Dr. Eva Maria Höller-Cladders, from Berlin, is an adjunct Professor of Organizational Behavior at Carnegie Mellon and a former Senior Executive in various international business roles.
Study the effects of the FIFA World Cup on people in South Africa! SIT study abroad offers a variety of cool programs year round. With this program you can work with youth and local NGOs on a sports development project. Save the world with sports!
Tim Ferriss, author of the best-selling book “The 4-Hour Workweek,” has a blog that can teach you everything from how to read 300% faster to how to control your Facebook obsession. It’s great if you’re looking to hone your time management skills.
For even more Lifestyle-101 tips, check out his list of “9 habits to stop now.” His suggestions will help you free up your life and get focused on the things that really matter.
I know that people who work on behalf of nonprofits like to think of themselves as doing something for the common good. I know that because, whenever I hold workshops, the first question I ask participants is, “What is a nonprofit?” And invariably, their answers accentuate an altruistic angle. “It’s an organization that serves society,” they say, or one “that helps the needy,” or it’s “a group of individuals who hold events to raise money for worthy purposes.”
The last thing in the world that supporters of nonprofits like to think they are is salespeople; they consider themselves a cut above schnooks selling shoes or used cars. I know that because when I ask my second question—“What is fundraising?”—no one ever answers “sales.” Instead predictably, the answers have a mushy quality equal to the definition of a nonprofit. Fundraising is the “ability to raise capital for an entity,” “stewardship, relationship-building in order to raise funds for an agency,” “an effort to generate funds for a good cause.”
So, it’s time for a major reality check for everyone who works on behalf of nonprofits. From doctors and plumbers to entrepreneurs and artists, successful people know how to sell–well. Fundraising is “nonprofit sales,” pure and simple. If you don’t know how to sell, you’ll never be an effective fundraiser. And if your first reaction to the idea of “nonprofit fundraising as selling” is to hold your nose, you’re probably holding back whatever cause(s) you support. So, here are some basic tips to help you increase your effectiveness in fundraising sales:
1. Selling is the quintessential skill. It’s not about getting others to do something they don’t want to or to buy something they don’t need. At its best, selling is the highest form of communication: It’s about making the perfect match between what you have to offer and what someone else wants. It’s an art.
2. Rejection isn’t rejection. So what if someone says no to you. It’s not the end of your life nor should you punish them on your voodoo doll. Think of how many times you may have said no to someone without meaning any ill towards them—and move on to someone else.
3. Fundraising is not about “the ask,” but about “the listen.” Remember the lyric, “fools rush in where angels fear to tread.” Consider your customers before you chew their ears off about your cause. Too many do-gooder fundraisers have a “prima facie, ipso facto attitude.” They think that all they have to do is blurt out the basics of their case and their prey will open their wallet. Ain’t so! Do your homework: Find out about people you approach. Take an interest in them. You’ll be amazed at how interested they’ll become in you.
4. Commit to selling 24/7. The best/most successful fundraisers even dream about raising money. Fundraising is a frame of mind, an all-consuming passion, not a 9-to-5 job. From a check-out line in Publix to a tuxedo-filled ballroom, fundraiser-salespeople know that there are six degrees of separation—or less–between them and the next contribution they receive.
5. Multiply your donors’ gifts. Donors who are treated well beget other donors. The most successful fundraiser-salespeople know that fundraising only gels if you sell well.
J.J. West, account executive and special events extraordinaire at ESPN, attends the Super Bowl, All-Star Game and ESPY Awards every year… and those are just a few of the many perks of his job. How did he get there? West exclusively tells Thrive that he got his dream job through hustling and networking. He did his research, met the EVP of ESPN, did more research and walked that fine line of making sure he remembered West without getting on his nerves. When asked who his mentors were, West said: “I like to call it my board of directors… I have a group of 5-10 peers and older people I look up to so when I have a dilemma, they’re the ones I turn to… I turn to my board.”
Other keys to success that West suggests:
“Never let a closed door discourage you, be a go-getter!”
“Always do your best work, you never know who’s looking”
“When you get down, recognize and utilize transferrable skills you have to get the job done”
“Think strategically and build relationships, that’s how you move up, by being a problem-solver and having strong relationships so people vouch for and speak highly of you.”
“Always show people your talent, worth and value… don’t tell them what should be done, just do it!”
This little question may really help you focus. Keep in mind the person you want to be while continuing to be true to who you are now.
© 2009 Thriveby25.com
