Why Do We Need Campaign Counsel?
Advancement leaders may wonder or face this question often during preliminary discussions around a campaign initiative: do you really need to hire campaign consultants to successfully carry out the project? Let’s break down why.
1 - Objective Feedback on Case for Support and Development Operation
As consultants to your initiative, you are relying on us to bring and implement best practices in securing as much support as possible. Our objective and critical eye around your Case for Support is key to showing you how a philanthropist thinks and inquires. Knowing that your goal is two-fold in reaching a monetary goal and building out the depth of your donor base, we can have an eye toward existing, new, and multi-generational donors and their giving trends that we see while interfacing consistently with a large, diverse donor population outside of your own constituency.
Your development operation might need to grow, change, or just rise to the occasion. Advisors can recommend structure and roles that are sure to give you the (wo)man-power you need, and even better yet, assess how the existing personalities can be put to best use during campaign mode. If you'll need to hire, we can help make that a part of your campaign budget so you're truly using the initiative to build your capacity. There's nothing worse than trying to raise millions of more dollars than usual with the same bandwidth that you've had for years.
2 - Experience in What Works and How to Execute
Everyone wants to know a secret trick for quick campaign success. Spoiler alert: there isn't one! Tried and true systematic relationship building and intentional solicitations are the winners here and we don't stray from them. Establishing a solid timeline for planning, silent, and public phases, along with a timeline and donor tracking system is key. Campaign consultants help to develop these ideas and materials day-in and day-out, so using their expertise with the details will save a lot of time and money in the long run. We know how often donor tracking systems need to be discussed to deliberately move the top-tier relationships, and who should be in those meetings; we know, too, ways to creatively pivot when timelines shift and commitments are secured at lower levels than anticipated. Having someone advocate for weekly focused work on the right things makes the world of difference in executing the campaign in the right timeframe.
3 - Don't Reinvent the Wheel: Tools, Metrics and Talking Points are Developed
How many times has someone asked, "do we have some sort of document or list to help us track that?" Our answer: yes! It's important to know how we track our activity, why that matters, and the best-in-practice tools we can use to stay organized and efficient. Our team holds a library of resources available for campaign clients to adapt and adopt so they, too, have exemplary contact reports to follow, a simple tracking system that works, and an outline for Case for Support documents that give enough and not too much information. When you ask advisors for help with a process, they'll give you the tools when they give you the advice.
Raising money requires spending money. When it's done thoughtfully, the outcome is an operation that has both met its goal for current needs and expanded on its ability to meet yearly and long-term goals, too. Running a campaign isn't about identifying a problem and securing money for a solution -- it's about implementing a system that creates organized processes and investing in the people and things that make that possible in as little time as possible with the greatest returns.
