Serve. Don't Sell.
Nov 29, 2017
Nancy and I recorded our very first episode of the brand new Generous Change podcast. Woohoo!
Episode 1 is coming to your ears very soon and we'll share the link here on the GC blog.
We've learned some phenomenal lessons from inspirational people and, in this first episode, we share just a few of those lessons that have most helped us - especially on this new entrepreneurial journey (did you know we quit our full-time jobs to go all-in on GC? Yep, it's day 29!).
One of the most important lessons we've learned came from the Smart Passive Income blogger/podcaster, Pat Flynn, and fitness/business guru, Chalene Johnson:
Serve. Don't Sell.
It might sound a little cheesy, but they are words to live by - especially in fundraising!
Have you ever thought that if you just said all the right things at the right time in the right way, you could convince a donor to like you or your org enough to give?
Have you found yourself in donor meetings, throwing out every fact, figure, stat and quote, just hoping they'll be sold on how awesome your org is?
Have you ever thought if you just had the right few lines, the right "elevator pitch" or the perfect one-pager you could convince more donors to give?
Have you ever been asked, "So, what's your spiel?" or "Ok, are you going to give me the pitch?"
You are not alone! I've been there and so has every fundraiser - ever.
It's easy to believe you're supposed to sell your org. But, as a fundraiser, you can serve your org AND your donors.
Serve. Don't Sell.
How?
- Listen. In Richard Branson's book, The Virgin Way, he writes, "The simple fact is that nobody has ever learned anything by listening to themselves speak." In your next donor meeting, aim for talking less than 25% of the time. I hate math, but this means your donor should talk for at least 75% of the meeting. How?
- Be Curious. In our monthly membership, Fundraisers' Monthly, we have a few GC Essentials - core values and lessons for every fundraiser. BE CURIOUS is one of those GC Essentials. In your next donor meeting, try to make the person across from you feel like they are the only person in the universe for that hour. Ask great questions. Take notes.
- Give to your org. Find something you love about your org and give to it - anything! - $5, $10. Give. When you do, it's so much easier to ask someone else to give. You can truly say you've given to your own org, why, what happened, how it made you feel and the difference it made. That's serving!
Get out there! Raise more money. Change the world.
Wishing you so much success!
-Jenna
