May 18, 2006 | Read Time: 1 minute
The Zen of Fundraising: 89 Timeless Ideas to Strengthen and Develop Your Donor Relationships
by Ken Burnett
Ken Burnett, an international fund-raising and marketing consultant living in Melrand, France, distills his advice about increasing donations into 89 concise chapters.
With topics such as “technique mustn’t obscure sincerity” and “take time to learn what motivates your donors,” Mr. Burnett emphasizes that fund raisers need to connect personally with givers to encourage continued financial and moral support of their charity.
He advises fund raisers to be more oriented to donor needs, such as being candid about how contributions will be used and following each gift with a show of gratitude.
One of his principles, the “90-degree shift,” asks fund raisers to approach their jobs from the perspective of donors, instead of using a well-rehearsed strategy of proven methods.
“Fund raisers need to be customer-service managers, not brand managers,” he writes. “When a customer buys a quarter-inch drill, what he really wants is a quarter-inch hole.”
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, 111 River Street, Hoboken, N.J. 07030; (201) 748-6000; fax (201) 748-6088; http://www.wiley.com; 164 pages; $19.95; ISBN 0-7879-8314-4.
