Sometimes an electrifying voice, a commanding stage presence, and a winning attitude are not enough to survive the rigors of the classical music world. At times, you may find that you need to switch roles—to transform yourself from classical singer extraordinaire into semi-professional fundraiser. But while you may be well-schooled in the art of arias, you probably have little or no experience in the art of fundraising. Not to worry. Like any art, fundraising requires a combination of talent, passion, and skill. As a classical singer, you have become accustomed to “selling” during the audition process. You can use that same talent to sell your cause to potential donors. You cannot survive as a singer without a passionate devotion to your craft; therefore, consider transferring that passion into your fundraising work. While it is true that at this point, you may not have basic fundraising skills, you can easily learn them, given the wealth of material that is now available to teach people effective fundraising techniques.
There are many reasons you may need to fundraise as a classical singer. Perhaps you want to make your debut recital at Carnegie Hall. Or you need to relocate from your home town to New York in order to get your career started. Or maybe you’d like to take part in a summer program for singers, but you don’t have the wherewithal to do it. Whatever the reason, fundraising has become an integral part of the careers of many classical singers, and you may find yourself falling into that category.
Still, you might be wondering, “Where shall I begin?” Joe Garecht and Brent Barksdale, authors of the book, 25 Fundraising Secrets, say the key to successful fundraising begins with attitude. “A lot of people see money as evil and corrupting. That is simply not true. Money is a wonderful thing. Money builds hospitals. Money feeds starving children…Fundraising is the life blood of your effort. Without money you can’t get your message out…”
In order to achieve your fundraising goals, you need to overcome the anxiety that often comes with asking for money. As Garecht and Barksdale point out, “You don’t get what you don’t ask for. So don’t be afraid. Just ask!” The authors, who learned about the fundraising business from their work as political consultants, recommend determining how much money you realistically need before launching your fundraising campaign.
For a professional singer, that means determining your professional goals and what kind of money you need to accomplish them. Be prepared to sell your donors on your dream. That could mean a significant recording project, a trip to Europe for an audition, a cross-country auditioning tour through the U.S., or a key singing competition that will require a great deal of travel money. If you have some concrete expenses in mind, you should have an easier time persuading potential donors to contribute to your cause. It may actually be less stressful for you when you realize that you do not have to win a big singing competition to pay your expenses—you can do the fundraising yourself.
When you try to formulate your fundraising strategy, it’s best if you have a team of people involved: perhaps your family members, close friends, even other singers. Instead of issuing orders, solicit input from your team, asking team members what your next event or project should be. If they feel as if they “own” the idea, they’re more likely to attempt to ensure its success.
If you are still a relative unknown, you may find it initially difficult to raise money outside your own social circle. Therefore, Garecht and Barksdale recommend a technique known as “borrowing someone else’s credibility.” The concept is simple: ask someone well-known in the community to host a fundraiser for you. It could be a well-known singer who is acting as a mentor for you, a conductor of the local symphony, a well-connected socialite, or a wealthy arts patron. The name recognition alone will help you generate excitement about the event. You can also pose for a photograph with that singer, or an individual well-known in the community, and then use that photo for a fundraising piece, or have the individual sign a fundraising letter written on your behalf.
And a word here about fundraisers: Garecht and Barksdale believe you should live by the motto, “Don’t pay for anything.” They recommend trying to secure the venue for your event for free—perhaps your alma mater or a club to which your parents belong would be willing to make an in-kind contribution. You can also ask local businesses to donate goods you can use as door prizes or decorations,volunteers to donate their time, and perhaps a professional printer to donate labor for the invitations. Often, the way to secure these donations is to stress what the contribution will mean for the giver: free publicity, the possibility for new business, a sense of accomplishment. Make your appeal as enticing as possible for the potential donor.
If you choose to do fundraising visits or calls, consider first putting your pitch in writing. Garecht and Barksdale say the pitch should be brief—no more than three sentences. But you must be able to get across a great deal of information in your short appeal. You need to inform the donor why your cause is important, where the money will go, how much money you need, and when. The pitch should command the donor’s attention, making him or her want to learn more about your project. Then, be quiet. Allow the donor to do the talking, prompting him or her to note any objections or concerns, which you can then address. It’s also a good idea to send a written thank you note within 24 hours after a donation has been given and to keep the contributor informed about your project through periodic newsletters, e-mails, and the like.
It’s also a good practice to develop a fundraising kit to encourage donors to contribute. This might include a professional portrait of you, your résumé, and programs from any productions in which you have appeared. It is important to give a good presentation, but your promotional materials should not be too slick, since you don’t want it to appear as if you don’t need the money. Therefore, it’s best to use regular paper and inexpensive binders and folders.
It’s important to understand that the best way to generate money is through re-solicitation—asking donors to give several times throughout the year. Your best prospects for new donations are from those who have already given, who have demonstrated their devotion to your cause. And you don’t need to know the ultra-rich to raise money—many non-profit groups and political organizations thrive on a number of small contributions, and, as a singer-fundraiser, you can too.
Once an individual has written a check, you can send him or her invitations to additional fundraising events. Such appeals give the donor a sense of identification with your cause as well as a sense of belonging, since he or she is now part of a larger group—those who contribute to your fundraising effort.
It’s helpful to have your own website where you can tout your accomplishments. But Garecht and Barksdale caution that the Internet should be used for prospecting, not fundraising. The experience of a number of non-profit organizations shows that people tend to be leery of donating on the Net. Still, a website can be an incredible tool for finding fundraising leads. You can develop a potential donor list from the people who visit your site; with the information you gather, you can then contact people off-line by mail or by phone, offering them such freebies as an e-mail newsletter. This technique allows you to widen your pool of potential donors while promoting your cause.
It’s important during your fundraising effort that you keep in mind that fundraising is simply a means to an end, a way for you to fulfill your mission as a singer. John Mutz and Katherine Murray, authors of the book Fundraising for Dummies, point out that “When you believe in something strongly, others begin to see what you believe in. When you reach out your hand to help, good things happen—others join in, needs are met, and the vision grows—all from an initial spark.”
Mutz and Murray stress the need to be responsive to your donors, being careful to provide donor recognition.This can take the form of not only handwritten thank-you notes, but also follow-up calls, visits, lunches or naming something after a special donor. The authors note that the best donations benefit both the giver and the recipient. And they say that successful fundraising is largely due to good salesmanship.
According to Mutz and Murray, “Certain skills need to be developed to perform this good salesmanship—the skill of communicating with your donor, the skill of the Good Listener, the skill of helping a donor find the right fit, the skill of closing the deal.”
Should you decide to conduct part of your fundraising campaign by letter, there are a number of important considerations to keep in mind. For instance, you should recognize the fact that a fundraising letter is like a face-to-face conversation—you need to perform a kind of pre-emptive strike, answering the reader’s questions before they’re asked. The potential donor is likely to wonder: Do you really need financial help? Are you honest? Have I given to you in the past?
Research from focus groups indicates that donors need a great deal of information in order to be persuaded to give a contribution by mail. They are inherently skeptical of anyone who comes to them asking for money. However, if you make your case effectively, you can win them over. For this reason, initial fundraising letters tend to be lengthy, so as much information is imparted as possible.
Mal Warwick, author of the book How to Write Successful Fundraising Letters, recommends a brainstorming session before you begin writing. “The reality is that for most of us, writing of any sort is a royal pain in the neck. But there are ways to reduce the fuzziness and the pain and to raise the odds that your letters will bring in every nickel you need, and more.”
Warwick says you should consider your audience, the mission of the appeal, what problem caused you to send out the appeal, and what benefits donors will receive if they respond. Generally speaking, a winning fundraising letter describes an opportunity for a donor to meet a need. It invites the donor to take immediate action. It is written in a style that is clear, interesting, cohesive, and easy to respond to. The letter should have an eye-catching opening, an absorbing middle section, and a strong ending. The letter-writer should make liberal use of the word “you,” stressing the interpersonal relationship between the donor and the singer. Interestingly enough, it is also a good idea to use an envelope that is smaller than the standard business-size in order to make the appeal seem more personal.
When you draft your letter, you should pay close attention to the formatting. It should be easy to read, meaning that you may want to consider italicizing some words, underlining phrases, and adding subheads to the text. You should definitely include a powerful statement to use as a “P.S.”—that may be the first, and last, line the potential donor reads, and it could be the key to a successful fundraising drive. It is also important to include a reply device—a means by which the donor can respond to your appeal. You should also include a self-addressed envelope to make it as easy as possible for the donor to contribute.
Warwick points out that there are a number of reasons people give money. The primary reason is elementary: because they’ve been asked. They may also have a habit of sending money by mail. They may contribute because they support your singing efforts; they believe that their gift will make a difference; or they receive something tangible in return. By asking them to donate, you give them an opportunity to feel as if they belong to a cause bigger than themselves. They may also believe that they will be rewarded with kindness for the good that they do by donating to you.
Spoleto is one organization that is willing to provide fundraising techniques to singers—with quite encouraging results. Consider this from a singer who responded to the summer program questionnaire [see the January 2003 issue]: “They (Spoleto) gave us great case studies on how to raise money for ourselves and suggestions on sponsorship.I thought that this was part of their learning process, because now I’ve used this fundraising technique for other aspects of my vocal life.”
If you would like more information about how to mount an effective fundraising campaign, you can consult www.fundraisingsecrets.com for up-to-date tips. In addition, an organization called FUNDCLASS offers online fundraising classes—you can subscribe by sending an e-mail to listserv@jtsa.edu. With just a little bit of research, some practice, and a positive attitude, you can be well on your way to the fundraising success you need to achieve your goals in the world of classical music.
Bibliography:
Fundraising for Dummies
by John Mutz and Katherine Murray
How to Meet the Rich
by Ginie Sayles
How to Write Successful Fundraising Letters
by Mal Warwick
25 Fundraising Secrets
by Joe Garecht and Brent Barksdale
