Being a good salesperson is at the heart of what it takes to be an Effective Fundraiser. Some people possess the qualities that go along with being an effective fundraiser and some do not. However, we believe that the qualities that can mean the difference from your fundraising campaign succeeding and falling behind in its goals can be learned – by nearly everyone. So, with that bit of encouragement let’s look at the qualities a bit closer.

• Effective communication skills: Fundraising requires that you are able to write well and that you are able to communicate with the public in person.
• Tenacity: Let’s face it. Fundraising has its highs and lows. A good fundraiser must be able to shrug off rejection in the belief that the next contact will be fruitful and positive. In this, a good sense of humor can also is very helpful.
• Dedication: Fundraising requires a personal commitment to the goals of the fundraising project. It takes someone who is willing to commit his/her time and effort knowing that each contact will not necessarily be receptive. Dedication is also an important quality to posses because it inspires other volunteers to do their best.
• Ability to work with many types of people: If you want your fundraising efforts to bear fruit you must be willing to go wide. This means being able communicate with and relate to people from different backgrounds. One minute you may be communicating to a store owner about our fundraising coupon cards; the next moment you may be talking with a busy homemaker. Or you may be communicating with people from different age groups and ethnic backgrounds. Keep an open mind and try to be relatable to everyone in order to be effective.
• Ability to motivate: Being an effective fundraiser requires you to dabble in a bit of psychology. You have to understand why people are motivated to donate to certain charities and be able to motivate people who may be less likely to do so. Here, your demeanor and communication skills are vitally important.
• Good Listener: Active listening lets the speaker know that you value his/her time and his/her opinions. This makes your interaction with that person much more likely to be positive and productive. Of all the above skills, this one can definitely be learned. Try taking a class in communication in order to develop this quality.

These are just a few key traits that successful fundraisers have in common. Another key trait that successful fundraisers share is the ability to be creative with the ways they use to raise funds. One way you can help your organization raise funds is by promoting our fund raising discount card to local merchants. This way you can connect with local businesses and raise needed funds at the same time.

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