Posted 7/6/21
When making a career move to the nonprofit, specifically sales to fundraising, I noticed a subtle difference between the two, among others. I was accustom to keeping my foot on the gas in sales roles as it felt like the competition was always applying pressure and if I didn’t close deals quickly or continue to fill the funnel with new prospects, I would be on the outside looking in. This was especially true in start-ups and entrepreneurial ventures where finding sales advantages in order to establish ourselves as a credible company, were crucial to survival. There was also a similar culture regarding a continuous flow of new customers in order to defeat the competition. I was almost always in high gear as a salesperson.
Moving to the non-profit presented a unique difference. As it turns out, business success is indicated by profitability, and the way to achieve it is to keep your foot on the gas pedal to generate more sales. Fundraising also involves pressure to perform, but this success is linked to how well the organization satisfies the mission. It is important to find new donors, but inherent in the fundraising relationship is the time it takes to establish and maintain trusting, long-term connections. (Some sales roles do require emphasis on long-term customer relationships, but my experience, especially in entrepreneurial companies, required a steady stream of new business).
As mentioned in other entries in this blog, it takes time to create the emotional connection between the donor and organization. It is more important to establish a deeper engagement with potential donors as well as retaining them, but it takes time way from finding new donors. This is a different philosophical approach as the long-term donor is more important to the nonprofit than the “one and done” contributor would be.
This may appear to require a subtle adjustment, but changing from the fast-paced sales cycle to the methodical, patient, cultivation process such as major gifts, requires a different skill set including the ability to create a deeper engagement with the donor. Some sales people can make the adjustment while others are better equipped for the fast-paced sales process. This is something to understand if considering a move to nonprofit fundraising as a salesperson.