Becoming a successful Fundraiser isn’t necessarily easy, but it is simple. I’ve done it and I’ve coached many, many people through it.

The nonprofit clients I work with privately see results within the first few months. Here’s what they do to be successful:

• They take ACTION and implement the steps of the system.
• They get really good at telling their story to lots of people.
• They create a written plan for fundraising.
• They get out there and spread the word about their cause.
• They learn how to say “no” to things that don’t help them raise money.
• They work smarter, not harder.
• They create systems to make their work easier.
• They develop deep and lasting relationships with key supporters and donors.
• They create diverse revenue streams from a variety of fundraising strategies.
• They thank every donor, every time, and do a fantastic job of it.
• They track where their fundraising dollars are being spent and where the most money is being raised.
• They regularly review their fundraising plan and make adjustments as needed.

The most important thing they do?  They take ACTION.  They do.  They implement.  They don’t sit around and think too long or suffer from analysis paralysis.  They try things out.  And they get results.

Want to get results too?  Join us this Friday, Sep 30 as we launch my new book “Get Fully Funded.”  Get the details for the day-long party on my website at www.getfullyfunded.com

It’s tough being a perfectionist. We like everything to be just right before we call it finished. The only problem is that it can take a really long time to get to the finish line. And with some projects, we never do.

In the world of fundraising, it’s lethal. For example, if you’re writing a grant, there comes a point at which it must be submitted. If you’re a perfectionist, it’s tough calling it done when you suspect there may be a tweak or two still needed.

My suggestion? Something I learned from my quilting friends – “Done is better than perfect.” It means that sometimes, it’s better to call something finished than to spend lots of time with the niggly little things trying to make them perfect when in reality they’re already good enough. With a quilt, you can take things apart and re-sew them so many times that the fabric will literally unravel. With a fundraising task, there definitely comes a point of diminishing returns. In other words, the last few tweaks you make probably don’t make much of a difference at all.

To be a successful fundraiser, you need to be able to move fast. You need to be able to get clear about what needs to be done and just do it. Do the best you can in the time you have, let it go, and move on, knowing that it’s good enough.

Are you ready? We launch next Friday! Speaking of being a perfectionist, it’s been tough for me to release details about the party because I want everything to be just right. Here’s some of what you can expect: At 1:00 pm eastern, I’m leading a free webinar called “The Get Fully Funded System: 7 Simple Steps to Raising All the Money You Need.” Beginning at 10 am eastern and going to 8 pm eastern, it’s a Twitter-palooza! We’ll be using the hashtag #GFFBook to talk about the book all day and we’ll be giving away free copies to those who use the tag. Starting Monday here on the blog, we’ll be taking your best tips for fundraising. Next Friday, we’ll draw a winner from the tipsters and give away a Kindle and a copy of the ebook. Cool? There’s more to come, so stay tuned!