As humans we like to categorize things, including professions. If I tell you to think of a construction worker, an image pops into your head. The same is true for art teachers, accountants, and any number of other common professions. For better or worse, these characters are often based on stereotypes that may be true for some, but likely not for all.
This applies to fundraisers too. If you were to ask your friends and family to describe a fundraiser, what would they say? Someone who can talk to anyone, knows everyone, and is the life of the party? Someone who can present eloquent and persuasive monologues, moving the unwitting masses to tears and convincing them to support a cause?
The truth is those types of fundraisers can be and often are really successful. But this type of personality is also not the only route to being a successful fundraiser. Those who may be more introverted may not appear as outgoing, but they can bring incredible listening and perception skills, picking up on subtle and important cues when talking with donors. Likewise, some fundraisers are more comfortable telling heartwarming stories about those that benefit from an organization’s work while others are more comfortable when talking about numbers.
As a fundraiser, you shouldn’t strive to become a certain type but rather be aware of your own type and its strengths and weaknesses. Luckily, fundraising expert Brian Saber has a quick online assessment (link below) that will reveal your asking style, as well as descriptions of each.
https://askingmatters.com/whats-your-asking-style/
After understanding your own style, think of where your donor falls on the introvert/extrovert and analytic/intuitive spectrums. Chances are you had a pretty good idea where you would land before you took the assessment, and you can probably make a pretty good guess of where a donor may fall after a meeting or two. This can help identify what type of information a donor may prefer. Those on the intuitive side will likely be more receptive to personal stories of how lives have been impacted, while those on the analytic side will be interested in statistics and details of programs.
Knowing these styles can also help you think about who should engage with a donor. What are the styles of your team, whether that’s volunteers or full-time staff? Remember that often you will be meeting with couples, committees, or companies where multiple styles are present. Pairing team members with complementary styles will ensure they can excel with any type of donor.
Like any personality assessment, this is not a perfect tool. Not everyone fits perfectly into one of four categories. Some introverts can still be extroverted in their professional life, and numbers-orientated people can be moved by the right story. Many people fall close to the middle of these axes, fluctuating back and forth depending on the situation. But having a sense of who we are and knowing which situations we thrive in will make us all more successful fundraisers, leading to more fulfilling careers and advancing our organizations. The best fundraising style is your own.