But you don’t have to wait until ALL of that is complete to get out there and start forming meaningful relationships with your donors. You can do the relationship thing AND create the structure you need to be successful, at the same time.
If you want to confuse your donor, or anyone else receiving your verbal, written, or electronic communication, then don’t start with context. Just jump in and start writing or talking. That will get them confused.
Does your organization overflow with inspiration and vision? Are your programs top-notch and making an impact? If yes, then you have the right ingredients to keep good major gift officers. If you keep losing good people every couple of years, maybe this is your problem.
“I just can’t get a meeting with any of my donors,” said thousands of major gift officers. It’s probably one of the biggest complaints we hear from MGOs on a regular basis.
As an MGO you are going to make some mistakes. Some will be small, some will be very big. But it’s how you respond to those mistakes that makes all the difference to your boss, colleagues and donors… well, to just about anyone in your life.
If you are working your plan and communicating to your manager and leadership… that is ALL you can do. So do the work you know you should be doing, and let the fear go.
An MGO’s role boils down to this: A Major Gift Officer’s role is to cultivate and steward relationships with donors in order to help donors fulfill their passion and interests through investing in your organization.
Today, you have a major donor file that has plenty of donors who give the same amount year after year after year. That’s a good thing. But you can turn a good thing into a great thing by knowing these donors and finally asking them to fund one of your projects and programs that they have a passion for.
If you find yourself being “ordinary” and passionless, you should either regain that passion you once had, or you look for a new profession where you can find your real passion. Life is too short not to do that.
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