Of course, everyone knows someone else that you should include in the earliest review of your case. Your job is to ask who those people are and to find out if the person suggesting those names can help you secure an appointment with them. Sometimes they can help get those appointments; sometimes not. When unable […]
Let’s assume you have a powerful case statement and you have the clout to get some doors open. What exactly will the “ask” look like in making first contact with potential donors? Clearly, no one will be asking anyone else for money during a first review of your project’s case statement. NO WAY! In the […]
Before discussing this next topic—THE ASK—I want to state a fundamental truth of all successful fundraising efforts so you can get your mind wrapped around it early. What I tell you now should be tattooed on your brain so indelibly that when you open your eyes every morning the first thing you see is this […]
As you embrace accountability and begin circulating your case statement for review and start the process of earning trust, your interviewees will almost certainly ask you to expound on your hoped-for results. They will probably suggest additional ways they want you to account for the success of your project. When these suggestions surface, be prepared […]
I’m always amazed at the push-back I receive from clients about making their projects fully transparent and publicly accountable. Frequently, clients communicate that they just want the money from donors, not their oversight and micro-management of the project. When I get this vibe, I want to grab these clients by the lapels and shake them! Are […]
Elsewhere, I identified the elements of a solution every case statement must include—the need, solution, presentation of measurable benefits, and call to action. About the second, I said: A proposed solution to meet a real and urgent need must be: · thoughtful · innovative · compelling. Let’s see what the first two parts of the solution mean. Remember that: Successful […]
In other blogs, I disclose the fundraiser’s most guarded secrets about how to create BUY-IN for any project. I call this BUY-IN process THE FARMER’S PARADIGM. Now, however, let’s talk about the success elements for solving problems and presenting solutions to others. In building your case statement, you must present, in draft form at the very […]
Solving Real Problems: Need for Buy-in I really love problem solving. I’m actually passionate about it and always have been. I am repelled by anyone who just wallows in negativity, unwilling to tackle problems with a solution-oriented approach to them. Yet I do understand that problems can seem insurmountable at times and overwhelm the […]
Easy to Communicate Today, I’ll cover the fifth and last of the elements of need definition, ease of communication. I’m thinking just now how funny it would be to try to explain this dimension of the need definition, ease of communication, in such a complicated way that I make it seem harder than it really is. […]
Urgency Now, I’ll talk about the fourth element of need definition, urgency. Urgent needs are those that make you come right up out of your chair when you read or hear about them and start demanding that they be addressed. Think about this. What really gets your blood boiling? For me, knowing children are being neglected […]
