3 ways courage affects your fundraising goals

I'm going to get straight to it. 

Here are the 3 ways I see your personal courage level (are you wincing yet?) affecting your fundraising goals. 

1. You don't ask for what you need, so you don't get it. 

Your organization doesn't need another $200 gift. Your organization needs $100,000 or $500,000. And not a restricted gift either, we're talking general operating support, baby! 

Even when you have the BEST strategy in place, it takes GUTS to execute on the strategy. Calling that donor that isn't your favorite? Takes courage. Asking straight up for $25,000? Takes courage. Building relationships and actually influencing your donors to step up? Takes courage. Speaking up in that meeting where they want to do ANOTHER virtual event that you will end up planning? Takes courage. I know you work hard. You work a lot. I LOVE your work ethic! I also know you understand the value of working smarter, not harder and actually ask for what we need, not just the bare minimum. Not sayin' it's easy. Sayin' it takes courage. Plus, think of what your life would be like if you raised, not just what you could get by on, but more than what you needed?! 

2. You doubt yourself, so you don't speak up which leads to greater self-doubt. 

Your gut tells you to speak up and say "Uhh... I don't think that's a good idea and actually takes away from our mission. Not to mention we're already exhausted" and you ignore your gut. Then, your whole team ends up doing MORE and staying BUSY, but not actually raising more funds (which would create s p a c e and ::breathing room::) because WHO HAS THE TIME? And you end up believing that you shouldn't speak up because they went with the idea you didn't like anyway, so what do you know, honestly? Self-doubt confirmed. 

Here's the deal: MORE FOCUS = MORE MONEY. Doing less raises more. When you speak up in meetings to share your ideas or say hey, let's not do that -- you will raise more money. Do the most important things that will actually raise money (like talking with your donors and building partnerships) and once you've decided on those few things - might I suggest, 1:1 Zoom meetings and phone calls, intimate virtual happy hours or CEO chats or whatever you wanna call it and pick ONE marketing channel - then you STICK with those things and don't take on more until the next fiscal year planning sesh. How much funding is your organization missing out on because your voice is missing? I'm not sayin' it's easy. I'm saying that LEADING the people around you takes courage. YOU ARE A LEADER. It's time to start acting like it.

3. You're transactional with donors because you don't want to ask for too much or impose. 

You don't like asking people for things. You are the one who helps! You are the one who serves! You are the one who will go the extra mile. I get it. I do. 

What I mean by transactional is this: that you focus on the money when you talk with donors, rather than the relationship. You call them ONLY when you need something and that something is money. This is ironic, because you don't want to impose on them which is why you're like - get in and get out - type of approach. It's this spirit that makes fundraising feel icky - like you are using people - when that isn't your intention. 

It takes courage to get to know someone, to ask them why they give or why they stopped giving and then do something about it, to understand their motivations as a donor, to educate and inform their giving decisions, to tell the story of your organization, to assume a leadership role in their life. This is your role I'm describing. It takes courage to stick to the plan of building relationships when you are under a tight deadline and you needed to money yesterday. Again, see point #1 and ask for what you actually need. Get real with your donors. Get real with your team. You don't need $200 bucks, you need $200,000. 

And how exactly do you build courage?

1. Get an abundance attitude. 

Change what you believe about donors and particularly wealthy people - have faith in them. Believe the best in them and they will bring you their best. 

2. Humble yourself. 

Recognize you aren't the only one in this fight and take up the mantle of being a LEADER in the donor's life and in your team's lives.

3. Own your genius. 

Use your unique strengths to build strong partnerships where people bring you 5-figure gifts without you even asking. 

Courage isn't created in a vacuum. It's built by getting in community with other leaders who are also getting greater courage. This is why I created CourageLab. To help leaders like you build the courage, strategy and relationships to raise major gifts and make major change.