Are you really asking for advice? Antibiotics are not nearly as effective as they used to be due to overuse. So too is the fundraising strategy to ask for a meeting under the guise of asking for advice, when your real intention is to ask for financial support.
A while back I contacted a major donor I know pretty well and invited him for coffee so I could seek his advice on a fundraising project I’m volunteering with at a large hospital. He said the cause wasn’t aligned with his interests and wished me luck. I had to tell him I REALLY WAS ASKING FOR ADVICE (about approaching some of his friends), and wasn’t going to ask him for support. I forgot that so many fundraisers seek meetings under the guise of asking for advice, when their real goal is to ask for financial support.
If you are planning to ask for advice AND ask for a donation, make it clear.
Author
Mike is a recognized expert, thought leader, advisor and speaker in the Nonprofit world. Over the past four decades, Mike served as an Executive Director, COO, see more
