The Magic Words of Fundraising

Do you remember when you were young and you would ask your mother for something and she would make you say "the magic word" before she would give it to you? Do you remember what that "magic word" was? Of course you do....PLEASE.

Well, in the world of fundraising there really are magic words. And while "please" is certainly high on the list of words we should use when communicating with our supporters, there are two others that are even more important to keep in mind

In his article The Magic Words of Fundraising, Jeff Brooks does an excellent job of reminding us of the importance of using the word "you" as often as possible. It really is like magic. People want to read about themselves. He also talks about the "bad" word of fundraising...."I."

As you ramp up communication with donors between now and December 31, I hope you will take a few minutes to read this helpful article and implement some of Jeff's thoughtful suggestions.

As always, we are ready to assist in any way possible to make certain your message is clearly and effectively communicated. Feel free to contact me at 423-844-1033 or by email at jamey.campbell@cmda.org.

Movie Mondays: 2 Stories of Fundraising Success in this Tough Economy

Movie Mondays: 2 Stories of Fundraising Success in this Tough Economy

This is a great video about not "talking yourself out of a gift." Be bold and expect the unexpected!

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Movie Mondays: A Story of Marketing and Engagement

Here is a great video that will challenge you to think outside the box (I hate that cliche, but it is all I can think of for now) to get people interested in what you are doing so they will listen to what you are saying. Enjoy!

Heard Any Good Stories Lately?

Which would you rather do: read an article or read a story? Yeah, me too. I'll go with the story option every time. Even the words "article" and "story" have vastly different implications. An article sounds technical and dull, while a story sound like it has life and real characters involved. An article will likely show charts and graphs and the like, while a story may have pictures of people.

So if we would prefer to read a story instead of an article, don't you think our donors would feel the same way? Sure, we can produce articles that give factual technical information about the ministry we do, but that is not necessarily what people are looking for in donor communications. In his book, Searching for God Knows What, Donald Miller talks about the difference between "truth" and "meaning." An article can certainly deliver truth...but a story....a story will give you meaning...feeling...the kinds of things we all want to know; especially when it involves an organization where we have invested money that is resulting in changed lives!

I recently received my monthly email newsletter from Free-Range Thinking by Andy Goodman. Andy always has an interesting take on life and how we can best communicate our work with others. This month was no different. He devotes this issue to telling good stories. I thought you might enjoy it.

So why all the fuss about stories? It's because we all send written communication in one form or another to our supporters. Email, snail mail, web sites, etc. And I just wanted to encourage all of us to think about stories...not just getting facts down on paper (or web). Think meaning and feeling...that is what people really care about. That is why they were likely moved to give in the first place. And you can do it in a way that includes all the facts as well. If you ever need any help on this please feel free to contact me here in the CMDA Stewardship Development office.

Nervous About the Ask?

Once again, Movie Mondays has created a great little video that is short and to the point. This week's focus is "The Ask." For many, this is the most stressful part of the development process. Sending mail is easy. Going to lunch is easy. Telling the donor how we used their last gift is easy. But asking for the next gift.....sometimes not so easy.

I encourage you to take a look at this short video and take it to heart. Most of our supporters are totally sold on the mission of CMDA. They do not need more information. They do not need more brochures. They are just waiting to be asked.

Once the ask is made, we sometimes have a tendency to immediately start back peddling. DON'T. Just sit and be quiet. I know....those few seconds of silence can seem like an eternity, but that, in my opinion, is the most critical point in the conversation. Let the donor process what you have just said and wait for a response. So many times we ask for a gift and within 30 seconds are saying something like, "or anything you can do will be helpful." While that may be a true statement, it may not be the best one at the time.

Please feel free to give me a call if you are considering a major gift ask and we can talk through some scenarios. And on the front page of this blog is CMDA Field Staff Manual: Guidelines for Giving with some good information on making a successful ask.

Movie Mondays: Making Your Message about Impact

A powerful video about making sure we talk about the needs of those we serve rather than the "needs" of the organization. Enjoy.

And just as a reminder, these videos stay active for only two weeks for free and then convert to a pay per view status.

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Meaningful Words

As I do every month, I have been reading through each of the HeartChanger letters written by many of our regional and area directors this week. It is always a blessing to be able to get this first-hand account of how the ministry of CMDA is working in the lives of students, doctors and patients. I feel like I have a front row seat to see what God is up to.

When I came to one particular letter this month, I was moved by a phrase the writer used. She said, "Your faithful generosity allows me to be physically present....and personally invested in the lives of medical students..." I stopped and read that sentence three more times. What a great report to her donors to let them know that their generous gifts are allowing her and CMDA to do something no other organization is doing for medical and dental students. Let's look at this for a moment.

We are able to be "physically present" among those we are serving. Not long ago that phrase would have been redundant. But not today. With the advent of social networks, texting, etc., it is possible to be "present" without actually being there physically. And yes, these are great tools for certain parts of our ministry. But how can you look into the eyes of an overwhelmed 2nd year med student through Twitter and see how desperate they are for prayer. You can only do that by being "physically present."

And how about "personally invested?" Few people I know of want to put themselves on the line for anyone these days. Especially if the minister is a practicing doc and the "patient" is a struggling medical student and his/her spouse who see no light at the end of the long tunnel called medical school. But those ministering through CMDA are a different breed. Our people are "personally invested," typically above and beyond the call of duty, in the lives of countless students and docs.

Those simple words, "physically present and personally invested," spoke volumes to me about the commitment we have to those we serve and I am pretty sure they will to those who read that particular letter this month. I took the liberty of bolding and italicizing those words in the letter. And I feel certain the writer would not mind if the rest of us borrowed those words for our own appeals and reports. Thank you Darilyn Falck for helping me see the impact of the gifts to your ministry in Sacramento.