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I would go further, I think that most (I say most, that is 80/90%) ruin the fundraising, fundraising do not get results, (except to make money for themselves), they pissed nonprofit organizations, are real spending funds. The fundraising consultant in my opinion should be severely limited and restricted in his work assignments with very specific and very narrow, with well-defined goals and objectives. But to do this it is necessary that one who takes the fundraising consultant is an expert who knows how to direct it.
And I do not speak of those who offer services in fundraising. That is, if one says "I want to make you total creativity, printing and mailing of a mailing" or "I want tot for these addresses" or "I want tot for this software" is not a consultant, but a service provider. No, the consultant is one who sets the mission, strategic goals, operational ones, who "recommended". That is, for the avoidance of doubt, I'm talking about what I do!
People like me, doing the counseling, it is dangerous! No kidding! It should be checked very, very seriously. Otherwise it is easy to be imborgliare. Let me explain.
It 'the same old story: "I am not an accountant, but I understand why people assume enough to make the administrator's director or consultant of management control is under my control." The operators of the nonprofit world can not know everything I know about fundraising, but if you want my work to be productive, must learn enough fundraising can recognize because if "I'm beating the bush" or if I'm doing serious work.
Before you hire a consultant (the first to come up with the idea of hiring a consultant to fundraising) must know and understand what is the fundraising, how it works, what are the logical basis and what are the prospects of fundraising. Otherwise, in 95% of cases are wasted money, wasted time, mashed liver.
The training does not teach to do fundraising? It can be! But the training that teaches at least enough to handle a little 'better fundraising consultant. Better to spend a penny before you have to do with a consultant after they spent all the money.
I say this against my own interests, because I do the consultants!. But it is not even comparable to the effect that the presence and the results of an internal operator can produce every day and think to a certain organization for fundraising, and the presence of an external who spoke on the spot. In my opinion, a consultant who does not have as main objective (priority and non-removable) to start a solid and dedicated fundraising office MAXIMUM INTERNAL organization within 6 months from the beginning of his work, a consultant is not serious, because he knows that can do to achieve tangible results, but only assumptions on the results.
I return to my old writing, some of the typical things that happen to see in nonprofit organizations around the consultants. How many times have you seen him?
1 - The Replacements: "the head of the consulting firm is to tighten the contract and then passes the task to someone else and you find yourself working with a beginner"
2 - RIGIDONE: "We were told by a consultant 'choosing me choose my way,'" says the president of a nonprofit. "We did not like and we have not taken. We wanted a consultant to tell us that every nonprofit organization is a special case and that they adapted their methods to our specific case. "
3-yl criticone: "I do not make a good impression when I hear a consultant criticize other consultants" "It does not seem very professional," he says. "The best consultants are good enough to be able to present their strengths, weaknesses, and not for others."
4 - The BARKER: "Exaggerate" in presentations. The consultants who act as barkers "are statements like 'we see a market for you 5 million euros': how to tell which of course will never see that kind of money without them", "I do not say so explicitly, but the damage' illusion that the two are related. Several times I noticed a figure who chose at random, with nothing of science, 'a nose'. And so I realized that maybe we also need their help, but certainly not to the extent that they wanted to sell it. " He adds: "Many people say, 'I am an expert. Let me explain how I do. ' But now companies are more sophisticated nonprofit a time. They need support, not paternalism. "
5 - The Illusion: Do not tell exactly how much they cost the company non-profit services. The consultants make statements such as "will be the cost per visit or per day, plus expenses," says the director of fund raising for a nonprofit organization. "It is on the 'plus' that is a big risk. We like to say that the consultant 'According to our estimates, spending to be about X, "or" I have other customers in your area and you could share the expenses.'
6 - the prostitute (also called Cagnotto, giving the verb "cagnotte") A consultant "wanted at all costs that our company used the staff of the nonprofit consulting firm for writing (who knows why? ....), For design and printing of material, and made us spend more than we would have spent using our staff and our contacts, who were also more skilled in that kind of work. " He adds: "It's like buying a car, at some point and realize that the price is much higher because they pay all the extras that do not need both."
7 - the inexperienced: Lack of knowledge about fundraising in the geographical area in which the company is nonprofit. "The consultant knows everything there is to know about telemarketing, but does not understand your environment, your market." "Sometimes we find ourselves to opt for a local consultant simply because they know the market, because it has more direct experience. Every city is different. "
greetings!
