Own the Fundraising Room

I’ve been thinking about energy a lot lately. Not the wall socket variety, but the energy that flows between two human beings – like you and your prospective funder. 

Think about the last time you met with a potential funder. Picture that meeting – whether it was in person, over the phone or (everyone’s favorite) via Zoom – in your mind. What kind of energy did you bring to that interaction? 

Perhaps you were anxious, closed off, spinning negative potential outcomes in the back of your mind (“This person will never fund us” or “There are so many other organizations competing for this money.”)

Or, maybe, as I advise my clients, you brought a completely different energy to that interaction. A confident, engaged, enthusiastic, expansive energy. 

An “I have a rockstar solution to a problem you care deeply about, so let’s work together!” energy.

Did you know that by owning your own energy, you can dramatically improve the outcome of a funder meeting?

Here’s how I advise my clients to own the fundraising room:

1. Reconnect to Your Core.
   Before the meeting, spend 15-20 minutes alone, reconnecting with your center – without the aid of other humans or devices.
   
2. Own Your Greatness.
   Remind yourself what a rockstar you are, what fantastic work you are doing, and how passionate you are about it.
    
3. Detach from the Outcome.
   I know you really, really want them to write you a big fat check, but you’ll be fine either way. No, I’m serious, you really will be fine either way. There is ALWAYS another funder out there, in fact there are tons of them. So release the need for this to be the ONE, and you’ll be much more relaxed and confident.

And the results for my clients – who have learned how to own the fundraising room – have been nothing short of game-changing (read about that here and here). 

Remember, you are powerful beyond measure. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
And hey, I just opened up a few more coaching spots. If you’ve been thinking you might want to work with me, book a free discovery call.

Photo Credit: Riccardo Annandale