10 Dec Top five “aha” phrases from AFP Congress 2013 in Toronto
Here is my list of earth-stopping phrases that I heard at AFP Congress this year. These are the ones that really made me think about what I am doing, and how I am doing it. You can sSend me your “aha” moments in the comments section below.
1) Your donor sees his or her thank you card as the beginning of the relationship, while more often than not, the organization sees the thank you card as the ending of the relationship – Tom Ahern
2) You can’t do it all. You are just going to have to choose what falls off your desk – Karen Osborne, The Osborne Group
3) Millennials (young people between 12 and 31 years of age) see themselves on equal footing, and equal hierarchy with fundraisers and staff who have been in the business for over 15 years. Get over yourselves and accept the fact that good ideas can come from anywhere – Barbara Talisman. Link to PPT slides from “Millennials in the workplace” here.
4) Your case for support must have a BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal). Your BHAG must be bold: with it – alongside buy-in from your staff, your board, and your volunteers – you will explain your organization’s reason for being on this planet. Aim big, set up impact strategies that can demonstrate to donors HOW you are going to get to your BHAG. Then you can go out and find like-minded individuals who will want to donate because they share your vision for the world we all live in – Tammy Zonker, Fundraising Transformed
5) In order to be effective, social media needs to be fully integrated into your multi-channel communications plans – Honestly, I don’t know who didn’t say this phrase. Was it Claire Kerr in her Social and Mobile strategies for Effective Fundraising session, or was it Barbara Talisman in Truly Integrated Fundraising – R U Talking @ Donors or With Them? My analysis: mobile and online is here to stay. Get with the program and hurry up and integrate your channels.
And I’ve saved the best “aha” moment for last:
You are part of a proud profession, a profession that has a direct impact on many lives, across many continents. Be proud of who you are, what you do, and let’s work together to celebrate our profession’s successes – Tony Elischer and the Fundraising Theatre team.
Pass it on –
A note to the wonderful AFP speakers listed above: If I am paraphrasing incorrectly, my apologies – my intention is to capture the essence of your sessions. Please send me your feedback via the comments section of the blog and I will rephrase if necessary.