Personal Reminders (Element #4)

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. Personally reminding your donors is likely the single greatest factor in having a successful EOYA campaign.

Follow up with your Top 20 (ideally within a week of them receiving your letter). There are a handful of ways of doing so:

• Virtually. This has proven to be just as effective in support raising as in person.
• In-person. If they live in your area, make an appointment, visit their church, or create another excuse to run into them.
• On the phone. Your most effective asks are going to be face-to-face (even over a video call). If that can't happen, then the second best is voice-to-voice.
• Christmas card/photo. Christmas cards that do not include an ask can be a wonderful part of your strategy to keep your ministry in front of your partners. These cards can be sent to all of your contacts, not just your Top 20. 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.

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 field workers 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 field workers. 

One key way to significantly improve your results

The phone is your friend, especially at year-end!

If you’re doing an end-of-the-year ask, and you need the funding, definitely follow up with a phone call to your Top 20.

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! 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:

• I'm 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 on 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?

Finish Well!

Our friends at Support Raising Solutions report that twelve percent of annual giving occurs in the last three days of the year. So send out an email a couple of days before New Year hits. This email is simply a greeting with the purpose of a genuine Happy New Year wish for your partners while also serving to bring you and your ministry back to mind as they execute their end-of-the-year giving. Don’t include any formal ask, but do include your online giving link.