3 ways to be a more effective fundraiser
URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GokThmPwLI Video ID: 6GokThmPwLI ============================================================ a quick new idea daily from the world's greatest tedx talks I'm your host natosa Leone and this is tedx shorts whether it's getting funding for your business your community or trying to make the world better the first step to knowing how to ask for money is to examine your relationship with it today we'll hear from Kara Logan Berlin a development strategist who works with individuals and organizations to raise Capital to bring about positive change and she'll give fundraising advice anyone can use to get what they need I'm here today to talk about fundraising every day great ideas die on the vine because they don't have Capital to get off the ground and all of the work the thought the vision that goes into the idea isn't worth much if you can't pay your bills and while most of the greatest social movements in history were powered purely by an idea in people's belief in that idea real change in Impact require resources to do that well you have to understand three big things your feelings about wealth and money the importance of building relationships and how to ask for what you want let's start at the top your feelings about wealth and money what is your relationship to money money is complicated it makes everyone squeamish it makes everyone act kind of weird to help people learn how to raise money you have to help them understand their deal with money because everybody has baggage grow up poor baggage grow up rich baggage mad or envious that other people have more money than you baggage think people with money are smarter than you baggage whatever your deal is with your baggage you have to reconcile it if you're going to be able to ask for money and here's a little tip about asking people for money when you think about how to do this work it's important to remember that money makes the world go around you hear that all the time but it's true whether you're a non-profit for-profit or you pay your own bills we often feel like talking about it is this icky embarrassing ugly thing but it's just money and it's a fact of life so how you feel about it directly affects how you approach it this is an important distinction when I go and talk to someone I'm not asking them to pay my mortgage I'm giving them an opportunity to invest an idea that's going to change the world for the better if you want to be good at raising money you have to be able to reframe the ask both for yourself and for other people as an opportunity next you have to get prepared to build some relationships people give to people they don't just give to ideas and if they don't believe in the person running the place you're already dead in the water building a relationship with people takes work you have to care about more than just what you want or need you have to also value what someone else wants or need and if you think building a relationship with with people takes work building a relationship with someone you're asking for money from takes work and it takes homework have you done any research do you have any idea what they care about do you know why they should invest in your work can you answer that question in less than 30 seconds if you can't the meeting's going to be it's going to be pretty rough fundraising is relational it's not transactional and you have to ask them questions when I sit down with a donor it goes something like this hi thanks so much for seeing me how have you been did you guys go anywhere fun over holiday nice I love Mexico do you always go to the same place oh that's awesome are those your kids I know this sounds a tad mercenary I'm not confused about how it sounds but here's what I want to tell you because this is the part that all my clients always want to skip because they think it's the fluff and it's not important if you don't understand what they care about and what they value how are you ever going to be able to tell them about your work the more you know about them and you know what they value the more you can steer the conversation in a direction about your work that will resonate for them and once you get past the get to know you part you get into the fun stuff like why are you philanthropic at all right why do you invest in new ideas do you want giving back to be of value you pass on to your children can we help you do that it's really awesome it's meaningful and remember it's a conversation it's not a cross-examination it's not an interview and once you understand what they care about you can talk to them about what you care about right you can tell them about you now when you do this don't get too deep into the weeds or you'll lose them they don't have capacity for that level detail of our work if they want it they'll ask you the questions I worked with the CEO once and I was hired to teach them how to talk to human people like a human person I went with them to meetings and what would happen was he was getting into such detail with the donors that their eyes were glazing over I was like that is not how you tell people about your work what is the need like what's the point right how do you address the need why are you better at it than anybody else and what can they do to be what can you do to make it about them if you're able to do that you're probably ready to make the ask now I don't expect everyone to be super excited to ask people for money that's why development is an actual profession and not an awkward hobby but I don't expect everyone to be a natural and you don't have to be a natural to raise money you just have to respect the people in the process and do the work will you reconcile your baggage will you commit to build relationships if you will you're ready to make the ask and the ask is oftentimes as simple as using the phrase would you consider would you consider becoming a monthly donor would you consider increasing your support to a hundred dollars would you consider investing in our work at the one million dollar level would you consider does a couple of awesome things one it gives the donor an easy way to out like they can say no without it being yes no and two it gives you a second ask well what would you consider it's good right when you do this remember you're not asking for yourself you're asking on behalf of all of the people you serve or are touched by your Genius this isn't a personal favor right feel proud of the ask it's incredible that you do this work don't try to be someone you're not you're going to go to these meetings and think you need to Big Shot It Be Yourself authenticity matters just be yourself and please please don't torpedo your own ask what I mean by this is don't walk into the meeting and say we're not here today to ask you for money yes we are that's exactly why we're literally that's why we're here today don't do that don't say whatever you can do to help that is hands down the fastest way to get the smallest possible gift someone thinks they can give you and get away with not kidding and don't take it back once you've made the ask would you consider supporting us at the ten thousand dollar level or the five or the two or one you know what take the year off you're the best thanks don't do that ask the question wait till ten count to ten before you speak again don't take it back don't ask don't get if you don't make an actual ask no one will give you actual money and if no one gives you extra money you actually can't do anything with it it's very simple don't ask don't get we have to be as committed to the art of funding our work as we are to the art of executing it and at its core the art of funding the work means that we have to truly believe that the purpose and the privilege of our work is to provide people with an extraordinary way to use their wealth that will change people's lives it's an opportunity because at its core that's what it is how great is that [Music] the tedx talk you just listened to was recorded at a tedx event in Santa Clara California all tedx events are independently organized by volunteers who believe in Ted's mission of ideas worth spreading special thanks to the organizing team at tedx Santa Clara University want to listen to the full talk find Kara's talk and more at ted.com tedx shorts I'm matosa Leone thanks for listening and see you next time foreign foreign