Folly #18: A Fundraiser's Magical Power
It's true that good fundraisers have a secret sauce, but it's not what you think.
I’ve been a fundraiser for a long time, and people say some funny things when I tell them my profession. That sounds hard. Isn’t it like begging? How do you ask strangers for money?
No. No. And emphatically no. I never ask donors for money the first time I meet them. They haven’t told me anything about themselves, so it would be impossible to make the right ask! And when I meet them again, they’re not strangers.
Fundraising is not rocket science. Nearly anyone can do it well. Two years ago I started teaching to encourage more people to transition into fundraising careers, and here’s what I tell them:
Fundraising = Genuine Storytelling + Project Management + Secret Sauce
(If you’re tempted by the idea of meaningful, in-demand work, the next learn-to-fundraise class starts May 10 and you can sign up here.)
Here’s what a good fundraiser needs to be able to do:
Lay out a vision for powerful change.
Describe what it costs to create that kind of impact.
Ask a person how they can help make it happen.
Apply a special magical power that everyone has.
So what’s the special sauce of great fundraisers?
Is it a degree?
Hell no. There’s only one way to learn how to talk to a donor. Go talk to people.
It kills me to see fundraising job descriptions that require a bachelors or, worse, a masters. Can you say this in your fundraising job descriptions please:
We value lived experience that includes persuasion, integrity, and the ability to tell a powerful story. No degree required.
Is it great sales(wo)manship?
We’re talking about Doing Good, not buying a car. The less pushy, the more likely you are to get the gift now, later, and again and again.
Is it years of experience?
Yes and no. Not necessarily years of experience as a fundraiser.
The magical power that great fundraisers have is that they are good listeners.
Rather than thinking about what to say next, they are listening for clues about what is important to a person. They know there’s no better outcome to a donor conversation than having a baked-in opportunity for a follow up call. They know that they are fundraisers, not program staff. So great fundraisers are comfortable saying:
That’s a good question and I don’t know the answer, but I will find out and get back to you.
I’m very skilled at not having all the answers. There’s a humility to nonprofit work, and a desire to bring others along gently. Giving is not something we force (or, worse, guilt) donors to do. It’s something they want to do. Like the executive director I encouraged to ask open ended questions – and was surprised when the donor took out a checkbook and gave 10 times what would have been the “ask.”
Have questions about fundraising? Let’s talk. You can do this.