The Dakota Way: Time-Tested Principles That Will Turn You Into a World-Class Fundraiser

Eighteen months. That’s all you have. If you are in investment sales, that’s how long you have to build a pipeline and start raising money. Or else. The problem? Most investment firms don’t provide the tools and training for their fundraisers. Why? Because the majority of fundraisers learned from watching others and considered that "“training."” The net result? High turnover and unhappy careers.

Fortunately, there’s a better way. Dakota is a multibillion-dollar fundraising organization that has perfected the four principles of investment sales success: set proper expectations, know who to call on, know what to say, and build a killer follow-up system. These four principles, when applied consistently, lead to outstanding results.

Whether you’re an investment salesperson and want to exponentially increase your effectiveness by learning the proper way to work or an executive who’s tired of the rampant turnover that plagues most firms, The Dakota Way proves that you don’t have to be born with anything special to be great at investment sales. You just need the right training—and a proven process to follow.

Gui Costin is the founder and CEO of Dakota, a sales and marketing company for investment firms that has raised billions since its inception and is the founder of Dakota Marketplace, an institutional investor database used by thousands of fundraisers.