#196 | Are fundraising professionals telling themselves and their donors the wrong story?

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We often say that the best fundraisers are great storytellers. There is an endless number of storytelling resources out there with which to improve our craft. But, what if the story itself is all wrong? What if the story we’re telling our donors, and ourselves for that matter, is flawed? My conversation today with Hilary Sontag begs the question of whether the stories we tell perpetuate power imbalances, focus on our weaknesses rather than our strengths, and ensure that we’re always desperately in search for more. Perhaps there is a better story to experience, one that allows us to at least catch our breath before asking for yet another gift.

Think about it: are the stories we tell ourselves of our own making, or have we inherited them from those who profit from our desperation? For example, as Hilary questioned, what type of story are we telling when, four weeks into a pandemic, we’re on the verge of collapse? Is this story true, are we really that bad with money; or is this merely a marketing tactic? Perhaps in these uncertain times, we should consider overhauling our case for support, eliminate the deficit thinking, and experience what it means to tell a much better story.

As always, we are very grateful to our friends at CueBack for sponsoring The Fundraising Talent Podcast. 

 #unpredictable  #responsivefundraising

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podcastJason Lewis