5 Scary fears of face to face fundraising and how to overcome them!
American writer and publisher Elbert Hubbard said "The greatest mistake you can make, is to be continually fearing that you'll make one". For some, the notion of face to face fundraising is, well, pretty nerve racking. And it’s understandable - the idea of repeatedly approaching complete strangers (to ask for money of all things) can be terrifying!
This Halloween, we want reassure new fundraisers (and those thinking about a career in professional fundraising) that it’s not so scary! We address the 5 most common list of fears with some great tips on how to rethink and overcome them.
Anxiety and fear of the unknown
Whenever we’re confronted by uncertainty, we enter into a ghoulish state of unknowing and unpredictability. The loss of control over the outcome can result in anxiety, which is essentially related to our primary need to self-preserve.
The not knowing is deemed a threat to our emotional safety.
When we think fundraising, all sorts of ideas are conjured up. Being rejected, being embarrassed, failing to secure any donors or even being the subject of public hate!
But an essential part of the face to face fundraiser job is to like talking to people. Generally speaking, fundraisers aren’t afraid to strike up conversation with strangers. In fact, the best ones relish the opportunity!
But even the bravest can get nervous if they’re new to the role or haven’t adequately prepared. In a state of anxiousness, it’s easy to think about everything that could go wrong and how that might feel. In short our spidey senses go into overdrive!
Anxiety can show up in a number of ways from dizziness, to increased heart rate to nausea and a need to go to the toilet. It’s not exactly pleasant to feel anxious but there are things we can do to help soothe ourselves.
Luckily, there are several easy and effective ways to deal with anxiety and overcome fear of the unknown:
Taking deep slow breaths
Communicating your fears to others
Thinking about what could go right as well as what could go wrong!
Take light exercise such as going for a walk or yoga
Avoiding stimulants like caffeine
Thinking that nobody wants face-to-face contact
The belief that ‘not one’ person wants you to speak to them is misguided and untrue - even if it does feel scary! You’ll always come across people who don’t want to be approached - but that doesn’t mean everyone hates being approached!
Actually, salespeople have been successfully talking to strangers for a millennia; proof that it can’t be that offensive - even if the person who’s speaking to you is a stranger and even if they blatantly want something from you.
We know that everything from a simple hello to a full scale conversation is not only possible – it’s commonplace - and even enjoyable!
Just imagine how cold it would be if the only transactions we ever did were online giving on on the telephone?
Face to face isn’t about some major gift fundraising board members, or impersonal direct mail campaigns in your inbox; it’s a real conversation between real people – and that’s what makes it special.
Even if a potential donor isn’t willing or able to contribute on that day it doesn’t mean they haven’t enjoyed the experience of connection.
Learn 10 reasons why people don’t donate
Human to human connection is the heart behind what makes so many people decided to give to charity.
Fundraising professionals should work on making every exchange as personable and positive as possible – after all, donors are just people who like socialising as much as the next person.
Of course there are always exceptions to every rule. Any public facing role will encounter unpleasant responses or even rudeness.
But although it’s a bit scary to think about upsetting people by doing something they don’t like – or worse put up with negative confrontation, there will always be many many more that don’t mind at all.
The vast majority of those that don’t want you to speak to them will make it pretty clear, pretty quickly, relieving you both of any unpleasantries.
What do donors REALLY think of face to face fundraisers?
The fear of inexperience in charity fundraising jobs
In every new job or role, we have to learn new things – that’s just a fact of life.
Nobody starts off the expert and nobody expects you to be! Time, practice and persistence is what it takes anything work, including the face to face fundraiser job. It’s up to you to put in the effort to grow better.
If you’ve been hired by a solid and professional fundraising agency like Charity Link it’s because they believe that you have what it takes to become a fundraising success with fantastic donor retention.
As it happens, many of our most prolific fundraisers have previous sales experience - or at least a customer facing role. These transferrable skills go a long way towards feeling more confident and comfortable in the role.
With inexperienced fundraisers, there’s a tendency to skirt around the issue, with a fear that being too direct will drive the donor away.
Of course, anyone will be nervous to begin with and that’s normal. But it’s worth bearing in mind - if you’re uncomfortable, potential donors will pick up on those vibes and the conversation won’t be what you’re aiming for; which is a relaxed, informative and positive exchange.
Clear, strong and straightforward language about giving works – especially if you apply a smile and personalise the pitch to connect. If you want your donor to be confident in you, then work on feeling confident yourself.
Check out how you can speed build positive relationships with potential donors
Scary lack of knowledge about your charity to comfortably speak with others
Another common fear for new starters when they’re just getting started is that they’ll dry up and won’t know what to say if a donor asks a question.
The easy and most obvious fix here is to do your homework! You wouldn’t expect a doctor to start treating patients with no training or a hairdresser to cut hair with no practice – so why fundraise without knowing your stuff!
Any good third sector company working with professional fundraisers should offer decent and thorough fundraising training.
Learn about Charity Links fundraiser training here
Although this is just the beginning of the journey the foundational knowledge about your charity is a great springboard from which to get learning as much as possible about your charitable cause.
Sources to gain more information are
The charity website
Subscribe to the charity’s newsletter
Speak to other fundraisers
Read all the collateral provided
Book a visit at one of your charity’s centres (such as Dogs Trust rehoming centres) for a deeper insight into how the donor money benefits the end users
Become a charity supporter yourself - experiencing the other side of fundraising will help you understand more about what motivates people who give
Like with everything, the more time you spend on it, the more you’ll become a nonprofit pro with plenty of useable knowledge and skill. And the more knowledgeable you are, the better equipped you’ll be to turn every conversation into a regular committed donation.
Fearful of talking about and asking for money
‘The ask’ is quite understandably the most difficult part of the face to face fundraising pitch. Afterall, asking others for money is not what we’re used to doing.
In this instance, the best way to look at it is to remember that you’re not asking for yourself.
Fundraisers are asking on behalf of some of the most vulnerable in society - they need help and they need someone to step up for them.
The fact is, if charities don’t ask for help – they don’t get.
So if fundraisers can turn it around in their heads and think of the animals and people you’re asking for, you’ll quickly find that motivation overrides any fear about talking money and encouraging people to be a part of the solution.
However scary the f2f role can seem, the problems in our world are scarier!
Our reality is that shying away won’t change anything!
Being bold and believing in your job is what will push the change. It’s also what makes you an every day hero. As a charity fundraiser, your aim is to make donors realise the gift fundraising is – and that that they have the power to make a positive difference.
If you’re able to convey that message well, any distraction about you will fade away….
Interested in learning more about charity face to face fundraising?
Our recruitment team are always looking for fresh faces to join our growing army of passionate professional and ethical fundraisers. Not only do every single one of our fundraising team enjoy a 12 week award winning training academy, they receive incredible benefits, a huge support network and an opportunity to further their career.
Hop over to our jobs page and see if you’re a good fit…
