47 episodes

Learn tactics and strategies you need to become an expert at raising money and building a high-performance fundraising program. There are Interviews with industry experts, as well as dozens of practical tactics you can apply immediately to raise more money, improve your program's effectiveness, and inspire you about the art of fundraising.

The Fundraising Coach Tom Iselin

    • Business
    • 4.0 • 1 Rating

Learn tactics and strategies you need to become an expert at raising money and building a high-performance fundraising program. There are Interviews with industry experts, as well as dozens of practical tactics you can apply immediately to raise more money, improve your program's effectiveness, and inspire you about the art of fundraising.

    Next Level Donor Relations – Make Their Experience “Unexpectedly Pleasurable!”

    Next Level Donor Relations – Make Their Experience “Unexpectedly Pleasurable!”

    Next Level Donor Relations – Make Their Experience “Unexpectedly Pleasurable!” 
    In today’s fundraising world, with dozens of nonprofits competing for donors’ hearts and wallets, it’s important to stand out and differentiate. Otherwise, no matter how noble your mission, you’ll be left with your hand out as other fundraisers hit their goals.
    To inspire donor generosity and loyalty year after year, you must stop sending stale thank-you letters and having hollow donor experiences, and start thinking of creative ways to go above and beyond to provide donor service and experiences that are “unexpectedly” pleasurable and memorable.
    Listen in to hear 16 uncommon and practical donor relations tactics that will delight and surprise your donors.

    • 10 min
    Are You a One-Percenter? Here’s a List of Dos and Don’ts of Top Performers. How do you rate?

    Are You a One-Percenter? Here’s a List of Dos and Don’ts of Top Performers. How do you rate?

    Are You a One-Percenter? Here’s a List of Dos and Don’ts of Top Performers. How do you rate?
    There is a reason why the top performers – the One-Percenters – consistently do so well in business and life . . . it’s because they do the things, big and small, that set themselves apart from others.
    There is nothing wrong with “average.” Average is good. It’s acceptable. Do you feel you’re an average worker? Are you better than average? How much better?
    Would you like to be a One-Percenter? Do you want to be the type of person who gets frequent promotions and big raises? Do you dream of starting and running your own business or nonprofit? Do you want to be liked and respected by people around you, yet viewed as humble, gracious, and generous?
    If you want to be a One-Percenter, or have the desire to improve your performance in the workplace, then commit yourself to learning and applying the following principles. If you do, you’ll find yourself in an elite group of leaders who make a difference.
    Listen in to hear a list of 17 Dos and 10 Don’ts that define One-Percenters. 

    • 19 min
    How Star Wars Can Help You Raise More Money – Say What?

    How Star Wars Can Help You Raise More Money – Say What?

    Movies and Sound
    Imagine watching a movie like Star Wars, Jaws, or Top Gun with no sound. They would be dry, listless, and yes, dull. In many movies, the sound makes the movie. It elicits emotional responses that can lift us up, make us cry, and give us goosebumps. Some music scores are so meaningful to us, they stir up emotions and memories decades after watching the movies. Think of movies like “The Sound of Music,” “Titanic,” and “The Good, Bad, and the Ugly.”
    As a fundraiser, I recently came to heightened realization just how important sound is in our efforts to raise money. When reading a brochure or an appeal letter, there is no sound; it’s like watching a silent movie. The emotional power of the stories and information is weak. Yes, writing powerful and compelling stories can emotionally inspire donors, but not as well as telling those stories out loud.
    Give Me Goosebumps
    Telling stories and sharing information out loud—in person—brings stories alive. Imagine reading a scene from Jurassic Park, Saving Private Ryan, or the shower scene in Hitchcock’s Psycho versus watching those scenes with sound. Reading the scenes may elicit an emotional response, but watching these movie scenes and hearing the sound effects, music scores, and people’s voices can transport our thoughts and emotions to unimaginable places.
    The sounds in movies ignite all areas of our brains. The tone of a Darth Vader’s voice or the whizzing of Starfighter causes our brains to start pumping out dopamine, adrenaline, and a host of other chemical reactions that move us, compel us, and emotionally connect us. The same happens when we watch powerful videos with sound.
    This is why it’s important to tell your stories colorfully when talking with donors and giving talks about your organization and the work you do. To do this, we need to use descriptive words that paint vivid pictures, tell touching stories, and vary your tone, pitch, and cadence of your speech.
    Tune in to learn more

    • 8 min
    How To Host the Best Board Retreat Ever! Checklist – 17 Keys to Success

    How To Host the Best Board Retreat Ever! Checklist – 17 Keys to Success

    Have you ever sat through a board retreat and thought, “What a waste of time!” You’re squished in a windowless room, squirming in a chair that feels like granite, and longing for the next break. Worse yet, the facilitator is boring, the content is useless, board members are texting, and the food is stale!
    If you’re in the process of planning a retreat, don’t settle! It’s possible to put together an amazing day that’s engaging, meaningful, memorable, and fun. All it takes is a little planning and ingenuity.
    Listen in and use the following checklist to make sure you have all the essential elements in place to ensure the retreat is a resounding success.

    • 19 min
    How to Find and Hire the Best Board Retreat Facilitator – a 9-Point Checklist . . .

    How to Find and Hire the Best Board Retreat Facilitator – a 9-Point Checklist . . .

    Have you ever sat through a board retreat and spent more time watching the clock, daydreaming, and checking texts than listening to the facilitator? Are your board members cringing at the thought of attending another retreat?
    Did your last facilitator stand behind a lectern and drone on like a record playing in slow motion? Were they unengaging? Was the content dull and irrelevant? Did the outcomes of the day grow stale and ultimately have little impact on your board?
    If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, it’s time to find a new facilitator. But how do you choose? Listen in to this checklist of attributes you can use when scouting for the “best” board retreat facilitator.

    • 9 min
    Are Local Board Retreat Facilitators Really the Best Value??

    Are Local Board Retreat Facilitators Really the Best Value??

    Nonprofits play a critical role in addressing societal issues, but their effectiveness often hinges on the strength of their leadership, especially the board.
    One way to enhance the performance of a nonprofit’s board of directors is by organizing retreats. They can improve engagement, performance, governance, fundraising skills, all of which can propel the organization to the next level of impact.
    This is all the more reason to hire a high-quality retreat facilitator. And though you may feel it’s risky to hire a facilitator from outside your region, it may also be a game-changer. Sure, it’s nice to keep things local, but sometimes you get what you pay for . . . which, in some cases, can mean mediocre results.
    Retreats and planning sessions are too important to skimp on. Listen in and learn seven compelling reasons why you should consider looking beyond your region or state when searching for your next retreat facilitator.

    • 6 min

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