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titleThe Basics Broken Down
  • Stop and pray. Then plan. 
    The old adage is true; We don't plan to fail, we fail to plan. December can be a very valuable time for fundraising, if it's approached thoughtfully and in a way that helps your messaging stand out. If you're going to do an end of the year ask, take the time to ask the Lord for His wisdom on whom to contact. Then plan it out. 

  • If you need the funds, plan to follow-up voice-to-voice or face-to-face. 
    People have great intentions, but tasks get lost in the shuffle of life; especially around the holidays! A follow-up plan will greatly increase follow-through from those who desire to give. Effective asks include written communication (letter, card, email, etc), followed up by a phone call or face-to-face meeting. This can be done in small batches over a number of weeks. 

  • Determine your distribution list. 
    Who will receive this ask? Definitely send to those who don't give on a regular basis. Don't send to anyone who has been recently asked (either for an increase or special gift) or those who just started giving monthly within the last 6 months.

  • Consider snail-mail, including a hand-written a note. 
    Printed mail has far more staying power than electronic and it allows you to add a personal, hand-written note. These notes build relationship and show you care. We've found this to be true especially for donors who primarily receive correspondence electronically throughout the year because it stands out!

  • Determine timing.
    Plan to have it hit mailboxes the weekend after Thanksgiving. You’ll want to beat the deluge of Christmas cards (and Christmas spending). Some recommend putting the letter in the mail on Black Friday. 

  • Affirm the relationship & your donor’s generosity. 
    This is where that hand-written note comes into play. This small gesture helps build relationship. 

  • Anchor your ask in vision. 
    Show them the impact they're making and invite them to go deeper. Tell them how the Lord is moving within your ministry then invite the donor to come alongside that work through leveraging their finances. When following up your ask with a call or a meeting, your ask is more about learning how God is challenging the donor toward radical giving. It is less about you and your ministry. Your ministry is the vehicle by which the Lord is discipling your donor into a deeper relationship with Him through the leveraging of their finite resources to build an infinite and lasting Kingdom. You're the mouthpiece God uses to deliver this message. Yes, lives within your ministry will be impacted as a result of this gift. But, if the donor's life and heart is not being impacted for Christ as well, then you've missed out Then, paint a picture of your ask; why it's important and how lives will be changed as a result. Avoid these terms: need, shortfall, lack of funding, low support, backpay, deficit. Those are not compelling reasons for people to give. Your ask should be vision-driven, not need or crisis-driven.  Remember, people give to people, justified by the cause.

  • List your financial need and what those finances will help accomplish. 

  • Make a clear ask.

  • Include how to donate
     Not everyone gives online. Provide a way for people to easily send a check in the mail (include the How to Start Giving Form and a self-addressed envelope in your mailing). 

  • Follow up 
    Phone call, email, or texting is all appropriate ways to follow up on the ask. Consider following up 3 times per donor. Also see: Follow Up Strategies


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titleThanking

When people respond to your opportunity to make an impact through giving, the next step is to thank them. 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.

The general standard is a hand-written thank-you card and a phone call. A welcome packet sent to a new donor or a small gift for a particularly impactful gift can go a long way! 

Develop the art of flattery in your thanks. Don't be shy about it! Tell your donor often, loud and clear, in the big type, just how great they are (because they are!) and remind them of the impact they're making. 

Do not include a financial ask or additional giving opportunity in your thanking process. 

See Annual Stewardship Plan & Timeline for how to follow-up with donors after the Year-End giving season with a THANK, SHOW, CONNECT, OFFER progression. 

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