When Do Fundraisers Need Help?
As in … outside consultants.
I liked these words of advice from Pamela Barden, via Fundraising Success. Consider an outside consultant — a “personal trainer” as she puts it — when:
1. Mentally, you’ve set limits. As in …
- “There’s no way we can do that; we don’t have the resources.”
- “We tried that several years ago, and it didn’t work.”
- “Our donors (or board) will never go for that.”
As a former consultant, I’d have to say … escaping the limits are the exciting assignments!
2. You’re not sure what to do next. What she’s talking about here is being paralyzed by choices and options. And she makes a good point … begin with independent assistance (someone not selling a product). But I would add, unless you’re ready to zero in on a specific challenge, in which case, get the targeted experience/expertise you really need.
3. You’re hesitant to try something new in case it doesn’t work. The only problem with this one is that consultants can be just as timid and risk-adverse. Consider the legendary motto of consultants: First, do no harm!
Tom
Behavioral Science Q & A
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Based on what we know from existing data, those renewal notices can actually be pretty effective in getting people to donate. They tap into our psychology – creating a sense of urgency, reminding us of past support, and using personalization to make the message hit home. They’re playing on our natural tendencies to feel obligated […]
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I’m not an expert in this but a quick search surfaced this article on the effect of tax reforms on 2019’s charitable giving. The researchers didn’t find a reduction. Actually, they observed an “increase in charitable contributions in 2019, even with the lower tax rates and the dramatically smaller number of taxpayers who itemize their […]
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