Petrus Development | Teaching Catholic Fundraising

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This one question is killing your donor calls One phrase can make you 40% less likely to book a donor meeting. It is a question many fundraisers ask without thinking: "Did I catch you at a bad time?" Research from Gong, analyzing over 90,000 sales calls, found that this question hurts your chances of success. It may seem polite, but it actually puts donors on the defensive. They immediately think about how busy they are, and before you know it, they are saying no. Start with a positive framing instead. That can be as simple as asking “Is this a good time?” Do you have a go-to phrase to open donor calls with?

?? March Madness is here, and we want YOU in our bracket challenge! ?? Catholic fundraisers, it’s time to bring the friendly competition! Join our FREE March Madness bracket pool for a chance to win amazing prizes, including: ?? 1st Place: FREE registration for a Petrus Development signature course (BOAT or Major Gifts) ?? 2nd Place: Two 1-hour 1:1 consultations with a Petrus fundraising coach ?? 3rd Place: FREE registration to a 2025 RAISE Regional Fundraising Workshop …and more prizes for the top 8 finishers! ??? No buy-in—just fun! The deadline to submit your bracket is Thursday, March 20 at 11:00 a.m. CT (brackets lock at that time). Are you in? Drop a ?? in the comments and get ready to compete! Let’s have some fun! ???? #MarchMadness #CatholicFundraising #PetrusDevelopment

What if we told you that simply standing up could make you 46% more productive on your donor calls? Sounds too easy, right? But research from Texas A&M found that employees using standing desks were significantly more productive than their seated counterparts. Why does this work? ?? Standing naturally boosts your energy and confidence. ?? Your voice sounds more engaged and dynamic—which donors can hear. ?? It breaks the monotony of sitting, keeping you sharp and focused. If you’re making fundraising calls, try this: Stand up. Pace around. Move. See if it changes the way you sound and feel. A simple tweak, backed by data, that could make all the difference in your donor conversations.

Fundraising: 10% strategy, 90% convincing yourself to make the call.

Feeling like an impostor in fundraising? That means you are on the right track. If you are new to nonprofit fundraising and feeling like you do not belong, you are not alone. Almost every fundraiser has faced imposter syndrome at some point. You might think: ?? Who am I to ask for this much money? ?? Why would a major donor take me seriously? ?? What if I say the wrong thing? Sometimes, even worse thoughts creep in: ?? Anybody else would be better than me, I should just quit. ?? I should just try to win the lottery, give it all to the ministry, and we would never have to fundraise again. (Many of us have been there). The truth is that imposter syndrome is not a sign that you are failing. It is a sign that you are growing. Fundraising is a skill, not an innate talent. No one wakes up knowing exactly how to ask for a transformational gift or build deep donor relationships. The best fundraisers did not start out fearless. They started out just like you, uncertain but willing to step forward anyway. If you are doubting yourself, try this. ?? Reframe fundraising as an invitation, not an ask. You are offering donors a chance to make an impact, not taking something from them. ?? Focus on learning, not perfection. Every call, meeting, and no is a step toward mastery. ?? Remember that you are not alone. Every seasoned fundraiser once felt like an impostor too. They kept going, and so will you. ?? Have you experienced imposter syndrome in fundraising? What helped you push through?

“We already know our donors—we don’t need a feasibility study for our campaign.” Knowing your donors is great, but a feasibility study isn’t just about names on a list - it’s about insights you can’t get from a database: ?? Will your top donors step up for this campaign?? ?? Are they excited about the project?? ?? Do they see your organization as ready to pull this off?? ?? And most importantly, what’s the right goal? (Setting an unrealistic number is a great way to burn bridges instead of building them.) A feasibility study isn’t a formality. It’s your roadmap to success. Skip it, and you’re essentially launching a capital campaign blindfolded. And that’s… not great for fundraising.

Join Milton - anywhere fine podcasts are found. ?? ?? ??? https://lnkd.in/eNxQ4CRw