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I’ve been a fundraising consultant for 15 years now, and I’ve had clients who range from outstanding to frustrating (to put it mildly) and everything in between. What makes one a pleasure to work with and the other a nightmare? There is one simple trait that makes a client the best in class, and another that leads to worst ever! You might be surprised to know these qualities have nothing to do with the:
– age of the organization – sophistication of the development team – geographical location – size of the fundraising goalI’ve had wonderful experiences with brand new startups and organizations that have been around for decades.I’ve worked well with development teams large and small.And, I’ve been involved in fundraising campaigns with goals ranging from a few hundred thousand dollars to tens of millions of dollars.But these factors don’t distinguish clients as best or worst. Instead, the #1 quality of my best clients is being coachable
and being willing to implement new solutions to old problems.On the other hand, my worst clients ‘already knew all they needed to know’ about fundraising. Bringing in an outside fundraising consultant is a big decision. The clients who realize they need help and are willing to bring in outside expertise have a huge advantage over those who believe they already have all the answers. Now, it’s not as though I think I’m the only one who has the right answers (I can only wish that was the case, but it’s not!). I do have answers that have guided countless campaigns to success. And I know my job is to advise. The client’s job is to decide. Whether they accept my advice or not is beyond my control. So if you’re considering bringing in an outside consultant, I urge you to pre-answer this question: “Am I seeking outside assistance, or am I just looking for someone to confirm my own biases, whether right or wrong?” If you’re among the former, there’s a bright day ahead. If you fall into the later description I can only wish you, your organization, and the campaign the best of luck. You’ll need it! Your friend,
PS: One of my most popular workshops elaborates on this idea and other important lessons. If you’re interested in 7 Reasons Campaigns Fail – and How to Avoid Them for your organization, association, or colleagues, please let me know. I’d love to work with you.
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