Did You Know?

I'm always fascinated by the wide variety of videos and presentations that remind us of how quickly the world is changing around us. This is true on any topic, but the effort some have put into sharing this information as it relates to media is quite substantial. I think we all know this information to be true. . . but sometimes we need a reminder of just how different the world is today. And it's still changing. I'm thankful for that, because that old 'mobile phone in a bag' was quite a bit heavier than my iPhone.

I can't confirm the validity of every statistic or fact in the latest Shift Happens video - "Did You Know 4.0", but there's no doubt the overall theme is accurate. This comes from The Economist and their Media Convergence conference which took place in late October. I'm obviously a bit behind on my posts. Take a look. It'll make you think about where you're headed with your program.

I always put the disclaimer out there that I'm not advocating a giant shift away from traditional annual giving efforts into new media - I'm simply saying that new channels are available to us and they are thriving. We need to be thoughtful about how we use them. Ultimately, it's all about balance and allocating the resources we have appropriately.

Death of the Honor Roll

Over the past several years, it seems that honor rolls have taken a backseat to other forms of donor recognition. Perhaps it's the expense of printing and postage; maybe it's the increasing focus on issues of donor security and privacy. It might even be the simple fact that creating an accurate honor roll is a royal pain-in-the-you-know-what. And then there's also that whole online honor roll dillema which we can talk about some other day.

Honor rolls still exist, but they're no longer thought of as 'must-have' items in the fundraising world. I wonder if this is a good thing?

I'm among the many who spend less time and fewer resources on honor rolls than I did in the past. From 'list every donor' to 'list most donors' to 'list only the leadership donors' to 'budget's gone, let's forget it all together' - nonprofits have tightened their belts on this part of their donor recognition program.

Maybe donors don't care. If we're doing everything else right, the honor roll may not be an important part of our recognition program. But we shouldn't forget that honor rolls serve two very different purposes:

1. They provide recognition for those who give
2. They provide encouragement for others TO give

Perhaps the second purpose is more important than the first.

I know I'm always preaching that You Are Not Your Donor but I must say that more than one honor roll has convinced me to renew my support of organizations that might otherwise fall to the wayside. One in particular is an arts group that distributes an honor roll in each and every issue of their pre-show program. As I sit in the auditorium (bored out of my mind, waiting for the curtain to go up) I always look at that honor roll. I compare my giving to others on the list. And ultimately I renew and even increase my gift so I'll be at the same level or one above my peers.

In this particular case, the honor roll served its purpose. I hope those other folks are reading it and looking for my name - I'd hate for my investment to go unnoticed!

This is just food for thought as you begin to plan for next year's recognition programming. The GettingGiving blog isn't about telling you what to do. . . it's supposed to spark the thought process. Maybe it's time to take another look at the honor roll as an important part of the fundraising process. Then again, maybe not. What do you think?

Great Article

It's not often I tweet AND blog about an article, but I want to call particular attention to something I read yesterday. For many, the concepts won't be new, but the delivery of the information is great. And we can always use a refresher on this topic.

The article, The Magic Words of Fundraising, was written by Jeff Brooks in the October issue of Fundraising Success Magazine. It's the October issue, so you may need to subscribe (free) for immediate access to the digital version or wait a bit for it to be on the main site. Visit: fundraisingsuccessmag.com for more information. I recommend a subscription, as there's always something in there of interest.

Information like this - new to some and old to others - should be a key part of the fundamental building blocks of our strategies. And yet we forget all too often.

I'd guess I've used the phrase "You are not your donor" in just about every presentation I've given in the last 10 years. I'd like to think I always practice what I preach, but I'll do a little digging into the 'Giant File Cabinet of Old Stuff' and find out. I hope I don't disappoint myself. Boy, that's too many I's right there!

The Fourth Quarter is Here!

September 30, better known as The Day Before the 4th Quarter has arrived. Beginning tomorrow we're off to the races. October 1 thru December 31 is often the busiest part of the year for fundraising professionals, especially those in the annual fund world. And there is no better time to take a moment to regroup.

For many, the fourth quarter of the calendar year is 'make it or break it' as year-end mailings, phonathons, emails and more are increased to frenzied levels. While I'd recommend a more balanced strategy throughout the year, it's hard to deny the culture of giving that exists during this period.

As nonprofits begin the giving season, it's the perfect moment to step back and examine your readiness for the next 90 day period. Missing a deadline or two can make the difference between success and failure. Even a few days can have a significant effect. I can't tell you how many horror stories I've heard of nonprofits with mailings set October 15 or November 1 that miss deadlines by a couple of weeks. This, in turn, effectively reduces the solicition cycle prior to 12/31 by the same amount of time.

Take a few minutes today to meet with your staff. Review your solicitation calendar, your timelines and progress. Are you ready? If you're producing mailings in-house, do you have the materials? Have they been ordered? Has your team dedicated the time necessary to produce and mail everything on time? Do they understand the importance of the deadlines you face?

If you use outside printers or mailshops, are they ready? It's their busy season too. Have they set aside time for your projects and understand the importance of delivering them at the proper time? There may be instances where a deadline can be missed by a day or two without a negative effect. This is not one of them. Deadline means deadline, and everyone involved must understand this.

A few minutes today may save days or weeks later. Having everything ready to go will make your holiday plans more enjoyable if you aren't worrying about your mid-year numbers.

Good luck! May your 4th quarter be your best yet.

When Interests Collide

Too often, we spend all of our time letting others know what our institution wants from them. It's a 'gimme gimme gimme' attitude and it doesn't optimize the relationship with our donors, especially leadership annual fund, major gift and planned giving donors. Maybe it's time we listened a bit more.

The most successful philanthropic relationships occur when the donor and the organization are in sync. When the donor's aspirations can be fulfilled by making a gift to your organization, the resulting gift is good for everyone.

Both parties in any transaction have interests. The institution wants funding for something of value to them. Let's not forget, the donor has interests too - and they're holding the checkbook.

The donor is trying to utilize their financial resources to make a difference in some way that is meaningful to them. The best situation for everyone is when the interests of both parties overlaps. A lot. The closer the organization comes to meeting the donors' desires, the more likely they are to receive a gift. As the overlap increases, so does the size of the gift. And, if all goes well, it might be the first of many.

Rather than spending so much time 'selling' our ideas to donors, it makes sense to stay quiet and listen a bit more than we talk. Once you learn more about what the donor is trying to achieve, you might be able to match their interests with yours. And that's when the magic happens.