Time Management: The Secret to Fundraising Success
Imagine the things we have to get done in a day!
You have to be online! You have to send out emails, and respond to much more emails! Search for new donors! Manage old donors! Help your board resolve issues! Treat every donor like a major donor! People are calling for program updates! You need to plan your next hangout! Pick up the kids! Decide on the next big thing!
It is just too much and how does anyone expect you to focus on fundraising?
Trust me as a busy third sector leader, I understand and to conquer Productivity, Time Management, and Fundraising, you must understand the different mindsets driving your decisions
The productivity mindset says Get more work done!
The time management mindset says ‘Get the most important work done well’.
So how can you effectively manage your time so you can focus on successful fundraising strategies?
- Cultivate a Time Positive Mindset
What is your MOST important goal?
For many nonprofit leaders, your most important goal is securing funding which automatically makes your donors are a priority. Individual donors remain 75% of the highest amount of donors who give so prioritizing your donor interaction is now more important than ever.
One of the ways to do this is to ‘’Develop a more efficient way to engage and interact with everyone on your value chain so you can continue to deliver an experience.
Have a more high-quality targeted list of stakeholders that is segmented. (This is one of the areas we will be discussing at our upcoming training). Categorize everyone on that list so your communications are easier and more direct.
- Control Your Interactions
There are 3 types of interactions: People, Communication & Environment
People: Daily prioritize people you should communicate with such as your Donors, Leaders & Board Members, Volunteers & co-workers, family & friends.
Communication: It’s important you schedule time on your calendar for responding to emails, newsletters, reports, and projects.
Environment: How cluttered is your workspace? your desktop, or your mind? How do you handle visual distractions? Learn to work in an environment that excites you and keeps you committed to your task.
Other ways to manage your time effectively are;
- Make a plan: Do you have a Master, Monthly, Weekly, and Daily calendar?
- Control the interruptions. Do everything to protect your work time. Focus.
- Find your preferred time management app. There are so many apps; workflow, Trello, Asana, Monday.com, To-do-list, slack. Find an app that works for you.
- Find your peak zone: When is the best time for you to work
- Carve out personal time. Don’t spend all day dedicated to working activities alone. Block off personal time on your calendar.
- Delegate
- Learn to say No
We have so much more information packed for our upcoming Masterclass, please send us an email at donorsforafrica@gmail.com for more inquiries.