Page History
...
| UI Button | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Communicate early, concretely and often
This is your chance to continue to turn donors into partners. Donors passively sit on the sidelines, and we fear that they will withdraw funding if they see ineffectiveness or something they do not like in the ministry. Partners, on the other hand, have a sense of ownership or stake in the ministry. Even though they are not on the front linesfrontlines, they see challenges as problems as of their own—ones own — ones they want to help solve.
A staff member missionary approaching funding thinking of “donors” may think of them as the opposing team, to be played with good strategy and a fear of loss. Thinking instead of “partners” puts them on the SAME same team, and each partner becomes a possible ambassador for our funding. To engage and activate our partners’ participation with the fulltime full-time MTD push, we need to communicate early, concretely , and regularly through the process.How to Do It
A.
- Write a brief prayer letter that stands out and only explains the funding shortfall and your plan to return to
...
- full-time support raising. Keep it very short and noticeable in order to maximize the chances of getting read. Don't feel obligated to give a ministry update at the same time
...
- — you’ve done this in other letters.
...
- Send in “multiple dimensions.” If you typically
...
- email your prayer letter, send a postal mail copy to everyone as a follow up. If you typically use postal mail, send an
...
- email with the identical letter attached. (“I just recently sent this in the mail
...
- but wanted to make sure you didn’t miss it, so I’ve attached it to this
...
- email.”) Handwrite
...
- intros or p.s. on the postal letter.
...
- Promise to call every letter recipient, then do it. If you are following up Current Partners, this may already take months. It’s worth it. You want them to know what’s going on. Depending on the circumstances, set up a time to meet in person, a distance appointment
...
- or do a call for decision.
...
- Consider sending funding updates every few weeks
...
- via
...
- email or online. Invite partners to follow along as you pursue your goal! Create a visual graph. A concrete date and dollar number make this possible.
...
Asks
Prioritize your ask according to your needs and who you are contacting.
| Financial: Increase Recurring Ask | “Would you consider doubling your current monthly giving to Reliant?” |
| Financial: New Recurring Ask | “We’ve loved sending you our prayer updates for a while now |
...
| . Would you consider becoming a regular monthly giving partner? | |
| Financial: Special Gift Ask | “We understand that you’d prefer just to give in |
...
| noncommitted annual amounts. Tell me this: |
...
| We have an important upcoming cost |
...
| of$1,000 for seminary training this |
...
| summer — would you be able to consider giving to Reliant to cover that cost?” | |
| Referrals: Re-asking for Names | “I know a couple years ago you helped us meet a few other people to tell about the ministry |
...
| . Thank you! Now that we’re back to |
...
| full-time support raising, this might be a key way to help again.” | |
| Referrals: First-time Names Ask | “It’s great we’re getting to speak again |
...
because there is a really key way you can help that we haven’t been able to talk about before…” |
...
Aim high on your ask for increase
The people most committed to our ministry are those who have already invested time, money , or emotional energy in it. Our partners, sending money each month, care much about the success of what we are doing. Further, they are not likely to be offended by a strong ask. If they can’t say yes, they likely wish they could.
Therefore, set your ask high. Do not begin with an “increase” increase ask of $10 additional monthly. This is too low. (For instance, consider your total goal—if goal. If you have a 50% yes rate for current partners, this is usually not nearly enough.).
Recommended: ask Ask all partners to double their currently monthly commitment. Not all will be able to consider this, but you can always graciously ask for a lower amount. Many will say yes, especially if they understand your total need and date you need it by. (Of course, consider past increases. This ask may not be as effective for a partner who has already increased in the last year or two.).
| Speechbubble |
|---|
| “In order to meet this goal, would you consider |
| doubling your monthly gift to Reliant?" |
Regardless of what you can do in addition, we remain incredibly grateful for what you are already investing. Thank you.
We’d love to give you a call really soon—let’s catch up since it’s been such a long while. This is a good excuse to connect.
...
