Friday, October 30, 2015

What one fundraising tip would you share?

This morning I presented a session for Fundraising Ireland "Essential Fundraising Bootcamp". It was for a group most of whom were new to fundraising and the goal was to give them a feel for fundraising, a sense at all the different forms of fundraising and a taste of the sector they have joined.

One of the remarkable things I always find about fundraising is the willingness to share.

Can you imagine Pepsi and Coca Cola being willing to share their marketing data and the results of their campaigns with each other?

or Ogilvy sitting down with Saatchi and Saatchi to discuss what tactics have been working well for them?

It just wouldn't happen.

and yet in our wonderful sector it happens all the time. Organisations share experiences and results. Agencies discuss response rates and what tactics are working in different markets and all with a focus on doing a better job.

Why?

Because fundraisers doing a better job means more money is raised

which means

more of the hungry are fed
more of the sick are cured
more of the lonely are held
more of the hurt are healed

so the results are more important than our egos.

Anyway

As part of an effort to prove this point about how willing fundraisers are to help each other I posted the following on the 'Fundraising Chat' Facebook group for fundraisers

'Hi all, I'm teaching a fundraising essentials workshop this morning to some fundraisers starting off their careers. What's the one fundraising tip you'd like to share with them?'

The response was incredible.

Fundraisers from all over the world, experts in their field. Competitors and colleagues alike all took the time out of their busy day to share a nugget or two with some people starting off their career.

Well done to everybody who responded - and thank you.

Here, unedited or abridged are the responses to my post. 


Deanna Wolf Learn to pick yourself up quickly after a "no". If the success rate is ¼, you're that much closer to a "yes"!
UnlikeReply314 hrs
Amanda Bringans Get their data and ask if you can contact them damn quick.
UnlikeReply714 hrs
Ian O'Reilly It's all about relationships. Concentrate all your efforts on building a meaningful relationship that demonstrates the impact of their support on your work
UnlikeReply614 hrs
Angie Carter Thanking donors properly is so important. Calling in person; handwritten letters or a note from your CEO. Thank properly and keep supporters updated and they will support you for years and years. #Stewardship
UnlikeReply214 hrs
Jo McGuinness You'll never be 'done' - there's always something you can be doing, and should be doing so don't put yourself under pressure to clear that to do list, because chances are you won't!
UnlikeReply314 hrs
Susie Goss Data is not just for fundraising operations teams. It's as critical as the right ask and the right thank you! Value it and take the time to keep it up to date.
UnlikeReply214 hrs
Carole Heffernan It's all about building relationships !!!!
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Jo O'boyle Resilience!
UnlikeReply114 hrs
Mark Phillips Read fundraising books, read fundraising blogs, don't guess, don't break the mould, the only thing that matters is the donor experience, look at the numbers, remember that some people care more about their own PR than being successful, learn the basics and master them before you start to "innovate".
UnlikeReply1014 hrs
Michael Kitching Agree that it's all about relationships. Other than that the best bit of advice I ever got was "be prepared to say no to opportunities" if they will distract you from your overall aims.
UnlikeReply314 hrsEdited
Rachel Brown Your best work is often done away from your desk.
UnlikeReply214 hrs
Siân Nicholson Failure is sometimes inevitable, despite how much you put in
UnlikeReply114 hrs
Marcus Missen Think for yourself!
UnlikeReply113 hrs
George Overton Put yourself in your donors shoes, bearing in mind your donor's probably elderly and has relationships with plenty of other charities already
UnlikeReply213 hrs
Katherine Carter Take risks and embrace opportunities, but don't go crazy
UnlikeReply113 hrs
Derek Humphries Learn the rules before you try to break them.
UnlikeReply613 hrs
Niamh Neville Really listen to what your donors are saying.
UnlikeReply213 hrs
Sarah Roberts Don't be afraid to pick up the phone. Don't rely on email. Both with your supporters and your colleagues.
UnlikeReply513 hrs
Max Newton Ask
UnlikeReply313 hrs
Ben Eydmann Lighten up!
UnlikeReply113 hrs
Joe Jenkins Never lose sight of the mission - everything starts and ends there; great fundraising isn't about raising funds but changing the world
UnlikeReply513 hrs
Sarah Church Tenacity, never give up! And stay close to your cause, even on the worst day you will find an inspiring story that can change everything around 🏼
UnlikeReply112 hrs
Howard Lake Do the basics very well, and keep tweaking to improve them.
UnlikeReply212 hrs
Sarah Goddard As well as not being afraid to pick up the phone - invest time meeting supporters/donors face to face. This is the surest way to build relationships and long term conbections to your cause. Attend their fundraisers, invite them to the office for a cuppa, organise meet and greet or stewardship events.
UnlikeReply212 hrs
Lianne Howard-Dace Get close to your organisation's work so you have inspiring stories to tell
UnlikeReply212 hrs
Morag Fleming It's all about connecting the donors to the beneficiaries in a meaningful way and then looking after them
UnlikeReply212 hrs
Derek Humphries This is a great thread. What shines through to me is that fundraising is essentially a simple matter of offering good people the chance to feel good about doing good things.
UnlikeReply512 hrs
Adrian Salmon Not just good people Derek! Although not religious, I'd argue that the act of giving can have the potential to be redemptive, too wink emoticon
UnlikeReply111 hrs
Derek Humphries Fair point Adrian, even if it destroys the simplicity of my sentence!
UnlikeReply211 hrs
Kevin Delaney
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Di Flatt Listen and learn from your donors. What you think and what they think is not always the same. Be in tune, in step with them. Changing the world for the better together is what you should keep in mind. You cannot do it by telling donors how to. You can do it by asking donors how they want to 
UnlikeReply212 hrs
Damian O'Broin Steal all the best and proven ideas, shamelessly and proudly.
UnlikeReply512 hrs
Adrian Salmon Always remember that fundraising is 'the gentle art of teaching the joy of giving'. 5 absolutely key words there wink emoticon
UnlikeReply311 hrs
Andy Nakonecznyj Know your figures and budgets inside out. You should be able to account for every line (even unsolicited income). If you don't know how to budget, learn!
UnlikeReply211 hrs
Lucy Caldicott It's been said higher up in the thread but I agree so much that it's all about relationships (isn't everything though?!) It was my first fundraising lesson twenty years ago and it has stayed with me. Build good relationships internally and these will help you build great relationships with donors
UnlikeReply311 hrs
Angie Carter So true Lucy - treat everyone like a major donor and you will reap the benefits!
LikeReply10 hrs
Kevin Delaney
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Lesley Pinder Look outwards. Don't learn everything just from inside the charity or even worse just fundraising world.
UnlikeReply111 hrs
Lesley Pinder Also...learn how to use punctuation. Something I clearly never did....
LikeReply111 hrs
Adrian Salmon Punctuation is over-rated - I offer the last chapter of 'Ulysses' as evidence wink emoticon
LikeReply11 hrs
Kevin Delaney
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Kevin Kibble articulate the need - be the solution
UnlikeReply310 hrs
Peter Muffett The truth. Always. Dig deep for it. Keep going until you find it. But always always tell it how it is. Don't dilute it. Don't bend it. Treat it with care and dignity. Just tell it.
UnlikeReply410 hrs
Max Newton You want the truth?!
LikeReply3 hrs
Kevin Delaney
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Derek Humphries Steal all the best and proven ideas, shamelessly and proudly.
UnlikeReply49 hrs
Damian O'Broin Oi, I just said that! wink emoticon
UnlikeReply29 hrs
Mark Phillips But don't pretend you are going to pay an agency to come up with ideas and then just steal them.
UnlikeReply37 hrs
Kevin Delaney
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Samuel Butler Always be open, always be honest and always ask.
UnlikeReply19 hrs
Damian O'Broin Learn the rules before you try to break them.
UnlikeReply48 hrs
Derek Humphries Touché!
LikeReply18 hrs
Kevin Delaney
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Pamela Grow When your focus is on leading with gratitude, and building a donor-first development department, you’re always on the right path. I would also advise new fundraisers to - seriously - take some breaks from the insular world of fundraising. Study permission-based marketing, explore what some of the serious internet marketers are doing, study classic direct marketing. Why do your donors give?
UnlikeReply28 hrsEdited
Pamela Grow PS Know your retention rate at all times AND make sure that your board and CEO knows it as well.
LikeReply8 hrs
Kevin Delaney
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Kevin Delaney Thank you all so much guys. Took the time read out lots of these tips during the session. It helped prove my point that people in the sector are open to help and share ideas!!
UnlikeReply67 hrs
Sarah Church So pleased you posted this question, reading everyone's responses put a real spring in my step at the end of a very long week!
UnlikeReply37 hrs
Mary Cahalane Act like a person, write like a person, think like a person. Never stop learning. There's always something to learn.
LikeReply47 hrs
Chiara Cadei Anda Ho...these are all amazing suggestions.
LikeReply14 hrs
Max Newton Steal all the best ideas. Proudly and shamelessly. And make them better.
LikeReply43 hrs
Max Newton wink emoticon
LikeReply3 hrs
Kevin Delaney
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Paul Cartwright Build rapport!
LikeReply3 hrs