former employer. I knew she had been on a business trip when the accident occurred and I knew the company had done worked hard to help the family. The naming opportunity for the lab was $100,000 which I felt the company could probably do, especially if spread out over a few years.

So for my first official ask, I set up an appointment to talk to the donor about the school and the campaign. I drove to his house and had an amiable visit. We talked about his son, his acclimation to school life, and his love of the computer lab. Then I shared with him my idea about asking the company to donate $100,000 to name the computer lab in his wife’s memory and asked him if he’d be willing to approach the company himself.

He cringed a bit at the $100,000 and started listing all the company had already done for his family. In the end, although he saw the natural fit, he decided against asking them.
It wasn’t until I got back to my office that I realized I’d asked him on the 1 year anniversary of his wife’s death. My heart plummeted into my stomach. What had I done?

Fortunately, the donor wasn’t offended and we were able to keep an amiable relationship. But I’ve never forgotten to go over the details one more time before making a solicitation!

The lesson: As fundraisers we need to live in the tension between doing our homework and getting out their and taking action. Researching is crucial but can be overly comfortable. Don’t get caught up in “analysis paralysis.” Remember, the #1 reason people don’t give is…they are not asked! So get out there and ask someone for money today.

But make sure you check on a few crucial details before you make a complicated ask!

We all make mistakes. Often we learn more from our mistakes than from our successes. Have you made some outlandish mistakes too? I’d love to hear about it! You can email them to me at:marc@fundraisingcoach.com.