Two common oversimplifications related to fundraising are:
- It’s about relationships
- It’s about storytelling
Yes, but let’s be a bit more precise so these oversimplifications don’t get turned into false expectations and/or meandering practice.
Relationships: Fundraising isn’t a “schmooze-athon” or some sort of seduction. Building lasting philanthropic partners requires:
- Building trust
- Establishing a rapport
- Aligning organizational capabilities with donor convictions
With those relational elements in place, agreements can be negotiated. When agreements are reached, results must be produced. But try to leap over the first three, and fundraising will result in smaller investments and shorter relationships.
Storytelling: It’s not as if donors want a visit from Aesop. And just because you tell a good story about your organization doesn’t make donors more inclined to give to it. An effective story is based on:
- Deep listening
- Customizing content to comport with donors’ interests
- Authentic, resonant expression
Those elements create receptivity, but if we just jump into the stories we want to tell in pursuit of our happy endings, donors will listen less attentively and respond less generously.
The better we communicate the key elements of relationship-building and storytelling, the more our practice will strengthen and the more we will be valued by those seeking to understand how to establish and sustain best practices.
Jim Langley is the president of Langley Innovations. Langley Innovations provides a range of services to its clients to help them understand the cultural underpinnings of philanthropy and the psychology of donors and, with that knowledge, to develop the most effective strategies and tactics to build broader and more lasting communities of support. Jim has authored numerous books, including his most recent book, The Future of Fundraising: Adapting to New Philanthropic Realities, published by Academic Impressions in 2020.