7 Secrets of Successful Fundraising
There’s actually nothing remotely mysterious about the practice of fundraising,” blogs fundraiser Tobin Aldrich, “but if you’ll accept the rhetorical flourish, here are my secrets for how to be successful in all types of fundraising.”
- Believe in the cause
- Take the long view
- Have a plan
- Focus on what’s important
- Be bold
- Challenge everything
- Own your numbers
Read the full blog post by clicking here
Are You Making These Fundraising Mistakes?
“What a shame,” writes fundraising guru Kevin Gentry of the Koch Foundation, “to pour so many resources into a big fundraising event, a comprehensive direct mail campaign, a thick foundation grant proposal, your organization’s website or a trip across the country to make a major contribution solicitation, only to come up short because you didn’t think through the ask.”
Are your fundraising appeals falling short because you’re making one or more of these mistakes that Gentry outlines?
- There are insufficient benefits offered, only a description of features.
- You extol your needs, rather than your solutions to a felt unease.
- You don’t differentiate yourself from the better established, alternative brands.
- Your ask is passive, indirect and vague.
- Or worse, it’s so complicated as to not be understood.
- There’s no felt urgency, and as result the key decision for your prospect is easily postponed.
- It’s not clear how what you’re offering is special or unique.
- You try to sell your customer what you want to sell to her, rather than what she wants to buy.
- You talk, talk, talk…never listening.
- And perhaps worst of all, the value proposition isn’t utilized, so its power is left unharnessed.
If you are making any of these mistakes, don’t feel badly. We all do at one time or other. The key is to review all of your fundraising appeals, recognize when they come up short, and fix them.
Famous Last Words
“Donor loyalty is not about the donor being loyal to you, it is you being loyal to the donor. – Harvey McKinnon
What You Missed in This Week’s Campaign Hot Tips
Campaign Hot Tips is a daily e-newsletter for Winners Circle members. Here’s what you missed this week if you’re not yet a member…
- Making the Money Flow with Indiegogo
- How to Learn to Read at Light Speed
- How to Cut through the Clutter by Getting to the Point
- 10 Tips for Successful Donor Testimonials
- Secrets of Telling Great Fundraising Stories
For more information and a one-month/no obligation trial membership in the Winners Circle, click here