Major Gifts Fundraiser

Our culture is changing. There was a successful way of communicating with your donors in the past but those notes don't work anymore. You're out of tune. In this episode Clark talks about the book Daring Greatly by "vulnerability expert" Brené Brown and what that book means to fundraisers in a changing culture. Questions or comments? Email Clark at clark@majorgiftsfundraiser.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/clark-at-major-gifts-fundraiser/message

In this episode Clark talks about being vulnerable with your donors and having an authentic message. The old way of communicating with your donors was, "We've got it figured out. Follow us." The new way is, "We're figuring it out. Join us." Looking for help navigating this process for your organization? Email Clark at clark@majorgiftsfundraiser.com. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/clark-at-major-gifts-fundraiser/message

Who should you focus on now what you aren't planning donor trips during these times of Covid social distancing? How to look at a list and find good prospects. Need more help? Email clark@majorgiftsfundraiser.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/clark-at-major-gifts-fundraiser/message

During this time of Covid-19 social distancing you are not meeting with your donors but you can still "be in front of them." Who should you be reaching out to? Be authentic in these conversations, but there's a difference between authentic and desperate. Trying to figure out the difference for you? Email clark at clark@majorgiftsfundraiser.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/clark-at-major-gifts-fundraiser/message

In this episode Clark talks about pushing ourselves to greatness. Talks about leveling up donor meetings by asking strategic questions and scripting meetings. For Clark's list of strategic questions, email him at clark@majorgiftsfundraiser.com. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/clark-at-major-gifts-fundraiser/message

Think that now is a terrible time to ask for a gift because of all the uncertainty with Covid-19. For some of your donors, now is a great time to ask for a gift. How does this apply to you specifically? Listen and then email Clark at clark@majorgiftsfundraiser.com. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/clark-at-major-gifts-fundraiser/message

In this episode Clark talks about the potential impact of the Covid-19 Relief and Economic Stimulus Package that was just passed by Congress and signed by the President and the impact this legislation could have on charitable giving. You want to position yourself as an expert to your donors when it comes to charitable giving. You need to be familiar with what's in this bill in terms of charitable giving. Questions? Email Clark at clark@majorgiftsfundraiser.com. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/clark-at-major-gifts-fundraiser/message

Your world just got smaller. There are many things you can't do, but the things you can do you can do with greater intensity. How will you spend your quarantine. Will you binge watch Netflix or will you do something great. Take this time. Use it. When we do come out of this, you want to be able to say, "That sucked, but man, had it not been for the quarantine, I never would have accomplished THAT." Looking for help, encouragement, a friend to talk to as you think about and work toward your goals. Email Clark at clark@majorgiftsfundraiser.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/clark-at-major-gifts-fundraiser/message

A week ago we thought that maybe the Coronavirus was going to be a big deal. Now we know it is. What does this pandemic mean to your fundraising efforts. In this episode Clark talks about what you should be doing now and strategies for short term and long term success. Want to talk with Clark? Email him at clark@majorgiftsfundraiser.com. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/clark-at-major-gifts-fundraiser/message

Clark goes through a potpourri of lessons learned in 20+ years of fundraising. If you hear something in this episode that you'd like him to discuss further, email him at clark@majorgiftsfundraiser.com. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/clark-at-major-gifts-fundraiser/message

In this episode Clark talks about Consistency Theory. Our brains work very hard to align expectation and reality. Good experiences become self-fulfilling prophecies. What happens when the difference between expectation are too great for the brain to align them? Clark talks about how our donors react when expectation and reality don't align -- and what to do about it.  Have a question? Email Clark at clark@majorgiftsfundraiser.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/clark-at-major-gifts-fundraiser/message

In this episode Clark talks about how important it is to thank and steward your donors. If you do awesome at that, and stop there, you will be super successful because you will, 1. Retain more donors, and 2. Get marginal increases in gifts from your current donors. At the end, Clark talks about the Coronavirus epidemic, and how thanking and stewarding your donors now is especially important if we are about to experience a significant economic downturn. Want to talk to Clark? Email: clark@majorgiftsfundraiser.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/clark-at-major-gifts-fundraiser/message

Could Clark make his feelings about wealth screening services any stronger? In this episode Clark shares 5 tips for reviewing a list and picking out the best donors to focus on as potential prospects for increased gifts. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/clark-at-major-gifts-fundraiser/message

Good development work is methodical development work. When we fail to work methodically, pressure builds and we eventually do something stupid. Clark's $10,000 challenge to you. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/clark-at-major-gifts-fundraiser/message

We all have our own individual listening preference. Whatever our own listening preference, that's also the "language" we tend to speak in. So, are you speaking in the same "language" as the donor you are meeting with today. Clark talks about identifying your own listening preference, and tips for identifying the listening preferences of your donors -- and tips for matching messages. For access to materials Clark mentions in this episode, email Clark at clark@majorgiftsfundraiser.com. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/clark-at-major-gifts-fundraiser/message

Today I celebrate my 40th birthday! In this episode I talk about two kinds of coaches, and the kind that I am comfortable being. I also tell you about a new podcast I have launched, and share some of the struggles I've wrestled with as I've approached this mile-marker birthday. -Clark --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/clark-at-major-gifts-fundraiser/message

Breaking down an hour long donor meeting, and why you really only have about 7 minutes to make your pitch. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/clark-at-major-gifts-fundraiser/message

Have you heard that you should only be talking 25% of any donor meeting? Maybe you have, and you've wondered why. Here's why. It doesn't matter how articulate you are. It's not about impressing yourself. It's about winning the heart of the donor.  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/clark-at-major-gifts-fundraiser/message

Is it important to thank you donors? Yes, absolutely. You should always be thanking your donors. Always saying thank you. Always exuding gratitude. But your meetings with donors aren't just a massive thank-you tour. If that's your approach, it's going to be hard to get second meetings. Give your meetings a sense of purpose. As a donor I should feel like this conversation and this relationship is going somewhere. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/clark-at-major-gifts-fundraiser/message

How can your donors know if what you're telling them is actually true? How can they know if you are actually spending the money they give on the things you tell them the money is going towards? In this episode, Clark talks about how to become a trusted advisor to your donors, and when you are TRUSTED, they will believe what you say -- and they will ultimately determine whether or not what you're telling them is true based upon the RELATIONSHIP. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/clark-at-major-gifts-fundraiser/message