Creative Ways to Connect With Supporters

Often we do not live in the same city as all of our supporters. When we can't meet over coffee to catch up, then it's time to look at some creative ways to stay personally connected with our support team.

Consider each connection a "bucket filler." Some connections are more meaningful and, thus, hold more mass. Some are less meaningful. When constructing an annual plan with how you will connect with your support team, consider varying the types of connections so those buckets get filled.

Post Cards (and Greeting Cards)

Postcards can be a great way to quickly connect with supporters. Did you snap a fun pic at an event or a group selfie at a Bible Study? Share it with a few key supporters by sending it as a postcard! There are apps that allow you to easily upload the photo, write a quick note and add the recipient's name/address. The company will then print, stamp and mail the card for you. SO. EASY!

Consider sending cards for

Valentines Day - our students love you! or We love how you care for this ministry.
Thank you's
Supporter Birthdays
Thanksgiving - This Thanksgiving, I'm thankful for you
Personal connection with key supporters
Cultivation with those you want to build vision - send them a pic from a ministry event on a postcard with a personal message

A note on choosing a service that works for you: Test out a new service by sending your first card to yourself.

Price comparison of postcard & notecard services (as of March 2022)

Service	Price	Postage included?	App?	Notes
TouchNote	Sliding scale from $3.39> postcard, $6.50> greeting card	Yes	Yes	Reliant staff fav - especially international staff. People seem to love the ease of the app. One layout option. Can include words on the front of the card. Easy to use. Can also mail to addresses outside of the US. Pricing is a sliding scale. The more credits you buy at once, the less each card costs. The most you'll pay is $3.39 per postcard and $6.50 per greeting card. **Annual plan available. $70 a year gives you the ability to send unlimited postcards/ free postage/ personalized stamps/ discounted greeting cards - $1.50 per card. If you'll send 21 or more postcards per year, the annual plan will save you money. Use Promo Code DOUGNBCC for a discount on annual plans.
Send Out Cards	$2.00-$2.75 per card (without a subscription, does NOT include postage), Subscriptions start at $37/month.	No	No	Beautifully designed cards. Choose from photo cards or greeting cards. Easy to set up and use. Here's a well-designed thank you card. *Card Campaign feature allows you to set up cards to send automatically (for a monthly fee). I like the "decide once" option for this (i.e. everyone gets the same birthday card and message for 12 months, then change it for the next year). Send Out Cards is a small arm of a large marketing company. They weirdly have their other businesses linked within the platform. That part can be confusing. Feedback from a Reliant missionary who uses SOC: In my opinion, they are a fantastic company. GREAT customer service. I have called several times from Honduras. All my contacts are saved in their database and I haven’t found anything yet that works as well as they do. They say they can send things internationally and I tried to send something to the DR once but it never made it. I use CANVA to design my cards. I create a 7"5" or 5"7" image, save it as a .png, then upload the design to SOC. It has worked well for me!
Easy Letter Sender	Domestic Delivery: Letter, picture: $1.45 (1 sheet, 2 sided) $.75 for each additional sheet (2 pages) Postcard, picture: $.64 International Delivery: Letter, picture: $2.17 (1 sheet, 2 sided) $.75 for each additional sheet (2 pages) Postcard, picture: $1.25	Yes	No	Not a fancy website. To send from the phone, you can probably use your phone’s browser to send a postcard to a single individual. Feedback from a Reliant missionary who uses ELS:, "To send a postcard to one person is easy." It's a bit more complicated to send multiple cards to different addresses. Here are some things to know if you want to use Easy Letter Sender to mail a postcard to a list of people: To send to multiple recipients through Easy Letter Sender, click the orange "Add Recipient Addresses" button, then the green "Import list" button. Review your list before uploading and remove any double lines before importing (example: those who have two lines on their address, such as apartment numbers). The system doesn't save your list. So, you'll have to upload it every time you send out a postcard to a large list of people. But, that can be a healthy habit to have since our supporter's addresses change from time to time. Also, you won't be able to mail merge content (such as adding the recipient's name to the salutation in the message block). Note, this site is hosted on a parent site called Click2Mail. That site will allow you to mail merge and save address books, BUT it is very complicated and not recommended*.
Postagram	$2 per card	Yes	Yes. App only.	4x6 postcards. FYI: Will only format the pic as a square “Instagram style” 3x3 pic that is printed on hard paper so the pic can be popped out of the postcard. Designs change seasonally. $3 to send to non-US address. App only; no desktop version.
My Postcard	$3 per postcard, $5 per greeting card.	Yes	?	Includes international. It’s a European company. Multiple layout options.
PostSnap	$2.75	Yes	Yes	Worldwide shipping. Postcards are only available in landscape. Difficult if you have a vertical photo you want to send (most pics on a phone are shot vertical).
Felt Greeting Cards	$6 /month to send 3 cards. Pro plan available	Yes	Yes	Features include: Use your iphone or ipad to sign or hand-write on the card. Schedule to send on a future date Create 1, 2, 3 or 4 panel cards. Address cards in your handwriting! Hand-applied stamps.
Postable	Postcard $3.47 Greeting Card $4.62	Yes	No	Paper cards or postcards with "real" handwriting fonts. Choose a card or upload/ design your own. Automated cards. *Under 200 cards requires purchasing account credit to get the lowest price.
ChalkLine	$0.94 per postcard, bulk Letter, 1 page, 1 sided: $1.38 each. Cost includes Printing, Supplies, Labor, & Postage.	Depends	No	A Christian-owned company that specializes in ministry letters and donor communication. Can help with designing a mailing piece. They're set up to print and mail large mailings. Not a good source for one-off postcards or cards mailed to just one person.
PrayerLetters.com	Letter, 1 page, single-sided: $136/100 letters 4x6 postcard: $94/100 postcards Notecard w/envelope: $163/100 cards	No app, but the website should be phone friendly.	Christian	A Christian-owned company that has been serving missionaries for decades. They also print/send prayer letters.

Video Messages

If postcards are too static for you, why not try a video message? One of the most exciting things for a supporter is to hear of someone’s life impacted by Christ as a result of their support in your ministry. As ministry event approaches (an outreach, Easter Sunday, Christmas campaign, evangelism event, worship night, etc), consider how you can take a quick video of how God is moving. *Pro tip: Record it on your phone and keep your vid under 60 seconds so you can text it to a few individual supporters with a message of thanks.

Selfie video of you telling what God just did in Easter Sunday service (3 people came to Christ! We had the most people in attendance ever! The girl I’ve been reaching out to came to church/Bible study/homegroup for the first time!).
Vid of one person you minister to talking about how they’ve been impacted by the ministry this week.
Vid of you at an outreach event explaining what’s going on and why you’re excited about what God is going to do/ has done through the event.
Video of a person you disciple thanking your supporters for empowering you to minister to them!

Text or email your video along with a personal message of thanks to a few supporters (God will tell you which ones to send it to. Just ask!). Just remember, these don’t have to be slick or professional! Consider it like a FaceTime call. Let it be personable, short, and full of energy. It’s a great, QUICK way to thank a few supporters while letting them experience a slice of the ministry they’re working so hard to support.

Consider integrating longer videos into your regular communication schedule. Maybe you substitute a few prayer letters a year with a couple video updates. Here are a few ways to maximize video updates:

Cross-posting. Meta Business Suite allows you to cross-post YouTube videos onto Facebook and Instagram.
Video editing. The Canva video editor can bring some design and professionality to your videos (and other media). and post to Instagram and FB. I Creative Studio on Facebook allows you to schedule posts, videos, and stories for FB and Instagram.

Video Calls

Want to connect one-on-one with a supporter, but looking for something more creative than a phone call? Try a video call!

This can be a very dynamic way of giving donors an insider look into your ministry. Plus, you get a chance to engage them face-to-face (vs an email, phone call, text, or letter).

Let's say your ministry hosts a gathering once a week. What if you could use that consistent ministry activity as an opportunity to bring donors into the heart of the ministry? It takes some prep-work, but we've had donors say they love these types of video calls because it gives them a peek into the life of the ministry they're undergirding.

Here are a few tips from a Reliant staffer who taught us how to do these types of calls:

While on the video call, walk around the ministry location or event and introduce some volunteers and students while you talk about the vision of what you're doing and why you're doing it. Throughout the time, ask questions of your donor so it's more of a conversation instead of a monologue. Move to a quieter location to wrap up the call. Your ministry partners will appreciate you taking the time to give them a tour. They may even ask you to schedule another time so others can go on the tour as well! (This has actually happened to me.)

- A few things you'll want to do before the video call:
  - Do schedule these calls with your supporters (vs randomly calling). Work to get both husband and wife on the call.
  - A few minutes before the call, walk around your event and ask permission from key people to introduce them on the call. Ask if they can say something short like "Hey, nice to see you!" You can also ask the volunteer or student a question to bring them out a little more on the call.
  - Is there a type of donor that's best for this type of video appointment? I think it could be done for whoever your priority people are.
  - Do you do a financial ask on this call? If the Lord's leading me to ask this person to partner with me financially or increase their giving or connect me with others, I consider this a great way to make that ask face-to-face!
    - You can also use video calls to remind annual donors about why they love the ministry (*do this 3-6 months before they usually give). This sets you up to call back in a few months for the ask.
    - You can use these video calls as a way to reconnect with supporters you haven't talked to in a while.
    - Another way to use video calls is to keep you connected, in relationship with your supporters, and keep their vision high for your ministry (this is especially crucial for your anchor donors and those who are close to falling off your team).
  - What method or app do you use to make these calls? There are many apps out there that will host video calls. Here are some of the most common:
    - Zoom. The new standard that even your Grandma knows how to use. Thanks, COVID.
    - Facetime. Super easy to use, but both users have to have an iPhone/ iPad/ mac/ etc.
    - Skype. Old school, yet versatile. Can call one or multiple people at a time. Can call on a phone (if the person has the Skype app installed on their phone) or can call a computer or tablet (must have the app installed as well). Older people (30's and up) will be more familiar with Skype than the younger generation.
    - Google Hangouts. Also versatile. Can call one or multiple people at a time. Can call on a phone (if the person has the app installed on their phone) or can call a computer or tablet (must have the app installed as well). Younger people (30's and under) will be more familiar with Google Hangouts than the older generation.
    - It's always a good rule of thumb to FIRST ASK YOUR DONOR what program/app they prefer to use. It will help if you're familiar with and have all 4 of the above mentioned programs already downloaded on your phone or tablet (it's harder to walk around an event with a laptop in your hands.... even harder to do that with a desktop).

Gifts with Meaning

Small but meaningful gifts can be a treasure to some donors.
- Book (to facilitate discussion with your donor).
- Mug with the city in which you're ministering (Starbucks often sells these).
- Stone. From the city in which you're ministering. Or an Ebenezer stone.
- Key, sent to large donors who have been "key" to keeping you in the field and ministering.
- Spice mix from the country or people-group among whom you're ministering. Include a recipe and a story about that people group and how to pray for them.
- Bookmark (see photo below).
- Wooden spoon with a John 15:4 carved into it and a note. One field worker sends this to those who have committed to pray for her an hour every week.
- Reusable bag for grocery shopping. It says the word "worship" in 15 different languages.
- Art print of Psalm 6.
- Christmas ornament with the missionary and the people they minister among. *It's made out of paper and flat/inexpensive to mail.
- Luggage tags right before a move to a different ministry location. "As we go, you go with us."
- Postcard from someone you ministered to. Hand-written to personally thank the donor for mobilizing you to meet them with the gospel.

Pro tip: Make 5-10 of these at a time to have on hand to send after a big special gift or when someone increases their giving.

Ministering to Your Donor

Caring - If a donor tells you something, ask them about it later. Even set reminders so you'll reach back out to them after that event or thing in their life happened.
Ministering - If someone asks you to pray for them, pray over them right there. Then follow up and ask how it's going. People appreciate being remembered.

Thank you Cards

Never underestimate the power of a hand-written thank you card! The standard is to send this within 48 hours of the gift.

Nonprofit thanks are often perfunctory, predictable, leaden, and unconvincing. Donors give to multiple causes. An average donor will see 10-20 thank you's a year and promptly forget them all. You want to be the thanks they can't forget.

Click here for 50 thank-you card prompts (thanks to Scott Morton, support-development coach).

Behind on thank-you cards? Pick up packs of thank you cards from the Dollar Tree (8-10 notes in a pack) and "smoke a pack a day" by writing and sending a pack of notes in one day.

Snail Mail a Packet

Real mail can be such a delight. Here are ways to use mailed packets this in MTD:

Mail a "welcome to the team" packet to new donors. Pro tip: Make 5-10 of these at a time to have on hand for when a new donor starts giving.
Send as a Thank you for meaningful special gifts.
Mail as a special Christmas Card/ gift.

This came in the mail from a missionary to all their supporters. They were done with MTD and waiting to move internationally.

Key components that make your packet stand out:

Personal note - Although the thank you card in our example was printed as a template, Ali still took the time to write a personal note on it. Hand-written, personal notes are key relationship-builders with supporters!
Pics of smiling faces - Ali wisely got pics of the children she will be ministering among and has been able to use those pics in her MTD presentation and on other pieces, such as this example. Supporters might not know these children personally, but seeing their faces helps build yet another connection between the supporter and the people whom they're sending her to minister among.
Small, ministry-related gift - Included in the card was a hand-painted, wooden bookmark from the country where Ali was going to serve. This was not a gift for the sake of a gift. It tied in directly to her area of ministry and served as a reminder to the supporter of where they will be ministering through their faithful giving. (See Gifts with Meaning for more gift ideas.)
"You're on the List" insert - This served as a reminder of Ali's email prayer letter and to check if it's getting stuck in their spam or junk filters.
Contact Info - On the back of the card, Ali gave a large, clear opportunity for supporters to stay connected with her through other avenues (Facebook & email).
Welcome to the Team - Reinforcing the giver is part of a larger team that's equipping this ministry creates a sense of belonging.

Content

Space Tools

Post Cards (and Greeting Cards)

Video Messages

Video Calls

Gifts with Meaning

Ministering to Your Donor

Thank you Cards

Snail Mail a Packet

2 Comments

Keva Ambre

Keva Ambre

Welcome to Solomon!

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Content

Space Tools

Creative Ways to Connect With Supporters

Post Cards (and Greeting Cards)

Video Messages

Video Calls

Gifts with Meaning

Ministering to Your Donor

Thank you Cards

Snail Mail a Packet

2 Comments

Keva Ambre

Keva Ambre