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We need to remember that our donors live busy lives and sometimes their best intentions get swept up into the whirlwind of the holidays, so do them a favor and remind them of your ask.
Christmas cards that do not include an ask can be a wonderful part of your ministry team cultivation plan. If Christmas is too busy for you, pick a different holiday such as Thanksgiving, New Year's, Valentine's Day or your supporter's birthday. Bonus points for including a hand-written note in your card. Holiday greeting cards can be sent to all of your contacts, regardless of who receives your end of year ask. If you're out of the country, try a service like PrayerLetters.com or Chalkline or ask one of your non-financial supporters to help you send this mailing.
Here are a few samples of our favorite missionary Christmas cards.
FYI: Reliant mails a Christmas card to your financial supporters each year. The main purpose of this is to thank them and ask them to remember their Reliant missionaries when they're doing their year-end giving. Note, Reliant's card does not mention your name specifically as many of our donors support multiple Reliant missionaries.
Follow up with your Top 20 (ideally within a week of them receiving your letter)
- Follow up your email with a phone call to make the ask. Remember, your most effective asks are going to be face-to-face (even over a video call). If that can't happen, then second best is voice-to-voice. An ask in a mass email that's not followed up with a one-on-one ask is the least effective.
Not sure how to open up the conversation? Give one of these starters a try:
- Hi! This is ___. I was calling to see if you had a chance to read the letter I sent you.
- Hi! This is ___. Do you have a few moments to chat?
- Hi! This is ___. It’s so good to catch you on the phone! J I wanted to thank you for how you’ve ministered to me this past year. Your giving has not only empowered me to share Christ with university students, but it’s been such an encouragement to me personally to know we're walking this journey together. Thank you. I’m so glad to be doing this work with you.
Then transition to the ask:
- Not sure if you’ve had a chance to read the letter/card I mailed you, but I wanted to see if you’ve had a chance to pray about an (end of year gift [or] increasing your ministry giving). [Give them a chance to say they haven’t read it or prayed about it yet. This is ok (and normal).]
- I just love how the end of the year provides a great time to reflect over the past year and seek the Lord for what He would have us do in the new year. This past year you've [given faithfully each month / haven't yet had the opportunity to give/ sowed into this ministry...] For the coming year, would you [increase your monthly giving by $10/ be a $1,000 special gift anchor partner/ introduce me to 10 new people you think might be blessed to hear about this ministry…].
Finally, schedule a follow up:
- Over the next day or so, would you ask the Lord how He might have you participate? [wait for a response] Thank you for joining me in prayer. I’d like to get back in touch with you this week to see if the Lord's brought you to a decision about [giving challenge]. Is tomorrow too soon?
