At Briggs+Walker, we focus on one goal: making field marketing smarter with software that empowers F2F fundraisers and field sales agents to excel in every interaction. With deep roots in the industry, we’ve spent years working closely with agencies, fundraisers, and users to understand their needs and develop solutions that truly make a difference. Having come from the field marketing world ourselves, we’ve seen firsthand the challenges and rewards of this work—and how important it is to stay connected to the people who use our tools every day.
Still, the landscape is always evolving, and it’s been a few years since I was last out in the field. That’s why I decided to spend a day as a street fundraiser for Doctors Without Borders in Amsterdam. My goal wasn’t to relearn the basics, but to gain fresh insights into the day-to-day experiences of fundraisers, see how our software performs in real-time, and uncover opportunities to make it even better.
Stepping into the role of a fundraiser
From the moment I stepped into the Amsterdam office of Doctors without Borders, I could feel the energy and focus as everyone prepared for the day ahead. I met Jainaba, the branch manager, and Melvin, who works with the in-house fundraising team. They gave me a clear picture of their daily work—recruiting, planning, training, and keeping the team motivated..
Hitting the streets with the team
Our team’s shift started with a pep talk around 3 PM, led by the sales coach Sam. The mood was positive, and even though I had done some fundraising back in my student days, I was feeling a mix of excitement and nerves. It had been years since I’d hit the streets, and this time, I wasn’t just representing a cause—I was also using the software I help bring to market.
Young, enthusiastic fundraisers were gathered, sharing stories and preparing for the shift ahead. Equipped with a tablet, I had everything I needed at my fingertips: fundraising goals, training notes, and real-time data. It was an interesting experience to see the software in action in a real-life setting, where time and accuracy matter. Walking out to the assigned neighbourhood I knew I had limited time to make a meaningful connection and hopefully, get at least one sign-up.
The challenge of connecting with strangers
As we walked through the streets, I quickly remembered the reality of door-to-door fundraising. I knocked on door after door, meeting people who were busy, uninterested, or simply not home. It’s easy to feel discouraged with each polite decline, but I kept reminding myself to stay positive and keep going. I’m competitive by nature, so every “no” was just a nudge to try a little harder at the next door.
After every conversation, I tweaked my pitch. I realised that the key to connecting with potential donors is to listen to people’s stories and to share my own motivations. Instead of focusing solely on facts, I talked about why I believe in the cause and what made it personally meaningful. Speaking from the heart and finding common ground with people is in my opinion what is crucial to get people engaged.
A success story with new insights
After a dozen of no’s, I finally met a woman who was open to talking and genuinely interested in the mission of Doctors Without Borders. Her friendly dog trotted over as we exchanged introductions. We had a sincere conversation, discussing the importance of the organisation’s work, and by the end, she decided to sign up as a donor. It was a small victory, but a powerful reminder of why this work is so important. There’s nothing quite like seeing someone connect with a cause and make a commitment to support it.
Using Briggs+Walker software in this real-world environment gave me valuable insights. I appreciated the simplicity, and for the most part, it worked flawlessly, making it easy to enter data accurately on the spot. However, there were a few minor areas for improvement that I noted for our development team—small tweaks that could make the interface even more intuitive for fundraisers on the move.
Reflecting on the experience
At the end of the day, I left with a renewed respect for the work of street fundraisers and a deeper understanding of what our software needs to do to support them. Enabling fundraisers to focus on the human side of their work, connecting with people and inspiring them to contribute to a cause is a very important aspect of creating long-lasting donor ships. This experience was a reminder that to create the best tools for our clients, we need to understand their daily challenges, motivations. Moving forward, I’m more committed than ever to ensuring our software to support the powerful human connections that are at the core of face-to-face fundraising.