Time for Some 2020 Hindsight Analysis

The bulk of 2020 has been spent in virtual, impersonal communication between fundraising professionals and their constituents/donors. Charitable gift planners have had to figure out how to grow donor relationships by telephone, e-mail, and virtual meetings. Great emphasis has been placed on stewardship of prior donors. This is a good time for some hindsight analysis of a number of topics, one of which I want to address here.

I encourage fundraising professionals to re-examine your job titles, your brief explanations of what you do when you introduce yourself to constituents and donors. 

I suggest what you do as a fundraising professional is manage and nurture donor relationships. So what might that look and sound like in application?

Here’s an example. Reconsider how you introduce yourself to constituents and donors. Rather than stating your name and your job title, you might say something like, “My work for (organization) includes constituent and donor relations.”

Imagine the responses that might invite, the questions you might be asked, the opportunities you can create to engage with those constituents and donors as you explain just what you do – for them.

This can also take you out of your job title box as a “major gifts” or “planned gifts” officer and all the self-limitations that accompany such job titles.

This is a great time to re-brand your work as a Donor Relations Manager.