When you start your new non-profit job as a Major Gift Officer, Development Director or even the new CEO you have an amazing opportunity to set the tone on your tenure with your donors and board members in the first few months.
Don’t get distracted or bogged down internally with orientation, settling in, and getting to know your colleagues. Make time to go meet with the people outside the organization who will be most important to your success.
Those people are your donors, past donors, board members, and community leaders. These are the people who will speak positively about the organization, introduce you to new donor prospects, and most important – make the largest personal gifts.
This is your chance to control your own first impression, gauge their interests and abilities, and hear their thoughts about your organization and its programs. All of these elements will be factors for your future success raising money.
Before you start, clear it with your supervisor. In fact, if they can send a note to the people you want to meet introducing you, it will make getting your appointments easier and seem more natural.
Control Your First Impression: By being humble and going to them, you communicate that they are important and worthy of your attention; that they have something you value that will help your organization be successful. Set an appointment, do your background research, and be on time. An initial meeting should be for getting acquainted (both ways), gathering information about their past involvement and expectations, and assessing how best to keep them connected going forward. Most people enjoy being asked for advice and counsel. Rather than bragging about your past accomplishments or big plans, share more generally and constantly turn the discussion back to them. Recognize and thank them for past gifts or activities. Let them talk and make the time to listen. This will make the best impression.
Gauge Their Interests: People give more and donate longer when they have a role with the organization that aligns with their personal interests and mission goals. A good fundraiser works constantly to better connect the donor to the organization. This is a deeper strategy than most fundraisers typically employ. You are less of a salesperson, pushing a basket of products, and more of a counselor helping your donor/client find their role in the work of your non-profit.
Hear Their Thoughts and Feelings About the Organization: As the “new person”, you are a safe place for donors to express their frustration and suggest new ideas for the non-profit. When asked about their experience, donors will freely discuss the “good, bad, and ugly”. They know this is not personally offensive to you, and hope that you might be a conduit to getting their needs HEARD by leadership.
These “get acquainted” meetings are similar to an extensive survey of your customers, but more strategic. Meet with your supervisor after and share with them what the organization’s donors and board members are really thinking. Your boss needs your intelligence gathering.
When I started as the VP of Advancement with the Museum of Flight, I met with a board member that was planning to leave. He had been on the board for 5-years and yet never been consider part of the leadership structure. He had led other large boards in town and felt that there was not role for him at the Museum. I shared this with my CEO and he and other board members began to include this person on committees and on the path to board chair. This person gave $2 million over 10-years, stayed on the board for 15-years, and now his son is involved. All because his needs for connection were met.
If you delay too long in having these meetings you appear disingenuous. If you expect donors to come to you, you appear arrogant. If you fail to listen during your meetings or you miss your appointments, or your fail to show up on time – you risk long-term harm to the relationship with you and perhaps the organization.
While there are potential land mines to this strategy, the rewards are great. You learn how your new employer is truly perceived and what are the real problems you will face. You begin to discover who your best donors will be and who to not waste so much time on. And, you put your organization in a very good light as caring and respectful of its supporters. Give it a try.