Most people like the comfortable, the routine. So, it is with fundraising coaching. If we didn’t have some routine, some level of predictability, it would be chaos.
There is, however, too much a good thing. That’s when you what you’re doing in fundraising becomes trite, hackneyed, stale. Pretty soon, you’re wondering why you’re barely keeping pace with last year’s totals—if you’re doing even that.
To change takes will and direction.
Getting some fundraising coaching can give you momentum to move to higher levels of performance.
“Oh, I’ve had fundraising coaching before. Did someone say “consultant?”
To most people “fundraising coaching” says “fundraising consultant.” You know, the guy or gal you get to help you with your campaign. The person who audits your program then tells you where the holes are.
That’s fine and good. Help like that is critical—at the right time. But what if you don’t know what you need—but you know you need something. Hmmmm.
What if fundraising coaching could cut through the conventional and give you an immediate new direction which would interject new life into your program?
“New life” as in new donors, more donors, donors giving longer.
“But I don’t know what sort of fundraising coaching I need, you say.” “I can’t afford to have someone hold my hand and let the meter run.”
What if fundraising coaching could tell you in a matter of minutes—yes minutes—exactly where you are and show you how to get to where you want to be?
It’s not complicated—not as much as some would like you to believe.
There are only four places you can be in fundraising. And your fundraising program, right now, is in one of them.
No matter the experience level of the fundraising coach or “consultant”, he or she will eventually come to the same conclusion. Eventually. . .
Here they are: First, your fundraising program has a high level of sustainability and you’re seeing good, solid growth from year to year. Nice. Second, your fundraising program has a high level of sustainability but your growth is off. Hmmm.
Third, your fundraising program has a low level of sustainability but you’re flush with cash—talk about thin ice! And fourth, your revenue stream isn’t very sustainable and your growth is low or non-existent. Call the pall-bearers!
You see, it’s not complicated. You want to be in the first situation. But you must FIRST know where you are BEFORE you can make the moves that will put you where you want to be. That’s salt of fundraising coaching.
Principle 8 of The Eight Principles™ is Invest, Integrate & Evaluate™. Although “evaluate” comes last, it’s often the first thing you must do. The “invest” part is the right kind of fundraising coaching (among a few other things.)
It’s not complicated and it shouldn’t be expensive.
What’s expensive is staying where you are while raising one-third, one-fifth even one-tenth of what you could be raising. That’s VERY expensive. Think about it.
If you’re currently raising one-third of what you could then you invest in fundraising coaching that doubles or triples your annual fund, the cost of the fundraising coaching is covered in the first month! WOW!
There is one caveat, however. You must follow and act upon the advice of the coach. No fundraising coach, no matter how good, is Svengali! By the way, when someone promises it’s easy and effortless as magic, run the other way as fast as you can.
It’s not complicated but it does take effort!
