Get out there!

It seems like forever since I last wrote a post for this blog. Starting a new job and creating two other blogs have been taking time away from this, my original, blog.

I decided to stop procrastinating and just write. Attending an incredible luncheon this week helped.

I know many fundraisers and people in non-profit development and we are all so busy. Unfortunately some us are too busy to get out and meet people and promote our cause.

I attended the annual Women With Hattitude luncheon this past week as a guest of one of my donors. She suggested I wear a hat and thanks to my production manager at Opera Colorado, Hally, I arrived in style with a hat used in one of our Sideshow opera, Trouble in Tahiti.

My hat was an instant hit and I was able to say Opera Colorado literally hundreds of times.

Not only did I have a blast, I met many people who love opera, many who have never been to an opera, many who have never heard of Opera Colorado, and many who were really excited to have met me.

And all I did was decide I wasn't too busy to accept a kind invitation from a donor to go to a luncheon.

Get out there! Go to a luncheon. Or an after hours. Or a local non-profit event. Talk to folks about your group's mission and why you love fundraising for them.

You'll be glad you did!

Keeping it short this time. Thanks for reading!

Pick up the phone!

This past Saturday morning I was driving back from an event in Cheyenne, WY. I borrowed my husband's car, a 2009 VW Jetta TDI, and I enjoyed being able to listen to OUTQ radio and The Focus Group (One of my favorite radio shows). His car has Sirius radio, so it was a treat.

They were talking about communicating with customers (or donors in my case) in the 21st century. The focus was on email and the vast amount we all seem to get. They were kind enough to take my call. I suggested picking up the phone.

I admitted that I learned this lesson out of pure laziness. I found myself responding in length via email to a donor and thought "why don't I just call them?!?!". So I did. The result catapulted my relationship with the donor to a completely stronger level. And it continues to do that.

I got so used to email, to non-human contact. I realized that every morning I have a dozen or so emails and no voice mails. I realized that I had never even spoken with Ms. Jones!

My experience is that when I call a donor, a potential donor, or a potential partner, that relationship grows in a way that no email will allow. We can chuckle, I can hear the tone of their voice, I can sense their excitement (or their concern).

So try it! Many of you probably already do. If not, skip the next email and give them a call.

If you are interested in The Focus Group, their website is http://http://focusgroupradio.com/

I highly recommend the Saturday morning show.

Thanks for reading!

Keeping the confidence - we can rock it!

Two polite "no's" in one week.

From potential corporate partners.

No nice letter. No phone call. All we get is a generic email saying what many others say these days: too many requests and not enough money.

The yearend appeal campaign is about to begin. (see previous post)

"After supporting you for several years we have decided to support someone else".

There are a ton of books and blogs out there telling me how, as a fundraiser, I can keep going and rock it no matter what happens.

And I agree. I am nothing if I lose my confidence in me as a fundraiser.

I can rock it.

Bring me your "no". Bring me your "maybe later". Bring me your generic response. Bring me a tough economy.

I will succeed. I believe in myself as a fundraiser. I believe in myself as a creator of life-long partnerships that sincerely matter and that honestly benefit both sides.

We can have tough moments, maybe even bad, discouraging moments. Let's not turn those into tough or bad days. We are fundraisers. We can rock it.

So turn on Lady Gaga's "Edge of Glory", tweet to one of your favorite folks on Twitter who is also a fundraiser, and make the personal decision that today you are going to ROCK IT!

Thanks for reading. I am totally grateful.