Put Your Best Foot Forward

Put your best foot forward. I had a great conversation with a young professional looking for his next. We chatted about his desired job, his experience and skill set. I was looking for what lit his fire and where his passion showed up. His resume didn't do him justice. I made some suggestions about how to put his best foot forward. The job of a resume, after all, is to get an interview.

Job hunting isn't terribly different from donor engagement. You must engage your donor before they will invest. To engage them well you have to put your best foot forward. What is unique about your organization? What lights your fire and drives your passion? What experience do you have and how does that prepare you for the organization's next stretch of road? The goal of donor engagement is to lead to an opportunity to do the ask. Get them engaged and then ask for the investment.

As you consider how you put your best foot forward consider this:

1. Know your accomplishments. Know why and how your organization makes a difference through its work.

2. Tell your story well. Be passionate and factual in your storytelling, hitting both the head and the heart.

3. Know your numbers. Know how much you are looking to raise and why. Know the impact of the dollar. Know how donor investments lead to outcome.

4. Engage the right people. Not everyone is going to be passionate about your work. Don't spray and pray; rather, be intentional about identifying potential donors that care about your cause and have the means to invest.

And lastly, check your communications and messaging to make sure they put your best foot forward. Train those who are out engaging and cultivating donor relationships to represent you well. Spend time cultivating relationships. Get out there today and put your best foot forward.

-Mindy Muller, CFRE, President/CEO of CDP