No matter how seasoned or how talented a fundraiser you are, there is always room for improvement. So, what better time to make fundraising resolutions than the start of a new year?
Resolution One: Take Care of Yourself
Fundraising is a high-pressure job, and one that is much more than nine-to-five. If you’re not on the job, you are thinking about the job, planning for the job, or reliving the job in your sleep. Plan time to look after yourself; exercise, eat right, meditate, be with friends and family and simply relax. You are your organization’s greatest resource. If you’re not healthy, you will suffer and so will your work.
If you aren’t able to do this on your own, try some professional help. May I suggest a coach, a nutritionist, or a guru?
Resolution Two: Say “No”
Give yourself permission to not take on more than you can handle, both personally and professionally. No one says you have to do it all. If your boss gives you too many tasks with too short a deadline, learn to say, “I can do A or B, but not both at the same time. Which is the priority?” Learn that you can turn down a time consuming volunteer activity that will suck your energy. Learn that it’s OK to not go out every weekend. Take moments. Sit in silence. Contemplate. Go for a walk in the woods. Read a book. Paint a picture. No one is judging you, but you. Learn to pace yourself.
Resolution Three: Carpe Diem … Seize the Day
In fundraising, you must grab your opportunities. Sometimes, that means moving forward before you have all your ducks in a row. The idea is to master your job and do the best you can. Too many fundraisers procrastinate and use the excuse of planning, researching, and writing to keep them from doing what they need to do. Don’t put off getting out the door because your case statement isn’t perfect or your research isn’t 100 percent complete. Doing your best also means getting a move on. Don’t let opportunities pass you by.
Resolution Four: Failure is A Teacher
If you don’t fail, you will never succeed. While he was inventing the light bulb, Thomas Edison is supposed to have said, “I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that don’t work.”
Many fundraisers, through no fault of their own, have had little experience with failure: they grew up when everyone got an award for showing up at sports and at school. Now, in “the real world” there will be failure. Take that sentence in: There WILL be failure. Donors won’t return your call. Donors will say "no" to making a gift. Prospects will say "no" to taking a meeting. You won’t meet your goals, your targets, your own expectations. But that’s OK. You will learn from your mistakes. Failure is a teacher. It will make you stronger. Be a phoenix: rise and face the next challenge.
Resolution Five: Be A Bizarro Fundraiser
Bizarro is a fictional character appearing in American comic book published by DC Comics. Bizarro was created in 1958 as a "mirror image" or opposite of Superman. Why am I suggesting you become a Bizarro version of yourself? So you can see how the other half lives, at least for a day or two. If you’re an over-planner, try being spontaneous for a day or two. If you’re a doer who doesn’t take time to think before you talk, try slowing down, planning and preparing. Are you argumentative? Try finding ways to agree with someone for a spell. Do you find yourself not expressing yourself because you’re shy? Whistle a happy tune so you won’t be afraid, or go to Toastmasters. Learn to speak and learn to speak up. See what happens when you break out of your rut.
Resolution Six: Get Your Fundraising Ducks in a Row
Who loves metrics and sitting in front of a computer recording one’s every move on a database? If you’ve already answered “Yes,” that’s great. But it's rare. If not, this year plan to set aside a half hour at the end of every day to record your actions in order to capture all the good work you did during the day, and record it for the sake of your organization’s corporate knowledge. You’ll get credit and protect your donors’ interests at the same time.
Resolution Seven: The PET Plan
The PET Plan is setting aside time for the Phone, Email and Thinking. Now that you’re following Resolution Six and are using half an hour every day for logging entries onto the database, let’s add the PET Plan to your To Do list. First, set aside an hour twice a week (Monday and Thursdayafternoons, perhaps) to make phone calls to line up prospect/donor meetings for the following week. If you do this every week, twice a week, you’ll actually end up doing it and making calls and getting meetings. What about emails; those tempting, available procrastinations that are now likely at your fingertips thanks to the Smartphone glued to the end of your hand? Set aside three times a day to look and answer them, and no more than that: when you first get into the office, at lunch time, and after you’ve entered your actions into your database. It will be hard at first, but removing yourself from these addictive time sucks will set you free. Free to do what: To think (that’s the “T” in PET). Who has time to think these days? Not those who are on their email constantly, that I can assure you. Thinking strategically is a necessity, not a luxury.
Resolution Eight: Find a Mentor or Be One
Fundraising is a Team Sport. It is also a continually high-pressure, evolving sport. If you don’t have someone you can trust, someone you can talk to, someone you can seek advice from...find someone. Where can you look? The Association of Fundraising Professionals has a mentor program. Or, if you admire a certain fundraiser in your city, go to them and ask for advice. If after a few times of speaking with them, you like the advice they give, ask them if they would act as your mentor. Go ahead, they won’t bite; in fact they probably will be very flattered. Or, if you are a seasoned fundraiser who would like to be a mentor, talk about your desire to do so when in gatherings with your colleagues. Someone is bound to take you up on it. It will do you both good and you will both learn from each other.
Resolution Nine: Use Your Lifeline
Now that you have your mentor, coach, or guru, etc., learn to call on them when you have a small problem or concern before it grows into a big one. It’s OK to ask for help. It doesn’t mean you’re weak, or unprofessional or inexperienced or unknowledgeable. It means you want some feedback, some validation, some advice: see Resolutions One through Eight.
Resolution Ten: The Sign of Three
It’s hard to break old habits, and it would be hard to do all of the above resolutions right out of the gate. Start small and work your way up. Try three resolutions this month and see how it goes from there. Next month you could add on another three. Each of us is different with different needs. Don’t get overwhelmed. Pace yourself and good luck. You’re worth it.
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