Professional Skill Building
How to Bring Buyers to You
Why do buyers choose to do business with one person and not another? Why are some salespeople held in high regard while others are considered peddlers? What does a salesperson do to keep the phone ringing?
Read MoreConnecting with People
In the fundraising consulting business, we deal with people every day. If we are to work with them effectively and successfully, we have to be able to make personal connections. Connecting with people allows us to create the conditions for our own success and the success of the organizations we strive to represent. Connecting with…
Read MoreCommunicating the Ask
All charitable organizations need generous contributions to meet their obligations and reach their potential. People with discretionary resources want to make a difference in the world through their charitable contributions. How do you connect those in need with those who want to make a difference? Properly communicating the ask. This sounds easy, and there is…
Read MoreHow to effectively Communicate and Persuade in a Nonprofit Environment?
You have seen it written many place before: fundraising is, at its core, a profession based on communication. We work hard everyday to help people understand our values, our mission, and our task. More than just communicating, though, we seek to persuade. Not just to help people understand our mission but to convince them to…
Read MoreCheck Your Ego at the Door
When the New England Patriots went to the Super Bowl in 2002, they did something that no other team has done before: Before the game, when every other team introduces its starters individually, New England came out as a team. “No introductions. No names. No stars. Just 53 teammates coming onto the field as a…
Read MoreThe Fundraising Rule of Thirds
The fundraising industry has a lot of rules of thumb that development professionals apply to the situations we encounter. What we have to avoid is leaning too heavily on these rules in an effort to make a difficult job easy. The Oxford English Dictionary defines “rule of thumb” as a “roughly practical method.” That is…
Read More5 Steps to Board Chair Success
Not all board chairs are made equal. Being a conscientious board member is one thing: in itself a challenging, time-consuming job. But becoming the chair of the board means a lot more responsibility. As the top volunteer at a nonprofit, the chair must have a commitment to the success of an organization and a vision…
Read More12 Ways to Grow Your Pool of Major Donors
Every nonprofit executive would love to have a free-flowing stream of major gifts. Here are some tips to help you grow your pool of major donors. How to Inspire Major Donors Here are strategies you can employ to create a new pool of major donors and to inspire your current donors to get further involved:…
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