Managing Your Campaign

Managing a campaign requires a diverse Skill Set, various Campaign Roles and experienced Campaign Counsel.

Whether you manage your campaign in-house, use external counsel, or a combination of both, you will need certain skills within the various roles a campaign requires. Consider the skills you have in-house, then consider those that you will need to recruit or seek in external support.

Here's a breakdown of the blend of hard and soft skills needed to lead a successful campaign:

Leadership & Management Skills:

Strategic Planning & Vision:	Ability to develop a comprehensive campaign plan with clear goals, timelines, and strategies.
Team Leadership & Motivation:	Inspiring and guiding a diverse team of volunteers, staff, and consultants.
Decision-Making:	Making timely and informed decisions, even under pressure.
Problem-Solving:	Identifying and resolving challenges that arise during the campaign.
Delegation & Coordination:	Effectively assigning tasks and coordinating the efforts of different team members.
Financial Management:	Overseeing the campaign budget, tracking expenses, and managing financial reporting.

Fundraising & Development Skills:

Donor Cultivation & Stewardship:	Building and nurturing relationships with potential and existing donors.
Prospect Research:	Identifying and qualifying potential significant gift prospects.
Grant Writing & Proposal Development:	Crafting compelling proposals to secure funding from foundations and corporations.
Fundraising Events Planning:	Organising and executing successful fundraising events.
Communication & Public Relations:	Effectively communicating the campaign’s goals and progress to donors, stakeholders, and the public.

Communication & Interpersonal Skills:

Excellent Communication:	Clearly and persuasively conveying information to diverse audiences, both verbally and in writing.
Active Listening:	Paying attention to donors’ needs and concerns.
Relationship Building:	Establishing strong, trusting relationships with donors and external stakeholders.
Stakeholder Management:	Building confidence and managing expectations of internal stakeholders such as the Board and Executive.
Asking, Negotiation & Persuasion:	Successfully making a specific ask, negotiating with donors and securing commitments.
Conflict Resolution:	Addressing and resolving conflicts that may arise within the team or with donors.

Technical Skills:

CRM Software:	Proficiency in using donor relationship management (CRM) software to track donors and manage communications.
Data Analysis:	Analysing campaign data to track progress and make informed decisions.
Budgeting & Financial Reporting:	Creating and managing the campaign budget, preparing regular financial reports.

Other Essential Qualities:

Resilience:	The ability to remain positive and persistent in the face of setbacks.
Passion & Enthusiasm:	A genuine commitment to the campaign’s goals and the ability to inspire others.
Integrity & Ethics:	Maintaining the highest ethical standards in all fundraising activities.

Campaign Roles

The skillset required for a campaign can be covered by various roles. An individual role may cover more than one skillset and skills not available in-house can often be provided through consultancy support or out-sourcing. These are the typical roles in a campaign and their key responsibilities:

Campaign Director

Responsible for direction and momentum of the campaign, high level gift solicitation and oversight of the Campaign team.

Campaign Manager

Identification and cultivation of prospective donors. Planning approaches to Advocates and donors.

Campaign Counsel

Campaign strategy and experienced advice, coaching and mentoring of the campaign team, training of team and volunteers in gift seeking.

Prospect Researcher

Research profiles of Advocates and donors of interest, including corporate and grant making foundations and Private Ancillary Fund’s.

Case & Copy Writer

Writing the Case for Support, campaign collateral and communications and key messages.

Events Coordinator

Organising prestigious prospect engagement events, Campaign Launch and campaign celebration events.

CRM Manager

Management of all campaign data input, prospect and donor tracking and regular pledge and donation reports.

Team Admin Support

Receipting of donations, thank you letters, meeting coordination and general support.

Why Do You Need Campaign Counsel?

Because the biggest cost to your campaign is the money you don’t raise if your campaign is poorly managed.

You are investing a considerable amount of time, money and energy in this venture. Your organisation’s visibility will be at an all-time high, so you want to stack the odds in your favour. You do NOT want to fail! One of the smartest decisions you can make is to secure an experienced campaign counsel. If you would like an obligation free conversation with an experienced campaign consultant, click here.

They bring experience to the campaign: A good consultancy brings depth and breadth of experience gained from many campaigns in a variety of organisational settings.
They maximise your campaigns opportunity for success: It’s been said that good campaign counsel can often add a zero on the end of campaign gifts you solicit. Their experience in ‘the Art of Asking’ and understanding of the donor mindset and motivations will ensure your team and Advocates maximise every opportunity.
They add credibility to your campaign: An experienced consultant will bring credibility to your campaign and boost the confidence of your campaign leadership.
They bring ideas and strategies: No matter how many campaigns you may have done, a good consultant has done more. As a result they will be able to give you invaluable strategies that you probably never would have thought of on your own.

They bring an objective viewpoint: Don’t underestimate the value of an external viewpoint. They can challenge some of your organisation’s most cherished beliefs. They can say things that people inside the organisation can’t say.
They put problems in perspective: Breakdowns can and will happen in your campaign. When they do, an experienced consultant can help get the campaign back on track.
They help you to cut through: If action is too slow, the “top down” priorities are not being followed, an experienced consultant can be the polite but insistent voice to help others in your organisation stick to priorities.