Re-starting a campaign stuck in the mud: Part I of II

When it seems like your campaign is going nowhere due to a lack of good organization, poor leadership, or a variety of other problems, how can you get back on track?  What are the tricks for getting organized, re-motivating the staff and board, drawing donors back in, and reaching your goal?

When I first started writing this, I had in my mind three main stumbling blocks that many campaigns are vulnerable to: Poor Leadership, Difficult Timing, and Donor Fatigue.  After I began writing, however, I realized that there are many more problems and complications that may arise during the course of any campaign.  So for this first part I will focus on those three factors.  In the second part, to be posted next week, I will address problems caused by a weak case, lack of volunteers, and poor public relations.

Your campaign is off and running.  You have already met with several leadership donors who have agreed to support your cause.  Perhaps some initial buzz made your first events very successful and well attended.  All of the initial signs point to this campaign or fundraising effort being a success. 

However, if you have ever been involved in even the smallest fundraising campaign, you know that it is never that easy.  At some point that initial buzz and excitement may fade.  Maybe your timeline coincides with other events, major holidays, and the like.  Perhaps your volunteers have other commitments to attend to and can no longer give as much of their time.  Whatever the cause may be, every campaign at every level is vulnerable to a loss of momentum.  What we want to explore are the ways in which you can help your organization and team overcome those obstacles and continue to be successful. 

While there is not one “trick of the trade” that will help resuscitate your campaign, knowing the cause of the slow down will help you better address its revitalization.  So let us examine some possible explanations as to why your campaign has become “stuck in the mud” and how you can remedy the situation.

Poor Leadership
Ask anyone in the philanthropy sector what one of the most important aspects of a successful campaign is, and they most likely will tell you it is leadership.  The difference between a strong and passionate leader and someone who is not confident can be the difference between a success and failure.  Being able to recognize the strength (or lack thereof) of a campaign’s leadership early in the progress of the campaign will allow you to preempt any potential stumbling blocks later.  If you are in a position to do so, volunteer to take some of his or her duties. 

Perhaps your chairperson is over-extended and cannot commit the time necessary to your cause.  Help prepare materials ahead of time; make sure they fully understand the message and bottom line of the campaign.  If possible, recruit more volunteers to help take some of the burden off of their shoulders.  The important aspect of helping to assuage the impact of poor leadership is early recognition.  The sooner you see that leadership is not what it should be, the quicker you will be able make the necessary adjustments, and the less of a negative impact they may have on the success of your campaign.

Conflicting Timelines
How many times have you approached a potential donor regarding your campaign or cause, only to hear that now is not a good time for them?  Even if you have only been involved in philanthropy and fundraising a short while, you have more than likely heard that at least once.  A response like that immediately begs two questions: is it a bad time for them personally or is it a bad time of year to be asking them for their time and money?  If it is personally a bad time for them, then there is nothing you can do about it; thank them for their time and move on.  If it is a bad time of year for them, then you can always approach them again at a later time.

If you are part of a campaign that seems to be losing steam due to timing, there are solutions to make the situation better.  At almost any time of year, during any season, there will be a holiday that conflicts with your campaign.  A bad time of year for your campaign can be a good thing for your team internally.  Take the time to regroup and re-energize your volunteers, take stock of your materials and replenish any supplies.  Are any prospects still pending?  Follow up with them and get their gift.  Do not lose focus; keep in touch with campaign leadership to make sure they stay on message.  You may also want to take this time to plan out the next steps, to identify future prospects, to prepare for upcoming events.  This could also be a good time to send out a newsletter or campaign update to everyone who is still thinking about making a gift.

A break in the action is not always a negative thing for a campaign.  Sometimes the early work and activity can be so fast-paced that it is easy to lose track of all that is going on.  Just be sure to stay on top of everything so that when the activity does pick up again, you will be well prepared.

Donor Fatigue
This can be a tricky dynamic to any campaign.  In recent years we have seen remarkable growth in the philanthropic sector, especially in regards to fundraising efforts.  We have all surely heard the phrase “everyone seems to be asking me for money lately.”  To best respond to this, you should be as well versed about the campaign as possible.  Do a little homework on the donor, and find out what aspect of your case best relates to them.  The right case and the right plan will help you best manage a fatigued donor.

While these three problems might pose a challenge to any campaign, they are by no means the only problems your organization will encounter.  In our next article we will explore four other potential difficulties: a weak case, lack of volunteers, and poor public relations.