Ditch the climb. Embrace your fear. Repel instead.
Imagine fundraising in a world where you couldn’t ask people directly to give.
What would it look like?
You’d probably see a lot of bake sales, golf tournaments, auctions, galas, charity walks, car washes, raffles, and more flamingos in people’s yards than anyone should ever be subjected to this in this life.
Sadly this world isn’t too difficult to imagine.
How many “game-changing” indirect fundraising ideas have you seen tried in the name of not having to ask people to give?
If you go back far enough, you’ll find a fear of asking lives at the heart of most indirect fundraising schemes.
But what happens when fear of asking stops us from directly inviting people to give?
All of the extra effort required to raise money without asking can make fundraising feel like climbing up the side of a steep cliff.
Super difficult. Mentally and physically taxing. Extraordinarily time-consuming. Exhausting.
You may still reach the top, but you burn every last ounce of energy you have overcoming the relentless force of gravity to get there.
In my experience, fundraising is always an uphill battle when we’re afraid to ask.
What would it be like to step forward into your fear of asking instead of avoiding it?
Scary? Exhilarating? Fun?
When you’re willing to move through your fear, fundraising is a lot like repelling.
Picture yourself standing at the top of a steep, sheer cliff wearing a harness securely fastened with ropes to the rock above.
Now imagine a surge of fear overtaking your body as you look down over the edge.
What if, instead of letting the fear paralyze you, you let it become a catalyst for a breathtaking adventure and took a step backward over the edge?
Asking someone to give can feel a little like taking that first step off the cliff.
Scary at first, but once you secure your harness, trust the process, and take the leap, gravity takes over to make getting down way easier, faster, and more exhilarating than climbing up ever would’ve been.
Are you avoiding asking directly, hoping people will somehow intuit your needs and offer support as they see you struggling up the side of a mountain?
Even if you’re TERRIFIED of asking someone to give, the energy required to move through your fear, muster your courage, and ask anyway pales in comparison to the energy you’re burning trying to raise money without asking.
Creating endless elaborate fundraising schemes to raise money without having to ask consumes vast amounts of time and energy, leaving you depleted and distracted from your mission.
What else could you be doing if you weren’t using so much sideways energy on bake sales, charity walks, golf tournaments, auctions, or [INSERT YOUR OWN LATEST WAY TO RAISE MONEY WITHOUT ASKING]?
I know. I know. Asking people to give can be scary.
But guess what happens when you summon the courage to ask directly?
You unlock a reservoir of energy that far exceeds any momentary experience of fear or discomfort you felt while asking.
And remember this…
You are trying to change the world.
Can you imagine doing something that big without having to face a few fears along the way?
I can’t.
The next time you stand at the edge of that cliff with fear coursing through your veins, ask yourself what’s easier, faster, and more exciting:
Spending every last ounce of energy you have in a grueling climb up the side of another steep mountain or taking one simple step backward while trusting gravity, your harness, and the ropes to do the rest?
The choice is yours.
I hope you’ll take the leap.
Do you enjoy hashtag#FundraisingFriday? Are you looking for more ways to grow as a fundraiser? Let’s meet in Oklahoma City this September!
I’m hosting a half-day pre-conference workshop called Resilient Fundraising as part of the CAFO Summit in Oklahoma City on September 20 and I’d love to see you there!
Learn more and register here.