Want to avoid some painful and expensive fundraising mistakes?
Check out this post from YUCKS Enterprises, at 5 Universal Truths About Fundraising:
- Donors are not ATMs. It would be easier if they were just machines -- you just punch in a code and money comes out. But they are human beings. If you want them to give, you need to treat them as human. That means listen to them. Show them how your cause connects with their values. Be thankful. Show them they matter.
- People have the Right to Say No. In fact, most donors, most of the time do say no to our fundraising. That's why building a relationship matters: it can turn "no" into "not now."
- Those who Dislike Fundraising Often Have Money Anxiety Issues. Everyone has a relationship with money, and some have a very difficult and painful one. That's what causes many in our industry to seek ways to avoid asking. Or to ask in weird ways. Understanding yourself (or others) can help you overcome this deep and wide barrier to fundraising.
- If You Want Money, Ask For It. The Good Book says, Ask and it will be given to you. The unstated but just as powerful corollary to that is Don't ask, and you'll get zilch. You can hope people will just show up with donations. But it rarely happens.
- Reverse Engineer Everything You Can. If you want your next campaign to work, model it after a campaign that worked. There are times for re-inventing the wheel, but it's a lot more work, and a lot more likely to fail.
