My success depends on closing this gift.
I confess, I have fallen prey to this message. So much seemed at stake that it was easy to be consumed by a gift’s perceived impact.
And that’s a dangerous place to be. I ran the risk of placing more importance on the gift than the donor.
When we succumb to this particular mindset, we place an undue amount of pressure on ourselves to close that one gift that will make things right. Yet when we outsize the importance of a gift, we devalue the donor. And they can sense this. It’s sadly ironic because, most of the time, we have been careful to build a solid, trusting relationship. But we see the end of the year approaching, and we push boundaries by over-meeting, prematurely bringing up gift discussions, or compromising on an amount just to get something—anything. Imagine how the donor feels in this situation.
Don’t let your desperation get the best of you. Prioritize relationships over money. Make decisions that reflect the interests of the donor and the organization. And remember that you’ll survive this one solicitation.
Revised fundraising mindset: My success is not defined by this one gift, but by the sustainability of my donor relationships.