Let's Talk Fundraising
Welcome to "Let's Talk Fundraising" with Keith Greer, CFRE! This podcast is your go-to resource for mastering the essentials of fundraising while discovering how innovative tools and technology can supercharge your efforts. Whether you're a new fundraiser looking to level up your skills or a seasoned professional seeking timely reminders and fresh insights, each episode is packed with practical advice, creative ideas, and inspiring stories.
Join Keith as he explores the core principles that drive successful fundraising and uncovers the latest strategies to make your job easier, more enjoyable, and incredibly impactful. From relationship-building and storytelling to leveraging the newest tech, "Let's Talk Fundraising" is here to help you transform your approach and achieve remarkable results for your organization.
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Let's Talk Fundraising
You’re Not for Everyone—And That’s a Good Thing
Have you ever left a donor meeting wondering, “Why did I say it like that?”
Or felt that quiet pressure to be more agreeable, more polished, more… perfect?
In this episode, Keith shares a story fresh from the road—an alumni reception that turned into a powerful reminder: you don’t have to be everyone’s favorite to be an exceptional fundraiser.
If you’ve ever struggled with people-pleasing, felt the weight of performance, or questioned your unique style in this work, this episode is your permission slip to stop contorting and start connecting.
Because people give to support the work… but they give through people.
And the only way your people can find you—is if they can see you.
Need to write a contact report, prep for a donor meeting, or prioritize your week—but short on time? Grab my free guide: AI Prompts for Major Gift Fundraisers. Five powerful prompts to help you stay donor-centered and get unstuck fast. Download now → https://downloads.letstalkfundraising.com/aiprompts
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Hey, there, hi and welcome back. I'm still traveling this week, so I'm recording this episode from another hotel room using the Voice Memo app on my phone and I know it isn't as good as when I'm recording back home. But I hope that you'll bear with me because I'll be back home soon and we'll be back in our recording studio, which is actually a closet, and I'll have my microphones. And we'll be back in our recording studio, which is actually a closet, and I'll have my microphones and we'll be back to having it sound really great. But tell me, have you ever walked out of a donor meeting and thought, why did I say it like that? Or I didn't sound like myself at all in there. Maybe you adjusted your tone or you tiptoed around like what you were really thinking. Maybe you smiled through something that just didn't sit right, just to keep the peace, just to make it work, just to be liked. And if that's ever been you, I want you to hear this loud and clear. You're not the only one.
Keith Greer, CFRE:So many of us in fundraising carry this quiet pressure to show up the way that we think that we should Polished, agreeable, flexible, never too much and never too little. We have to be like Mary Poppins, practically perfect in every way. But here's the thing when we start molding ourselves to match what we think a donor wants, when we start molding ourselves to match what we think a donor wants, we lose the real magic of this work Connection. And today I want to tell you you're not for everyone and that's not actually just okay. It's the best thing that you can do for your donors, for your mission and for yourself. So let's talk fundraising. There's a sneaky little lie that a lot of us pick up early in our fundraising journey and it sounds something like if I can just make everyone happy, the money's going to come. If I can be easy to work with, if I can avoid conflict, if I can be the perfect mix of whatever they want, the donors will say yes, boards, they're going to approve, and my boss, they're going to be impressed. And listen, I get it. When you're trying to keep your budget afloat, when your program needs that grant to survive, when payroll is looming and the pressure is high, it's really tempting to think that fundraising is just one big performance review, like we're being evaluated 24-7 on how likable, agreeable and strategic we are. And when we fall into that mindset, we start adjusting ourselves Just a little at first. We water ourselves down, we second guess our instincts. We say yes, but we should probably say let me think about that. We keep smiling when something stings us. We make it work even when it doesn't. But here's the cost when you spend your energy trying to be everyone's ideal, you lose touch with your own, you stop bringing your full self into the work. You lose that fire, that edge, that voice that makes you you and the people who would be drawn to the real you. They never get the chance to meet you. You, they never get the chance to meet you.
Keith Greer, CFRE:I'm actually writing the script, having just gotten back to my hotel room from an alumni reception tonight and honestly it was lovely. We started with a private tour of the Institute of Contemporary Art here in Boston Stunning space, amazing conversations, and then we moved to a nearby restaurant for the reception. It was one of those rare events where you actually get to mix and mingle with everyone Not rushed, no awkward seating chart, just warm, intentional connection. And yes, the bites were tiny, but there was so much food and that's one of the things I love about my Dean when food's involved, there's always a budget Like he really gets it.
Keith Greer, CFRE:Anyway, I'm standing there chatting with folks and I finally get to connect with two different alumni that I've been trying to meet with for three years Emails, event invites, calls, nothing and both of them said something that really stopped me. We've been avoiding you Now they didn't tell me this together. These were one-on-one conversations that I heard from two different people and I could have taken that personally, and I did for a minute, but I waited and I let them talk and they went on to say that they had interacted with my predecessor a few times and it really hadn't gone well. They didn't vibe with their attitude, their energy and it just didn't click, and because of that they assumed that I would be the same. So they steered clear. But tonight, after seeing how I showed up, just being me talking with everyone connecting with the group, they came over and said we think we misjudged you. We'd actually love to meet and talk about giving and, honestly, that moment said everything Because of my predecessor.
Keith Greer, CFRE:They were really successful. They raised millions of dollars every year, they ran a tight operation and they got results, and I've never met them, but from the stories I've heard, they were a dealmaker, a negotiator and a closer, but that's not who I am. And there are plenty of donors who connected with my predecessor and they don't connect with me at all, just like these two who couldn't stand the idea of talking with my predecessor. Now they want to sit down with me and we're completely different people with completely different styles and we've both been incredibly effective. And we've both been incredibly effective.
Keith Greer, CFRE:And it reminded me of something I heard years ago at a conference the speakers had fundraisers are like mages, like Gandalf, you know the wizard from the Lord of the Rings, and we walk with people, we cast a vision, we help them dream big dreams and believe that they can actually make them happen. And that's the kind of fundraiser I am. That's what I bring to the table and I know I'm good at it because I see the results. But those results come not from trying to be someone else. They come from leaning all the way into who I actually am. And I think sometimes we get this idea that there's just one version of a really great fundraiser you know, the charismatic closer, the one who always knows exactly what to say. The one who always knows exactly what to say, the one who can walk into any room and come out with a major gift.
Keith Greer, CFRE:And if that's not you, if you're more reflective or intuitive or vision-oriented, you start to wonder am I doing this wrong? But let me tell you something that I've learned over and over and over again, both in my own journey and in mentoring others there are as many ways to be great at this job as there are people doing it. You can be someone who gets fired up by the negotiation. You can be someone who takes long walks with donors and builds deep, meaningful relationships over time. You can be the storyteller, the strategist, the visionary, the quiet guy, the thoughtful planner or maybe the passionate connector. It doesn't matter what box you check. What matters is that you're real, that you're consistent, that you're bringing your whole self into the work. Because when you do that, when you stop trying to match someone else's style or energy or vibe, you start making real connections, and real connections are what lead to real giving. So don't let the fundraising archetype fool you. You don't have to be the closer to be the one who gets the gift, you just have to be you.
Keith Greer, CFRE:And you know what happened when I stopped trying to be what I thought donors wanted. My anxiety started to fade. Now I'm not saying the pressure disappeared. Fundraising is still real, goals still exist. But the constant second guessing, the overthinking of every word, the mental gymnastics of how do I come across? That all started to loosen its grip. Because when I showed up as me fully honestly, no performance something really unexpected happened. People liked me and not the version of me. I'd rehearsed not the version of me. I thought that they needed just me. It was like that old Sally Field moment at the Oscars you like me, you really like me. And it sounds silly, but I really get it Like when you've spent years trying to be acceptable and digestible and marketable and then someone responds to who you really are. That's powerful and it's so validating and I think people can feel it.
Keith Greer, CFRE:When you're holding something back, when you're presenting a version of yourself instead of the real thing, you're holding something back. When you're presenting a version of yourself instead of the real thing, people can sense that, even if they can't name it. But when you're fully present, when you trust your instincts and speak from your actual voice, that's when people start to lean in and that's when the connection gets real. And, ironically, that's when giving becomes easier. And, ironically, that's when giving becomes easier, not because you're better at asking, but because you're finally bringing your true self into the room, and that's the person your right.
Keith Greer, CFRE:Donors have been waiting to meet, and here's what I want you to take with you. People give to organizations to support the work, but they give through people, and if they don't trust the person they're giving through, if something feels off or inauthentic, they'll hesitate, they'll hold back, they'll walk away. And that's why showing up as yourself isn't just good for your well-being, it's good for your mission, because when donors trust you, your voice, your presence, your vision, they're far more likely to invest in the work you're asking them to support. So if you've been people-pleasing, if you've been adjusting your style to match someone else's success formula, if you've been carrying the weight of being liked by everyone, I want to invite you to gently but clearly set it down.
Keith Greer, CFRE:You don't need everyone to resonate with you, you just need your people to find you, and they can only do that if they can see the real you. So you are not for everyone, and that's not a problem to fix for everyone, and that's not a problem to fix, it's a gift to protect. So keep showing up, keep doing the work in your own voice and trust that when you do the right, people will come closer. They always do. So stay well, my friend, and I'll see you in the next episode.
