Were you just laid off?

Don't get me wrong. I'm not a pro on what to do when you leave the office or meeting room you were called into to get the news that you no longer have a job. I just experienced this for the first time a couple of weeks ago. When I was laid off I had an amazing network of friends and colleagues ready to help and support, and a lot of what I did (and am doing) came from their suggestions.

No matter how much good you know will come from this later, it is not a good feeling when it is happening, especially, like many who will be reading this, if you totally rocked it at your job and were the most loyal employee ever.

First things first. Create a personal email address. You most likely will already have one and perhaps you can use that, but not if the address is something like IloveBlackSabbath@hotmail.com. No, this address has to be a little more professional as it will be the address you use to let professional colleagues and friends know that you have just been laid off. It's also the address you will use to send out resumes. I created a gmail account.

Next, create address books within the account. I have one personal and one professional. I also have one for my "inner circle" of professional contacts, those who I have a wonderful relationship with and I know will support me with a lot of energy in finding a new job.  Once you have an inner circle address book go ahead and create a short email to them letting them know that you were just laid off and that you would appreciate it if they could keep an eye out for any positions they think you my enjoy. If you know exactly what you are looking for, let them know. NOTE: These same people are the ones you will be meeting with within the next week or so for moral support and guidance. They will rock your world.

As soon as you possibly can file for unemployment. In Colorado the process is online and it took me less than 10 minutes. From the time you apply to the time you get your first check it could be several weeks, maybe over a month. So the quicker you do it the better. And once you have applied read the instructions! There are several other things you'll have to do, none of which take a lot of time but are important in the process of you getting your benefit.

Social media can make a HUGE difference with your job search and with getting the word out that you have just been laid off.

Create a LinkedIn account. It would be perfect if you already have one. I already had one and it has bee incredibly helpful. I have been able to search jobs as well as get help around my resume and cover letters. I keep my connections informed on what I am doing and many reach out to see if they can help. Some online application processes allow you to log into LinkedIn from their online application and download all of your resume information. Let the folks on LinkedIn know what you are looking for. It's OK to ask for help!

I would say the same for Facebook and Twitter. Facebook is of course a little more personal. Let your friends know what is going on. Not a day passes that someone on Facebook doesn't let me know of a job they think I might love. On Twitter I have a personal account and a professional account. The professional account is just that, and I use it to make connections and let friends there know about what has happened and what I am looking for.

More to come. Thank you for reading! My email address is fundraisingdan@gmail.com

A simple thank you

I frequently think about what Miss Manners would think about the decline in the use of thank you cards these days. Or thank you emails. Or calls.

I recently had a conversation with a person who I had donated a couple of tickets to an opera. They wanted to get a couple more tickets for their upcoming auction. I politely declined.

I clearly remember going back and forth with this person regarding a donation. All the time I took and the true generosity from our organization to theirs. They made money from the donation.

Yet the gift to them did not warrant a thank you note.

It's not uncommon. Unless you have donated to me or made time for me. Then you will be nicely surprised.

Thank you card's are so important. Especially if you are a fundraiser! Any time I meet with someone the first thing I do when I get back to the office is jot a quick note on our stationary and pop it in the mail. It's important to me that people I visit with know how grateful I am that they took time out their busy schedule to meet with me. Or that they decided to donate something to our auction.

And it only takes a few minutes.

The other great thing about thank you notes is that hardly anyone takes the time to write them, and as a fundraiser anytime I can stick out is great!

But the bottom line is that in our business, it's simply the right thing to do.

If you have agency stationary, use that. Every time I can get out our brand is good. If you do not have stationary, buy some inexpensive note cards or have some printed at FedEx Kinkos.

You will definitely not regret sending a thank you card!

Thank you for reading!

You have to make the ask!

I took a month off to work on our new blog and to focus on my agency's annual Gala which is in two weeks. So excited.


As many of you know, I love social media. I have made many incredible contacts through Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. This past weekend one of my new friends from Twitter was in Denver for the start of his vacation and we had lunch.


I am so excited to have met @zachinmotion He has been an inspiration since I met him on Twitter but now that I have met him face to face I am even more inspired.


And focused.


We had a lot of conversation around fundraising and how to treat donors. I told him that I believe there are many in fundraising who are uncomfortable with asking for money. And when we get money, there are many who just move on to the next ask without doing a big acknowledgement for the gift.


We have to ask for money to get it. And there is NOTHING to fear. First, I believe that a "no" is just the start of the conversation. I have NEVER received a "no, and I mean no, like never, like I will never donate to you, ever" comment when getting a "no". Usually, it's not the right time, not the right campaign, not the right opera (I fundraise for Opera Colorado), or they just paid their children's college bill and want to make a donation yet just can't.


I try to make twenty asks a day. That's 100 in a week. That's a lot. This may seem like impossible. For some groups it might be. Here at Opera Colorado we have amazingly kept donor records so I have a great resource.


If twenty is overwhelming, perhaps you could start with just one a day. Who donated to you last year that you haven't heard from this year?


Regardless of how many calls you decide to make in one week, you can start today! I realize you have that meeting and that luncheon and that report due and that event to plan, etc. Donations to me are our life blood. And if I am not making the ask, I am cutting off my agency's access to new donations.


Go for it! And let me know how it goes!


Thanks for reading!