If you want to hear how the best major gift officers succeed (and fail) in fundraising… look no further

A different frame of reference.

Every once in a while someone comes along to change things. They say a few words differently or help you see things from a divergent perspective.

That’s what Kevin Fitzpatrick did with his ‘One Visit Away’ podcast.

Link to the Apple podcast

Link to the Spotify Version

Link to Listen Notes

Link to Stitcher

 

No bull$#!%.

Kevin is a real major gifts fundraiser. He works at a nonprofit and his friends, colleagues and bosses are true leaders — experienced in facilitating the transfer of wealth to their good causes, and in teaching people like Kevin how to do it right.

He and his pals have true experience in the trenches. They don’t just read books or online articles and then run off to the next conference to pretend they know what they’re doing. They don’t make up stories. They don’t echo orthodoxies that sound good but fail to deliver real results.

No! Kevin and his friends are the silent ones who wake up every day, roll up their sleeves, and do the work.

They make calls.

They ask for referrals.

They listen to supporters tell their stories so they can ‘discover’ whether or not their organization can actually help them find meaning in their lives while they also qualify whether or not donor has true capacity and inclination.

Then they pay careful attention to where each supporter lies in their own consideration process for making an impactful. Then they provide offers that align with each stage so supporters move themselves forward.

And finally, when the time is right, they craft giving opportunities that ‘agree’ with each individual supporter’s needs and they offer them a chance to realize the best versions of themselves by taking action.

 

Here’s the best part.

Thankfully, Kevin is a giver.

Even though he’s very busy raising money and dealing with the hustle and bustle of married life with children, he takes time out of his day to interview the other real major gift fundraisers he knows. Then he shares the recordings for people like YOU. Hooray!

 

Why it’s so good? — real life stories.

You won’t hear tired strategies that don’t work from bloviating, self-important bull$#!% artists on this podcast. Instead, you’ll hear real stories from the front lines.

Plus, Kevin’s friends actually fall on their swords. They describe their failures just as much as they celebrate their successes (and perhaps even more).

 

Group therapy from a podcast?

Most of all, I think what really makes this podcast work is the way Kevin and his friends make YOU feel — like you are not alone. His guests face a lot of the same problems you probably encounter. So if you often feel like you have no one with whom you can share or commiserate, this podcast might give you an outlet for your anxieties and frustrations.

 

Give it a try.

I strongly recommend you take a listen to One Visit Away. You won’t be disappointed.

And, if you want to hear the episode that featured me, you can find it here (#24). Just keep in mind that my episode is an oddball because I am not (and never was) a fundraiser. I’m a marketer! Plus, I’ve been in sales since I was a teenager. He interviewed me because he likes my products and my story. And, he wanted me to explain how behavioral science and technology can play a tremendous part in facilitating the fundraising process. So, if you don’t want to hear any of that, just skip my episode and, perhaps, jump into the podcast from one of these interesting titles below.

I wanted the Earth to swallow me up!

The first time I prepared for a $1 million ask.

Your pitch is terrible!

A $200,000 lesson.

Asking for a range is for amateurs.

 

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Get smarter with the SmartIdeas blog

Subscribe to our blog today and get actionable fundraising ideas delivered straight to your inbox!