As we know Bill Gates and Warren Buffett are encouraging their peers to give away billions. They are taking a very simple approach by working through the top 400 richest people in the world and calling each of them up. It’s working, with 40 billionaires already making pledges including the likes of George Lucas, Barry Diller, Michael Bloomberg, Larry Ellison and Pierre Omidyar.
It’s a simple approach and one every fundraiser needs to take on board whether you are involved in trust fundraising, companies or individuals. Forget the endless hours deciding on how you put your Ask together and how you make your approach, just pick up the phone! Okay I know if Warren Buffett calls, you’re going to pick up, who wouldn’t take the call, regardless of how rich you were. However, he still has to make the pitch. He still has to sell the idea and at some point he has to close the deal!
Sometimes we complicate fundraising (most of the time, except EU application where they complicate the process!!). So much time and effort is put in planning, discussions, seminars and training, at huge expense, not to mention the Opportunity Cost. I'm not suggesting a good strategy isn’t important, but sometimes we can get too bogged down in the approach with not enough time spent on implementation and let’s face it, the quickest way to get an answer is phoning someone up, whether it is a trust, company or an individual. If you have a good project and your charity is well run you shouldn't have to sell it too hard. If you do, there is something wrong, not with you, but with the charity or the project.
Anyway enough talk, time to make some phone calls! Remember the famous Glengarry Glen Ross speech “Always Be Closing”. ABC
