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Do you know where to put forth your fundraising efforts to make things happen?
Author: JoyOlson
Successful Fundraiser of 22 years; Pet owner and lover; triathlete and sportswoman; Gardner; Love to dance; Music a must; Workaholic
Throwing a Great Elevator Pitch!
So do YOU have an elevator pitch ready to go at a moments notice? Is it convincing, concise and compelling? Want some good tips?
- Keep it short, just a few sentences and about 60 seconds in length.
- Focus on your organizations impact! Talk benefits and the solutions you make possible. Forget details.
- Talk benefits and solutions that add up to why you are making the community a better place for everyone.
- Tell them Why you’re proud to be involved
- If you have the time, give a short example, a quick story that has heartfelt impact
- Practice, rehearse and be prepared! Don’t get caught in the elevator with the perfect supporter without a great pitch!
- Catch more fundraising top tips at www.blockbusterfundaising.com or www.joyolsongroup.com
Tips to throw an Elevator Pitch that hits it out of the park
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Are you ready on a moments notice with a compelling story on why you love your organization?
Do You Have a Great Elevator Pitch Ready ?
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You just never know when you need to be able to rattle off all your best heartfelt ‘sales pitch’ to Mr or Mrs Big and this moment may never happen again! BE Prepared!
Summertime Fundraising
Wow, here it is, middle of July, and we’re ready for some serious vacation time, right?
But you’re wondering if this is the right time to put fundraising aside for summertime fun?
No worries as they might say on some exotic beach!
Here’s what a fundraiser can do right now to make sure that everything is ship shape and ready for take-off.
First, review your first six month results so you are spot-on about where you are right now. Are your fundraising efforts on target or do you need to plan a Fall campaign to pick up more than just leaves? There is time!
Secondly, review what’s working this year and what’s had less than stellar results. Do more of what appeals to your donors! Be very clear on fails and successes because you now have less than six months to make your goals happen!
Third, CALL! Make time this month and next month to call your donors. Segment them but make sure you give those NEW donors a call with a big thanks because 81% probably won’t make another gift and you can be sure they won’t if you don’t give them your heartfelt thanks! Let them know the impact their gift has made and how much you appreciate their support. Now work on the loyalty calls, right, because your donors are getting solicited by many good causes so don’t let them slip away because they think you don’t need them anymore. Make your donors feel good about what they’re doing for you and what a difference they are making!
Get help from your board with these mid-summer calls and give them 3 message points for the calls; 1. Thank you!! 2. Your gift made this (short story of success) happen and, 3. You are appreciated. Donors love it when they hear from you and there is no mention of any kind of “Ask.” You’re saving that for year end.
Review your last quarter 2016 fundraising plan and make sure all your ducks are in a row! If you don’t have an air tight year end plan, you’ll need my”Fundraising Year-End Cheat Sheet for 2016 Results!” We’ll will make sure you haven’t overlooked something important.
Have a great Summer and don’t forget the cheat sheet because Oct, Nov & Dec are racing in! Doesn’t seem fair does it with the sun out and the beach calling our name?
Sunny wishes, Joy
here’s a link to another blog Sounding Off on Fundraising Events
Summertime Fundraising to Stay Ahead
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Don’t lost ground with your fundraising efforts in the good ole summertime! Use these great tips from Networkforgood
Turn Your Fundraising Stories Into Money
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Just read a good book that Jeff Brooks wrote, How to Turn Your Words Into Money” and he has defined the 3 Main Ingredients your story must have!
Questions Your Donors Want to Ask You
https://youtu.be/kHfWH9o7zNE
Just finished reading a book "11 Questions Every Donor Asks & The Answers All Donors Crave" by Harvey McKinnon and some say it's a book all fundraisers should read! So I read it and thought I'd blog about it today!
So what do you think your donors first question is when they hear your voice on the phone? McKinnon says its "Why Me" and he also says you better have a good answer!
You will have a good answer if you've done your homework and know your donor because you will understand their motivations, interests and reasoning. You will approach with an opportunity that you feel will be a good fit and know they will feel great about being able to make a difference for something that is important to them.
Of-course, if its a first time donor, you have your homework cut out for you! You've got some information gathering "getting to know you" sessions ahead!
I did a Facebook Live video/conversaton regarding this book that I will include with this blog if you have interest. It covers the basics of McKinnons book. I think the important aspect here to always remember is that your donors love to give to causes that have real meaning to them, that have a heart connection with, and you are simply the conduit for that connection! So love them, love your cause, love telling them the story and never ever be afraid to ask them for help because you know it's going to make them feel so good to help!
If you need some good fundraising tips, download my FREE 10 Amazing Fundraising Tips!
See You Soon! Enjoy the sunny days! Joy
DONOR LOVE MEANS UNDERSTANDING YOUR DONORS
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Harvey McKinnon wrote a good book, “The 11 Questions Every Donor Asks” and its a great read an interesting discussion for all fundraisers!
Westies love Summer
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Couldn’t resist going to park on the first day of summer 2016 going live there and
CULTIVATE OR PARTNER WITH YOUR BIG SPENDERS?
https://youtu.be/WIs2eBELk9E
Hey, I’ve been in Development 20 years now and constantly I hear and study the words “stewardship” and “cultivation”! If interview someone for a development position and they don’t immediately smile with relief when responding to these 2 magic words, I immediately sense they’re likely not right for this department. And, of-course, everyone wants to “cultivate” the Big Spender!
Last week a great friend of mine and a true “Big Spender” ( super philanthropist) gave a huge birthday bash in PDX! I mean huge!
SHOWTIME! A big band, singer, show girls and great musical numbers and hilarious roast made the program a smash! #1 hit for me was “Hey Big Spender,” performed by 15 Executive Directors from non-profits that my friend supports! Everyone cheered, laughed, enjoying the hilarious musical moment!
By morning my thoughts are consumed by how and why these partnerships formed. Why are they working so well for both my friend and the non-profits? They both certainly seem to get a lot out from the mutual relationship and that’s always why good relationships work, right?
Every development officer in PDX worth their salary has called my friend, trying to “cultivate” a fundraising relationship. If they are successful, then the “stewarding” sets in! Makes me wonder, who gets through and why! What is the winning formula?
So I asked my friend, how about Skypeing an interview with me about your non-profit partners, what do you look for in a non-profit for them to get to partner status? He said OK!
Preparing for this interview I went to Youtube and viewed Philanthropy thought leaders that have interviewed in this area and one sophisticated philanthropist, a lady, really resonated with me, hence the “Cultivation if for Potatoes” title!
She said, “I have a pet peeve and it’s cultivation! Do Not Cultivate Me, I am Not a Potato!”
She went on to say that she did not want any ‘tchotchkes,’ spend her donation on projects, projects that solve the problems you are working on together.
I’m excited to interview my big spender friend and find out just what it takes to get him interested in a non-profit partnership.
Can you imagine all the calls he gets every day from development peeps in Oregon? How does he decide? How do other big non-profit spenders and philanthropists make their decisions? He does not have a foundation or board and can decide to big spend on the spur of the moment! This can make a fundraiser giddy with delight, don’t you think?
Okay, I will be back to blog some answers soon so stay tuned, check back, and would love to hear your thoughts on cultivation, big spenders, tchotchkes, or anything else!
Sounding Off on Fundraising Events!
here’s a link to it if you have interest
So I have a question for you right now about your fundraising event and goals!
How far do you push your guests to spend, spend, spend and how much noise can you take to do that?
This is an issue I have personally wrestled with for the last 5 years as we were taking an annual fundraising event from $80,000 to $200,000!
After thinking this to death in my mind every year and sometimes arguing with the professional auction advisers over my decisions, here’s my final thought, at least this year! 🙂
# 1. Hire the best sound person or company you can find in your area and discuss your concerns about noise levels in the event location. Ask them if they have ever done sound in this venue and what can you do to make the sound surround sound versus blast off sound. Use 4 point or 6 point speakers in the room and find out if you can lower sound of each individual speaker on the fly at the event! You may need to make emergency adjustments!
#2. timeline your event! Is it 4 hours, 5 to 9? If so, make a decision how to divide up the “selling with the mic” time! Current thought seems to be to, via the mic, talk up and through the Silent Auction and coming possibilities in Live Auction for the first 2 hours with barely a let-up! In my opinion, this is wrong and disrespectful to your guests! Give them enjoyment time, let them visit with their friends, hosts, let them visit with one another! Let them share their stories of why they love your mission! Let them enjoy “light” and “quiet” music in background if you like that idea (I do) because favorite tunes in the background make peeps feel comfortable and happy.
#3. At 7PM, unleash a dynamite program, loud, fun, zany, uplifting, great videos and stories and get that support! Plan for months to make this 2 hour program extremely compelling, two-hours that positions all the passion you and your staff can muster for your mission! Save up your best stories all year and tell those stories via video or personal visits from those your mission has helped, etc etc etc! Just make it really really good with you very best efforts.
You will start at 7PM with everyone relaxed and ready for a good time! Some may leave early, but you won’t lose a mass folks that have napkins stuck in their ears! And I’m not kidding as I hosted a table of 10 at my favorite event and 5 of the 10 had to leave because of the noise level, it was so uncomfortable and it had been constant for 2 hours by the time the program started. As the table host, I was embarrassed and convinced that I had been right for advocating for more relaxed Silent Auction and pre-event announcements. SAVE ALL THAT JAZZ for last 2 hours, with well located speakers and a sound crew who will work with you!
I did my first Facebook Live this weekend on Sounding Off Hey, I would love to hear from you! Sound off! It’s Joy, sounding off and signing off for now!
here’s a link to it if you have interest