Abilities: A Summary
As we’ve learned through this series, an “ability” is a hardwired, natural talent that we’re born with. It speaks to the things that seem to come naturally to us; the things we do with relative ease. We all do things that we are not talented in. We’ve built up skills...
Driving Abilities: Problem Solving
Just as we saw four profiles emerge from the Personal Style abilities, there are four profiles that come with the combination of the Driving Abilities of Classification and Concept Organization. CONSULTATIVE People high in both classification and concept organization...
Special Pricing for the Highlands Ability Battery
I’m thrilled to offer a 20% discount on the Highlands Ability Battery to all Extreme Fundraising readers. The Battery is the single most effective assessment I’ve taken. Although I took the Highlands in January of 2002, I refer to my feedback at least monthly. It...
Driving Abilities: Spatial Relations Visualization
The experts that created the Highlands Ability Battery found that Spatial Relations Visualization (SRV) may be the most important factor in determining job satisfaction. People high in SRV like to have something tangible to show for their work. Many people high in SRV...
Driving Abilities: Spatial Relations Theory
Spatial Relations Theory and Spatial Relations Visualization (which we’ll look at next time) are closely related. Together, they measure two sides of the same coin: a person’s preference to mentally deal with the “real world” of objects and systems or a person’s...
The Fundraising Coach’s Nonprofit Fundraising Institute
Last spring, Central Maine Community College asked me to put together an entire Fundraising Institute. So once a month for the next eight months, I’ll be giving a 3-hour seminar on various aspects of nonprofit fundraising. The first seminar is “Fundraising 101” on...
Driving Abilities: Idea Productivity
Idea productivity is the third of the powerful driving abilities. Idea productivity measures the quantity of ideas a person has not the quality. It measures how many ideas a person has, not how creative a person is. I like to think of idea productivity as the flow of...
Driving Abilities: Concept Organization
As I mentioned in the last issue, the five driving abilities are very powerful. These abilities directly impact job performance and satisfaction. If any one of these abilities is high, it requires itself to find an outlet. Most jobs only call on one or two so people...
New Class for Fundraisers: Keeping the Plates Spinning
How do you balance interruptions and planning? How do you meet your departmental goals when the priorities change daily or hourly? How do you keep all the plates spinning while determining which plates are truly important? When schedules are tight, every unexpected...
Driving Abilities: Classification
The five driving abilities measured by the Highlands Ability Battery are very powerful. Whether a person tests high or low, these abilities directly impact job performance and satisfaction. If any one of these abilities is high, it requires itself to find an outlet....
Beginning With The End In Mind
For many of us, June marks the end of the fiscal year. This is always an interesting time at nonprofits. Along with the mad scramble to hit fundraising goals is the need to make plans for the coming year. Since nonprofits are often hesitant about hiring new employees,...
New Learning Programs for Fundraisers
As a subscriber to Extreme Fundraising you get the inside scoop on my latest offerings. I'm offering three new teleclasses to help you be more successful at the critical skills of fundraising and goal-setting. Teleclasses are workshops by phone—an exciting new way for...
Personal Style: 4 Styles
We’ve finished our overview of the individual components of our “personal style” abilities: Extrovert/Introvert, Generalist/Specialist, and Time Frame Orientation. Before we move on to the “driving abilities” and the “specialized abilities,” let’s take a look at how...
BullMarket 2004–Thank You!
A special thanks to everyone that nominated me for inclusion in BullMarket 2004, the latest collaboration of Seth Godin (http://www.sethgodin.com) and Fast Company magazine (http://www.fastcompany.com). Seth compiled a directory of companies that help clients become...
Personal Style: Time Frame Orientation
Time Frame Orientation relates to the natural length of time you consider when making plans, setting goals, and thinking about your future. Some people naturally see the impact of present decisions over a long period of time. Others see the more immediate impact of...
Personal Style: Generalist/Specialist
There are two kinds of people in the world: generalists and specialists. Ok so there are many kinds of people but these “two kinds” groupings certainly help bring out very common characteristics. Let’s look at this particular version. ****GENERALISTS**** About 75% of...
Personal Style: Extrovert/Introvert
Extroversion and introversion fundamentally involves (1) where someone gets energy and (2) how that person processes information. ****EXTROVERTS**** Extroverts get energy from being around people in unstructured settings. Often, simply being in the same room with...
Seth Godin’s “Free Prize Inside”
Regular readers of this Ezine will know that I think very highly of Seth Godin. He's the author of many books including "Permission Marketing," "Unleashing the Idea Virus," "Really Bad Power Point," and "Purple Cow." What I love most about Seth is that he thinks...
Introduction to the Abilities
Have you ever gotten exhausted trying to conform your day to the system a colleague passionately uses? Have you ever wondered how someone in your office could possibly make sense of chaos their office let alone keep their assignments straight? Have you ever bridled...
Creating Donor Evangelists: Putting it All Together
We've covered a lot of ground since we started this series back in November! From Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman in First, Break All the Rules: What the World's Greatest Managers Do Differently, we've learned that "accuracy" and "availability" are two things...
Creating Donor Evangelists: Create a Cause
This is last installment in the "Creating Donor Evangelist" series! All the back issues are available at http://fundraisingcoach.com in the archives in the "Donor Evangelist" category. As a reminder, Huba and McConnell's six "Creating Customer Evangelist" themes are:...
Seth Godin’s “Bullmarket 2004”
Would you help me? I've been notified I'm a finalist in Seth Godin's latest book project "Bullmarket 2004: Companies That Can Help You Make Things Happen." Seth is the author of "Permission Marketing" and "Ideavirus" among others. It's an incredible honor...but not a...
Marc’s Speaking
The "How to Ask for Money Effectively" in L-A (Lewiston & Auburn, ME) went incredibly well! Thanks to everyone that came and made the discussion so lively! If you’re interested in having this 3 hour seminar brought to your region or organization, email me at...
Creating Donor Evangelists: Bite-Size Chunks
This is the second to last installment in the "Creating Donor Evangelist" series. As a reminder, Huba and McConnell's six "Creating Customer Evangelist" themes are: 1. Customer Plus-Delta: Understanding the Love 2. Napsterize Your Knowledge: Give to Receive 3. Build...
How to Ask for Money Effectively – Top Mistakes People Make When Fundraising
In this brand new three hour seminar, I'll give * the 6 most common mistakes people make in asking for money * 3 incredibly effective tools for crafting your message * and the "Get R.E.A.L." approach to making the ask The seminar is on Feb 11, Wed, 8:30-11:30 a.m. and...
Creating Donor Evangelists: Create Community
I'm increasingly convinced that nonprofits are way ahead of businesses when it comes to treating people as people and developing relationships with them. It's ironic that as we in the nonprofit world strive to become more business-like in measuring our results, so...
Creating Donor Evangelists: Harnessing Buzz
Greetings! This is the Part Three of the "Creating Donor Evangelists" series based on Jackie Huba and Ben McConnell's book "Creating Customer Evangelists: How Loyal Customers Become a Volunteer Sales Force." Why do I feel this series is so important? Fundraising isn't...
Resource Spotlight: Asking
There aren’t many books dedicated solely to teaching you how to ask for money. That’s why I’m writing one! But since mine won’t be ready for a few more months, be sure to check out Asking: A 59-Minute Guide to Everything Board Members, Volunteers, and Staff Must Know...
Creating Donor Evangelists: Lessons from Napster
Happy New Year! I’m thrilled that so many of you wanted me to keep up the series based on "Creating Customer Evangelists" by Jackie Huba and Ben McConnell. Many of you also wanted a series on goal setting. In response to that request, I've created the Pitman Coaching...
Extreme Fundraising Special Edition—December 29, 2003
Greetings and happy end-of-December! Thank you to everyone that's responded to my question about continuing with the customer evangelism messages or doing a New Year type of goal setting program. Most of you said you'd like both! I'm flattered. *grin* I've created a...