Major Gifts Fundraiser Podcast-Hosted by Clark Vandeventer

In this episode of the podcast Clark interviews Monica on your WHY. "What is the problem you exist to solve?" You have to answer that question. The problem is not that you need to hit your annual fund goal. What is your why? What is the problem that you exist to solve? Email Monica at monica@majorgiftsfundraiser.com or Clark at clark@majorgiftsfundraiser.com

Force yourself to be more concise and more disciplined in how you tell your story. The Pixar Pitch gives you 6 sentences to tell your story. Fill in these blanks and you've got your pitch. You should enroll in Peak Performance Fundraising. Go to https://majorgiftsfundraiser.com/ to enroll in Peak Performance Fundraising and start your journey today. Use the promo code MGFPodcast for 20 percent off...

13 things to keep in mind when making your pitch. You should enroll in Peak Performance Fundraising. Go to https://majorgiftsfundraiser.com/ to enroll in Peak Performance Fundraising and start your journey today. Use the promo code MGFPodcast for 20 percent off. You can email Clark at clark@majorgiftsfundraiser.com

These are the must reads. Books that are foundational to Clark's life. If you want to Level up as a fundraiser, you’re going to have to sweat a little. You’re going to have to spend time reading one of these books on your next flight instead of watching a movie. You should be enrolled in one of our virtual training programs. You should enroll in Peak Performance Fundraising. Go to https://majorgif...

For you to be the kind of fundraiser you want to be -- you’ve got to put in the work. If you want to Level up as a fundraiser, you’re going to have to sweat a little. You’re going to have to spend time reading one of these books on your next flight instead of watching a movie. You should be enrolled in one of our virtual training programs. You should enroll in Peak Performance Fundraising. Go to h...

In this episode Clark shares 2 of his 12 goals for the year and discusses how they practically move from back-burner to front-burner to done. Questions? Comments? Need help? Want to bring in Clark for a Strategic Fundraising Workshop? Email Clark at clark@majorgiftsfundraiser.com.

In the last episode (#141: Assertive Sales Position > "I don't want to seem pushy...") Clark briefly mentioned how we need an assertive sales positon coupled with excellence throughout the sales process. That episode focused on the assertive sales position and only mentioned excellence throughout the process. This episode is about excellence throughout the process. Everything matters. Tiny deta...

So you don't want to seem pushy? That's fine, but just so you know, studies show that an assertive, assumptive sales position outperforms the "non-pushy" positin, by a lot! And why wouldn't you have an assumptive position? You have something of great value that you offer to the donor. You are a world-changer making things happen, and you are inviting people to join you in changing the world. Quest...

Basic fundraising advice for anyone getting started in fundraising, whether you are asking for gifts of $100 or gifts of $1,000,000. This is advice that will help you maintain a high view of fundraising, a high view of your donors, and high view of yourself. Questions? Comments? Need help? Email Clark at clark@majorgiftsfundraiser.com.

You spent so much time at the end of the previous calendar year worried about your LYBUNT List. And then you turned the calendar to a new year and forgot about it. Before you move onto bigger and better things, take another look at it. If you don't engage these donors now, the chances of these donors ever giving to your organization again drops significantly. Email Clark at clark@majorgiftsfundrai...

Climbing a mountain takes time. If we set big goals and have high standards of ourselves, we don't hit our goals overnight. It takes time to climb a mountain. Clark takes inspiration from the life of legendary basketball coach John Wooden in this episode of the podcast. Email Clark at clark@majorgiftsfundraiser.com

Are you making plans for an epic year? Don't just hope for an epic year -- like an epic year is going to happen to you. Make plans for an epic year. Email Clark at clark@majorgiftsfundraiser.com

What were your BEST DAYS from 2022? If you want to set the right goals for 2023, the first thing you need to do is think about what your BEST DAYS were from 2022 -- becausae what you say were your BEST DAYS say something about what you value -- and you want your goals to be in line with your values. If you want to take Clark up on his offer to review the WHY behind your Best Days, email him at cla...

Don't ask people to give because it's year-end! What's your big, audacious goal? How are you accomplishing it? Then, year-end is the forcing function to give. But year-end is not the case for support. It's the forcing function, but that's all it is. Questions? Or want to connect with Clark about a Strategic Fundraising Workshop? Email Clark at clark@majorgiftsfundraiser.com.

Part 3 of a 3 Part Series. We interviewed donors who have given 5, 6, and 7 figure gifts. We asked them what motivates them to give, what organization's do that works (and what doesn't) and talked with them about what they like (and don't like) in fundraisers. This 3 Part Series is a compilation with highlights from the interviews. You can get the written report on Major Donor Giving Secrets and r...

Part 2 of a 3 Part Series. We interviewed donors who have given 5, 6, and 7 figure gifts. We asked them what motivates them to give, what organization's do that works (and what doesn't) and talked with them about what they like (and don't like) in fundraisers. This 3 Part Series is a compilation with highlights from the interviews. You can get the written report on Major Donor Giving Secrets and r...

Part 1 of a 3 Part Series. We interviewed donors who have given 5, 6, and 7 figure gifts. We asked them what motivates them to give, what organization's do that works (and what doesn't) and talked with them about what they like (and don't like) in fundraisers. This 3 Part Series is a compilation with highlights from the interviews. You can get the written report on Major Donor Giving Secrets and r...

In this episode Clark talks about Aristotle's 3 types of friendships and the experience he gave his customers selling hot chocolate at a University of Alabama Football game. You can email Clark at clark@majorgiftsfundraiser.com and follow Major Gifts Fundrasier on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/majorgiftsfundraiser/

Wikipedia says that " Potpourri" is a mixture of dried, naturally fragrant plant materials, used to provide a gentle natural scent, commonly in residential settings. That's at least partly true of this episode. It's a mix of topics, gently presented. Gratitude. Who gives big gifts? What constitutes a major gift? What does intentional small talk look like? How can microcommitments help move us towa...

In this episode Clark talks about how the gratitude we express during Thanksgiving month puts us in a great position for Giving Tuesday -- and then, what to do after Giving Tuesday with those who still have not given yet this year. Also, Giving Tuesday is NOT a case for support. Giving Tuesday is a forcing function that can be used to get people to give, but Giving Tuesday alone is NOT a case for...

At the end of October it's time to run your LYBUNT List. That's people who gave last year but unfortunately not this year. In the month of November we then express gratitude -- and get names to "magically" drop off the list. Also, when a donor doesn't give -- or they give more than they usually give -- we should make a big deal about it! Reach our to Clark at clark@majorgiftsfundraiser.com.

The podcast is back. In this episode Clark talks about a simple strategy for expressing gratitude to your donors during the Thanksgiving season. Questions, comments? Email Clark at clark@majorgiftsfundraiser.com

What can we learn about fundraising from Ronald Reagan, Mitt Romney, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal? Two stories that demonstrate that demonstrate passion and a burning desire to succeed, which are two qualities of great fundraisers. If you want to hear more podcasts like this one, email Clark at clark@majorgiftsfundraiser.com.

In life there are times that we put things on auto-pilot. In this episode, Clark guides you through an honest self-assessment, asking you the question, "Where you at?" You even get a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson in this episode.

Encouragement from Clark to be curious and to be bold. We ask good questions in meetings not because we are trying to find the right numbers to punch into the ATM so the ATM will spit out cash. We ask good questions because we are genuinely curious, and because we are genuinely curious, we are then bold enough to ask the questions.