Updated 4/7/23
The pressure to raise more money is an understood in the fundraising profession. How do you make this happen? It typically begins with finding the money and who has it. The pitfall however, with identifying prospective donors is to begin viewing each as dollar signs, especially when under pressure to increase funding. If people show up on your radar as having money, then it is generally accepted that you, as a fundraiser, should be able to attract it. I found myself dominating conversations with prospects as a result of the pressure. With the need to raise funds, fundraisers can fall into the trap of talking too much about the benefits of the organization, the problems needed to be solved, the challenges faced by those working on the mission, the number of successes, anything to catch the attention of those who are identified as being capable of supporting the organization. While these are important in presenting to a prospective donor, a one-sided conversation typically pushes people away or places them on the defensive.
Notice however, that all of the communication examples mentioned above focus on the fundraiser and his or her representation of a cause. Talk about the benefits, talk about the mission, talk about the numbers of those impacted, maybe even tear-jerking stories, all in the hopes of garnering attention from those who have the resources to make a difference, (and also help reduce your personal pressured feelings at the same time).
This assertive approach can be seen as acceptable, but to me, something is missing. Where is the understanding of the donor and which causes he/she favors? What do you learn about the donor when spewing all kinds of information about your organization after your initial introduction? Prospects are not waking dollar signs, however it is easy to fall into that trap, especially when under pressure.
The most successful fundraisers (and sales people for that matter) in my experience, all took the time to get to know prospective donors, and taking the time is not always easy. Genuine understanding of a prospect and learning about each, typically results in them listening to you and what you have to say, especially after you have respected them by listening. I often felt that the pressure to quickly raise funds makes asking questions and listening more difficult, especially when it takes time. I soon learned that unless you take that time, there is less of a chance of making connections and you will find yourself back at square one with the same or greater level of pressure.
Remember, they’re people – not dollar signs and as people, need to be heard, to feel valued and respected, even appreciated, and that includes after the donation. To me, it is truly art as much as science. Without that effort, raising funds under pressure, especially over the long term, at least in my experience, will be difficult.
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