At Cornucopia, we believe that face-to-face fundraising can lead to world-changing conversations, as everyday people are given the chance to support charities that align with their own personal values and mission.
But what does it take to be an effective face-to-face fundraiser? Here are just a few of the traits that help make for success in face-to-face fundraising.
Passion for the cause
A successful face-to-face fundraiser will have genuine passion for the charity’s mission and the impact of their work.
They should be able to speak from the heart about the important work the charity does, and the difference the donor can make by partnering with the charity financially.
Robert, one of our fundraisers here at Cornucopia, puts it this way: “When you’ve helped build a connection between a new donor and a charity, the feeling you get from that is just immense. You feel like you’ve achieved something so positive, it’s such a great joy.”
Communication Skills
While fundraisers need to clearly and concisely explain the charity’s mission and the impact of the work they do, they also need to listen to the donor’s concerns and answer any questions they may have.
Strong communication skills are essential for building trust and giving potential donors confidence that their support will have a real impact.
Empathy
Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person. It involves being able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and see things from their perspective.
It’s an essential skill in face-to-face fundraising, which is all about building relationships, understanding another person’s desires, and connecting with people quickly.
Persistence
Fundraising can be a challenging and difficult task at times, and fundraisers need to be able to handle rejection and keep going.
By remembering the importance of what they are doing and having a strong connection with the cause, face-to-face fundraisers should be able to handle rejection and not let it discourage them from continuing to start more conversations.
Adaptability
Face-to-face fundraising involves conversations with different people every day, and often at a variety of locations throughout the year.
For that reason, face-to-face fundraisers need to be able to adaptable, bringing a sense of flexibility and a willingness to embrace change.
Find your calling as a face-to-face fundraiser
As a face-to-face fundraiser, your job is building genuine, in-person connection between a donor, a charity organisation, and their beneficiaries.
It can be incredibly fulfilling work, knowing that every conversation can help change the world.
If you think face-to-face fundraising might be a good fit for your passions and personality, we’d love to hear from you.
As a specialist face to face fundraising agency, we partner with some of the world’s best known and loved charities and support their work by inspiring members of the public every day.
Get in touch today – we’re looking for people to join the team.
