The Secret Sauce

The secret about the secret sauce is that it’s not secret.

Ever since the Big Mac? sandwich made its appearance in 1967, the term “secret sauce” has become a part of the lexicon worldwide.

The “sauce” is the binder, the glue. It’s what gives the sandwich it’s pizzazz.

In fundraising there’s also a “secret sauce.”?Unlike the Big Mac, the formula for the fundraising secret sauce isn’t proprietary. It's available to every nonprofit in limitless quantity.

Every nonprofit has access to the “secret” it needs to be wildly successful.

Every nonprofit.

There’s only one difficulty.?Most nonprofits only use it sparingly—if at all.?It’s like too little butter spread over too much toast.

What is it??

Gratitude.

Being truly grateful for the support of millions of investors in the philanthropic enterprise.

Gratitude that is specific and personal.?Gratitude that is attitudinal not operational.??Something that is woven through every interaction a nonprofit has with its investors.

So, what does gratitude expressed look like?

First let’s identify what it is NOT.

It’s not the (well meaning) but canned “thank you” note.?It’s not the ubiquitous Thanksgiving greeting card timed with the American holiday of the same name.?It’s not a blanket “thank you” given at meetings, galas expressed in endless newsletters.

Expressing gratitude is subtle.?

It’s about attitudes, outlook, and perspective.?It’s about unforced and unrestrained giving to the other.

Here's a simple example:?Never use the phrase, “no problem” when you really mean “it’s my pleasure.” Try it and you'll discover how much this one phrase changes your outlook.

Simple but not obvious—unless your organization has the grateful culture.

Being grateful is shown through EVERY interaction formal and informal with an investor (AKA “donor”).

The operative word here is “EVERY” interaction.?

This implies that expressing gratitude is the job of a helluva lot more people than just the

Fundraiser,

Executive,

Board members.

It’s literally everyone in your organization.

There are very few organizations—nonprofit or otherwise—who have a firmly seated culture of service and gratitude.?Every one of these, however, are runaway success stories.?Literally.

One organization that is often touted with such a culture is the Ritz-Carlton Hotel chain.?Their culture of gratitude is perfected to the point that they actually offer courses on how to acquire one. They’re legendary.

Want your fundraising to be a runaway success?

You need the culture of generosity.?A culture steeped in gratitude.

Having a culture of generosity used to be the “hard” part.?If it wasn’t already a part of an organization’s DNA, getting there was akin to herding cats in a thunderstorm.?

How do you get it?

Not by spending gobs of cash on tech tools and high-priced fundraising talent. That's all big blocks while forgetting the mortar. The "mortar" is human habit and culture. Without the mortar--like the secret sauce--it's just so much meat and bread.

By training everyone in your organization to reflect an attitude of gratitude and true service to your investors.

With paradigm-shifting Eight Principles training you get it—and keep it—in record time.?Training that’s interactive, fun and for everyone—yes EVERYONE—in an organization.

The result:?Raising much more money.?Today and Tomorrow.

Note the emphasis on “interactive” and “fun”.

You bring the training “inside” your organization with your own facilitator and blow the top off your fundraising.?We call it continuous learning—our version of train-the-trainer.?Here’s a video which gives you the complete picture:

The best part??It doesn’t take buckets of money to get there.?It’s desire and will.

If you’re a nonprofit executive or fundraiser, schedule a call with me.?It’s complimentary.?Whether or not continuous training is for you, you’ll have a much clearer idea of where you need to go and how to achieve your goals.

Coaches and consultants this can be of immense benefit to you, as well.

As a coach myself, I feel the pain of coaches and consultants who spend inordinate amounts of effort and time just to get a client to the point where they “get it.”?It’s when that happens a consultant does their best work.

This is where the Eight Principles training platform is used to get your client “there” in record time.?You take everyone from board room to front desk to the same place.

Clients don’t care how you do it.?They just want results.?If you deliver the culture in record time, you get to your custom work faster.?You serve more clients.?They get faster results.

Here’s a brief video that explains everything:

Coaches and consultants, let me hear from you.?Schedule a call and we’ll see if Eight Principles Training is a tool you can use to build your business and serve your clients more effectively.

My goal is simple.?To show all who really want it the clear, proven path to abundance.

To Your Fundraising Success,

Larry C Johnson, Founder, The Eight Principles