CMDA Development Notes

The Magic Words of Fundraising

2009-10-29T13:18:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-26T14:54:00.001-07:00

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

2009-08-17T13:29:00.001-07:00

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?

2009-08-12T09:26:00.000-07:00

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?

2009-07-07T11:33:00.001-07:00

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

2009-06-08T14:31:00.001-07:00

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

2009-06-04T11:07:00.000-07:00

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.

Storytelling -- the Key to Successful Fundraising

2009-06-02T11:56:00.000-07:00

Almost every day I receive emails from various fundraising sources. Most of the time they are touting some new and different approach to raising money. Everything from from "text giving" to "relationship marketing" is pitched as the newest, easiest and best way to raise more money.

Being the eternal skeptic that I am, I always ask two questions. 1. Does it cost anything? 2. Is it proven to work? I am especially mindful of both of these issues given that this is not the best year to "invest" in any unproven fundraising methods.

But today was different. I received an article from Fundraising Success magazine called Using Storytelling to Engage and Motivate Constituents. In the article, Andy Goodman talks about the fact that most good causes tend to have problems telling good stories. He goes onto say, "It's not that they don't have good stories to tell. It's the way they tell them, burdened with data and technical jargon."

I would tend to agree. So many of our "stories" revolve around numbers. How many students are involved in a particular campus ministry; or how many patients were seen by our medical mission team; or how many people attended this or that event. We are good at numbers. And don't get me wrong, numbers are important. God included a whole book in the Bible about numbers. But what is behind those numbers? Or more accurately, WHO is behind those numbers?

Our members and friends are desperate to hear individual stories of how their prayers and financial gifts are changing lives. After all. that's our product -- changed lives. So let's tell about some of those changed lives and try not to worry so much about "throwing up" on our readers with mountains of statistics every time we write something. Drill down deeper. Tell one story about one life that was changed for the better because someone cared enough to give and pray. I think you'll find the response to be phenomenal.

By the way, telling good stories passes both my skeptic tests. It costs nothing and is proven to be one of the most effective ways to communicate and raise more money.

P.S. I also came across this web site and video on storytelling and fundraising. It is from the same folks who do the Movie Monday videos. Hope it is helpful.

The Wrong Way & the Right Way to Steward Donors

2009-05-11T08:17:00.001-07:00

Movie Mondays: The Wrong Way & the Right Way to Steward Donors

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Don't Make Assumptions About Your Donors

2009-04-06T14:51:00.001-07:00

Movie Mondays: Free Fundraising Video on Overcoming Donor Resistance

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Using Email to Ask for Donations

2009-03-16T14:53:00.001-07:00

Here is a great example of how to use email to ask for donations. Enjoy!

Movie Mondays: Free Fundraising Video on Fundraising with Email

Helping Volunteers (Council Members) Make the Ask

2009-03-09T11:40:00.001-07:00

This is a great little video about working with volunteers and helping them learn to make the ask. I thought it would be helpful, especially for those of you working with area councils.

Movie Mondays: Free Fundraising Videos

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501 Videos - Movie Mondays

2009-02-02T15:26:00.001-08:00

501 Videos - Movie Mondays

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501 Videos - Movie Mondays

2009-01-14T09:27:00.001-08:00

501 Videos - Movie Mondays

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Dealing With Budget Shortfalls

2008-12-08T05:13:00.001-08:00

This is a great reminder to us all about "keeping the faith," even when our income is not meeting projections.

501 Videos - Movie Mondays

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501 Videos - Movie Mondays

2008-12-01T14:55:00.001-08:00

Here's a short little video about how a $5,000 turned into a $120,000 gift over lunch. Enjoy!

501 Videos - Movie Mondays

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Take Heart - More People Plan To Give This Year

2008-11-10T11:51:00.000-08:00

A new survey from PayPal shows that while many people plan to cut back on holiday shopping this year, more plan to make a gift to charity than last year. You can read a summary of the results courtesy of the Chronicle of Philanthropy.

So, now that we have that good news, it's more important than ever for us to keep communicating with our donors and friends about the great work CMDA is doing. The worst thing we could do is to stop asking. If you haven't already, this would be a great time to make some "thank you" calls and visits to those currently investing in your ministry and let them know how critical it is that we continue and even expand the work of CMDA.

Getting Donors Involved

2008-10-27T15:16:00.001-07:00

Here are a few ideas about getting your donors more involved in your work.

501 Videos - Movie Mondays

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Great American Donor Survey Provides Interesting Findings

2008-10-23T11:41:00.000-07:00

The latest Great American Donor Survey by Campbell Rinker Research provides some interesting insights into the thoughts of your current and prospective donors. Over 3,300 donors were surveyed and the results detail their opinions and attitudes, and establish benchmarks for all charities. Various Donor Pulse reports for specific types of charities (religious, health care, arts, education, etc.) are being published this year using the survey data.

A summary report of the research is available at no cost courtesy of Campbell Rinker. It provides an overview of general donor opinions and indicates a broad feeling among participants that the US economy will get worse before it gets better.

It also gives us some clues that will help us do a better job with keeping current donors interested in what we are doing and how to communicate with them. A clear majority said they prefer postal mail to email when it comes to fundraising and even more said they like fundraising events. This underscores the importance of ongoing and clear communication with our donors as we walk with them through what former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan today called a, "once-in-a century credit tsunami."

The Power of Thanking Donors

2008-10-20T15:09:00.001-07:00

How many donors have you personally thanked today? I thought so. Yeah, me too. But tomorrow is another day. So watch this short video on the importance of thanking donors and hit the ground running tomorrow by personally thanking at least a dozen of your best donors.

501 Videos - Movie Mondays

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501 Videos - Movie Mondays

2008-10-13T05:47:00.001-07:00

501 Videos - Movie Mondays

If you're not already signed up for Movie Mondays from 501Videos, you should be. It is a great resource for anyone involved in development. This week's video is about the importance of asking your supporters questions in order to deeper involve them in your work. Enjoy!

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Givers Will Become More Strategic in Difficult Economic Times

2008-10-09T12:09:00.000-07:00

It's happening again today. Despite the efforts of some of the brightest minds in economics and finance, the stock marketing continues to drop. In the past week it has shed over 1,600 points. Are you nervous yet? Do you think your supporters are getting nervous?

Instead of sounding alarms and running aimlessly through the office shouting, “the sky is falling,” let’s think about how we as a ministry might position ourselves to weather this financial storm.

In a new opinion article posted at Forbes.com entitled The Way We Give Now, author Raymond Fisman writes about what might lie ahead for nonprofits across the country if the current market and financial conditions persist. Fisman says that, “First and foremost, it underscores the importance of giving thoughtfully and strategically. The best predictor of someone's choice of charity today is where the check went last year.” That means we should be communicating even more often with our current supporters and encouraging them to continue their support of CMDA.

He goes on to encourage givers to, “think hard about the biggest problems out there and survey the charity landscape for organizations that most effectively address those problems. The focus should be on outcomes: How many indigents were fed by a soup kitchen? How many unemployed--who would otherwise have remained jobless--were taken off the welfare rolls by a job-training program? And what did it cost to generate these outcomes? Identifying and funding the "highest productivity" charities is more important than ever.”

Think about how this might apply to the work and ministry we are doing. Are we attacking one of the biggest problems out there? Are we focused on outcomes? Do we know exactly how many lives are being changed because of the ministry of CMDA in your area? That’s the kind of information we need to be laying out to our supporters. Basically, we need to assure them that giving to the ministry of CMDA is still a sound investment that is returning an eternal dividend in the form of changed lives.

Finally, use the current economic situation as an opportunity to minister to those who are so faithful to support us. Make a few calls just to let them know you are praying for them and are thankful for their faithfulness. Assure them that God is in control. Most of them already know that deep down, but hearing it from someone else is always comforting. Allow yourself to be used by God in the lives of those who make what we do possible.

501 Videos - Movie Mondays

2008-10-08T14:29:00.001-07:00

Here is a great new video on helping donors rather than begging for money.

501 Videos - Movie Mondays

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Your Support Doesn't Have to Head South with the Stock Market

2008-09-17T11:07:00.000-07:00

What a week! And it's only Wednesday. The stock market was down over 500 points on Monday and as I write this, it it down over just over 325 points today. Every news station is talking about the horrible plight of the US economy and how this is one of the worst situations since the Great Depression. Lions and tigers and bears! Oh my!

So what does this mean for ministry and the donations that make it happen? Is it really as bad as it seems? Should we all head out to the street corner with our signs reading "The End is Near?" Absolutely not! But there are a few things we can do to make certain our supporters remain committed and faithful to the ministry of CMDA. Here are a few tips.

1. Same ministry, more money. While we are all feeling the pain of the current economy (did you see East Tennessee on the news with the highest gas prices in the country over the weekend?), it is important to let folks know that even if we do not do any more ministry than we did last year, it will still cost more. Maybe as much as 20% - 25% more. And be sure and convey the fact that it is only by God's provision through our generous supporters that we will be able to weather this storm.

2. Make that Call. Many of us make an extra effort to call and thank our supporters in November and December leading up to year-end. But this year you should start doing that now! It's a chance to connect early and let them know their support is needed more than ever. And it is a great opportunity to ask how they are doing and pray for them.

3. What we are doing is important. There is a tendency for us in the ministry world to send the message to our supporters that when times get tough, it's OK to cut back and leave us out. We tell them "we'll understand." Why is that? Is the ministry of CMDA and the thousands of lives we are impacting suddenly not worth the investment? Are we only asking people to support this ministry in "good times?" Actually, what we are doing is more important than ever. The students we are ministering to need to see God's hand in all that we are facing as a country and they need our staff, volunteers and student leaders to be there for them. And imagine how difficult it would be to re-start a campus ministry if we had to pull out for a couple of years. The cost would be much higher than if we stay and stick it out. We are carrying out a ministry that no one else is doing and it is critically important.

4. Promote automatic giving. The research is clear. When someone signs up for an automatic monthly gift using their checking account, the retention rate is around 95% over the course of a year. If they use their credit card it drops to around 85% due to expiration dates, etc. So now is the time to promote this among your supporters. It is much easier for someone to make a monthly gift of $83.33 than to give $1,000 at year end. But the result is the same and you will have a dependable income stream for a long time to come.

5. Create more touches without asking. Make a thank you visit. Have a student send a thank you note. Email an article of interest. Send a photo from a recent event. The list can go on and on, but you get the idea. Do something out of the ordinary and unexpected to cultivate that relationship with your supporters. It doesn't always have to be an ask. But by properly thanking and informing your supporters of what you are doing, they are far more likely to support your work the next time you do ask.

Finally, I would suggest wrapping all this into a context of the next three months being one of the most critical times in the history of your ministry. The economy, war, elections, etc. will all distract people from your message. But they need to know that what you are doing and the lives being truly transformed by the ministry of CMDA is worthy of their support. And more important, it will give you a chance to minister to those who are so gracious in making your ministry possible.

To Mail or Not to Mail

2008-09-02T09:13:00.000-07:00

Welcome back from what I hope was a restful and enjoyable Labor Day weekend. What a fitting holiday for those in ministry. Remember the words of Jesus in Luke 10:2? "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest." Thank you for your labor on behalf of the Kingdom!

Now, on to today's topic. To mail or not to mail, that is the question. When I came into the office this morning I thumbed through my mail and there was the newest edition of Target Marketing. It is basically a special interest magazine for those in the direct mail business (that's us, you know). I am always looking for anything comparing traditional mail to new media mail such as email or even text messaging. The column by Pat Friesen, To Mail or Not to Mail, caught my eye.

It includes some statistics you may find interesting. For instance, 56% of Americans say receiving traditional mail is a pleasure. How many of us dreaded opening our email boxes this morning after a long weekend? And 77% of Americans feel traditional mail is more personal than email.

The article is written more for direct mail marketers who are selling a product or service, but it has plenty of applicability to what we are doing as well. Simply substitute the word "donor" or "partner" when you see "customer." And yes, we do have a product -- it's changed lives.

I hope you find this article helpful and I would be interested in any thoughts you have on the subject.

Keeping with our "labor" theme, I'll close with this from Psalm 127:1. -- "Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain."

Turning Statistics into Stories

2008-08-11T10:56:00.001-07:00

If you are writing anything about the ministry you are involved in, I'm sure it includes statistics. We all do it. The number of salvations, number of patients treated on a mission trip, number of students present at a CMDA meeting. We are inundated with statistics ever day. After a while we become oblivious to them -- and so do our readers.

That's why it is so important to take those statistics and turn them into real life stories about the people they represent. There is a wonderful video from the good folks at 501Videos that describes a great example of how this is done. The results were incredible. You can click here to view the video. It's just about 2 1/2 minutes long and should be available for about another week online and I have also downloaded a realplayer version if you would like to have it.

Hope this is helpful as you continue to share the success stories of your ministry.

The Importance of Storytelling

2008-07-14T12:14:00.001-07:00

Here's a new video that talks about the importance of telling stories about those we serve to those who make it possible -- our donors. Whether in writing (Heartchangers), by email or even in person, stories are where problems become inspiration. Enjoy.

You vs. Me

2008-07-01T07:24:00.000-07:00

Good morning all. Sorry it has been a little while since my last posting. This whole working thing really gets in the way of some of the things I enjoy most - like talking to you.

Anyway, today is the first day of our new fiscal year here at CMDA and I trust you feel refreshed and rejuvenated and ready to move ahead a full speed. What? Not really? Well here is something that might help.

his latest As you might imagine, I subscribe to several e-newsletters related to fundraising and one of my favorites is from Mark Pittman who bills himself as the Extreme Fundraising Coach. I received the latest edition this morning and thought you might find it useful -- especially as you are working on your next Heartchanger letter or thinking about how you will be communicating with your supporters this fall. I've pasted the full text below along with links. Hope it is helpful!

-----------

THE EXTREME FUNDRAISING EZINE, VOL. VI ISSUE 13

Today, we're taking a look how not to write a fundraising letter.

A special welcome to all our new subscribers! Thanks for passing this ezine on to your friends and colleagues!

If you're looking for past issues and other extras go to http://fundraisingcoach.com/blog.

I. Fundraising Secret #21: Is it about me or about you?

II. Ask Without Fear Radio Show with Don Philabaum
III. Guilt Free Fundraising

I. Fundraising Secret #21: Is it about me or about you?
I just got an email from a person I didn't know telling me about a firm I didn't ask about.

It felt like spam.

Here's my response:

Hi [marketer's name],
I'm not sure how we connected. This feels a bit unsolicited to me.

For what it's worth:

I love that you personalized this with my name, thanks
but it took 121 words for you to get to anything that I cared about (namely "me")
only about 45 of the 270 words applied somewhat to me--that's about 17% of the email--the rest was about your firm, again, something I wasn't looking for information about
I don't mean this to be rude. I'm just intrigued by such a one-sided marketing attempt.
As far as I know, I'm not in the market for these type of services. I'm not sure how you found me but I don't run capital campaigns and I'm happy with my logo.

Sorry for the long response. I hope the feedback is helpful.

Marc

I took longer on the response than I'd anticipated, but I doubt he meant any harm.

Then I started thinking, how many of our fundraising letters look his email?

Hi you,
Me. Me. Me. Our vision. Our stuff. We're cool. Me. Me. Me. Us. Us. Us.

Give us money.

Thanks,

Me.

If we're simply talking about ourselves and our organization, we'll risk sounding like the teacher on the Charlie Brown cartoons, "Wah wah wah wah. Wah wah. Wah wah."

As you began drafting your fall fundraising appeals this week, or have conversations with donors, try seeing if you can focus more on them than on yourself. What if you could reverse the percentage to 17% about your organization and 73% about them!

If you need more help changing your focus, be sure to check out the past episodes of the Ask Without Fear radio show. It's uncanny how each of my guests also talk about talking to our donor's values and beliefs.

This reminds me of Jeff Brooks' (an AWF radio show guest!) "fundraising letter template":

With that in mind, I offer you the Donor Power Free Fundraising Letter Template. You are free to use this; it has absolutely no copyright whatsoever.
Dear [name]:
You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. Yes, you. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You.

Sincerely,
[Signature]
[Name]?[Title]

P.S. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You. You.
Instructions: Liberally sprinkle in nouns and verbs. Use adjectives and adverbs sparingly. Include specific examples of what the donor's gift will accomplish. Include true-life stories that demonstrate the need for the donor's involvement. Be sure to clearly and articulately ask for a gift more than once.
Use this template, and you'll see success in your fundraising.

II. Ask Without Fear Radio Show

I wanted to remind you that Don Philabaum founder of www.internetstrategiesgroup.com and author of numerous books is my guest TODAY on the Ask Without Fear Radio Show!

Join us as we talk about nonprofit marketing. BlogTalkRadio.com at 11 a.m. To join in the fun, either:

go to: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/marcapitman or
call the "call in" number (347) 996-5931.

The show is free but if you choose to call, your telephone company will charge the same long distance charges that you'd pay to call your Aunt Ethel in NYC. I hope you can listen in!

Directions on how to listen are also available at:
http://fundraisingcoach.com/radioshow.htm

III. Guilt Free Fundraising

Hundreds of people have gotten a chuckle from my spoof website of Seymour Suhkoors' www.GuiltFreeFundraising.com! Are you one? Check it out for yourself and then pass it on to your friends. (Sorry for the cheesy audio on the tell-a-friend link!)

http://www.GuiltFreeFundraising.com/

To your extreme fundraising success!

Marc

P.S. Join our groups on Facebook:

the "Ask Without Fear!" page is at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ask-Without-Fear/7433235241
and the Fundraisingcoach.com page is at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fundraisingcoachcom/10465001750

Marc A. Pitman is the founder of the Fundraisingcoach.com and the Director of the Inland Foundation for Inland Hospital.

An expert in helping people identify their natural abilities, he's committed to providing nonprofit leaders with down-to-earth information that decreases stress and puts the "fun" back into fundraising!

The Extreme Fundraising Ezine is a free newsletter of The Fundraising Coach. To subscribe to The Extreme Fundraising Ezine, use the form at the bottom of: fundraisingcoach.com or send a blank email to extremeclass1@aweber.com

Articles from the Extreme Fundraising Ezine may be distributed or reproduced as long as the copyright and URL are included.

The Fundraising Coach

8 Waterville Commons Drive, Suite 137

Waterville, ME 04901

The Fundraising Coach, Creating Donor Evangelists, PYITS, Ask Without Fear!, MagnetGoals, "Put Yourself In Their Shoes," "Fundraising is an extreme sport," "Fearless Asking," "Do It Yourself Fundraising," "Life's short. Live passionately.", "faux-philanthropy," and Extreme Fundraising are trademarks of The Pitman Group.

Be sure to check out the resources at http://MarcSentMe.com/

All Development Videos Now Available

2008-05-27T07:20:00.000-07:00

Hello all, I trust you had a relaxing and enjoyable Memorial Day weekend.

I wanted to let you know that 501 Videos has now posted all their previous development videos online. Here is the link to get to them. I would encourage you to sign up for their Movie Mondays series. It is a useful way to start off the week.

Prioritizing Your Time

2008-05-12T11:03:00.000-07:00

There's a new video available from 501 Videos that I thought you might enjoy. It is about organizing and prioritizing your time. It is intended for development professionals, but is easily applicable to anyone who has more work than time.

Her is the link. The file is also downloadable as a RealPlayer file.

I found out that each video remains posted for only a week. I checked and was told that each one would be available again at the end of the series. I'll get those links out when they are available.

Meeting Needs vs. Having Needs

2008-05-06T10:46:00.000-07:00

****The link to the video in this post is no longer good. I am told it will be available again soon and I will post it as soon as I get it. ****

I subscribe to "Movie Mondays" from 501 Videos. They produce videos for nonprofit organizations. The most recent series of videos has been specifically for development professionals on various topics. Yesterday's video was on How do you get your Story out to the Public? The first interview is the one that will be most interesting to you, I think. The second has more to do with media relations.

So here is the link to How do you get your Story out to the Public? courtesy of 501 Videos. Be sure and listen to what Sonya Campion of the Campion Foundation has to say about meeting needs vs. having needs.

You can subscribe to future development videos at this site as well. Hope this is helpful.

Tips for a Successful Year-End Appeal

2008-04-30T10:42:00.000-07:00

As promised, here are some helpful ideas to put into practice as we head toward the end of our fiscal year. We should treat it just like December 31 and encourage people to respond quickly. It is a little more difficult to get people excited about making a gift just because our year ends on June 30 rather than December 31, but here are a few strategies we can implement that should help.

Keep it simple. If you are writing a HeartChanger letter, sending emails or even just talking to your donors in May or June, make it about one thing and one thing only – making a gift by June 30.
Look back with thanksgiving. In borrowing a little from a real year-end appeal strategy, use your year-end appeal fundraising letter as a way to thank donors for their support during the past year. Don't list the names of every staff person you hired, or go on at length about happenings at the office or how much you traveled this year. Instead, tell at least one heart-warming or compelling story that illustrates in vivid terms how your donors' gifts changed lives. Use quotes from the people that you serve wherever possible. They add credibility and human interest to your letter.
Look ahead with anticipation. Use this appeal letter to present your vision for the coming year. Show donors how their "year-end" gift will make a difference next year for your organization and the people you serve.
Accentuate the positive. Please don't appeal for donors to get your budget out of the red and into the black. If you have a negative cash flow at year-end, don't ask donors to correct it. They will see your predicament as your fault. Donors are not motivated to eliminate debt. But they are motivated to change the world through a gift to your ministry. So present your appeal as an opportunity for the donor rather than a rescue operation.
But I am in a financial crisis. If this is the case, then say so. But remember you can really only do this once. It’s the fundraising version of the “nuclear option.” If you are in this situation, explain why and what steps you have taken to correct it so donors will have confidence that their gift will really go for continuing ministry and not just to keep it afloat for another month.
Make it personal. Write a personal note on your letters if at all possible. If you can get us (Maggie) your information early we are happy to try and accommodate this. Just remember to plan for shipping time back and forth. Here are a few suggestions: “Hope you can help,” or “Good seeing you last week,” or “This work is so important, thank you for making it possible,” or “You are a blessing to all of us at CMDA and those we serve.” Anything to make it personal.
Call donors to follow up. If you’ll invest just one hour per day for the next few weeks calling donors who receive your appeals, you will be amazed at the return on that investment when we get to June 30.
Write for skimmers, not readers. People read the 1st paragraph, the signature, the P.S., maybe the bullet points, and the reply slip (donation level) options. Make sure someone who only reads those items will understand what you want. Nothing should be smaller than 12 pt. type.
Don't ask for forgiveness. Ask for money. Sometimes we apologize for asking people to give and there is no need for that. Giving to enable great ministry is a wonderful act of obedience and source of blessing for most givers. Let’s not rob them of this joy.
Put in a P.S. with some call to action. Remind your reader one more time that you are writing to ask for their support again and that we need to hear from them by June 30.
Visit your top donors (current and perspective) in person. See my post below on developing a plan for the next 100 days.

New Documents Posted for Download

2008-04-28T10:25:00.000-07:00

In an effort to make this your one-stop-shop for all your CMDA development needs, I have posted a couple of helpful documents that you can easily access and download anytime.

1. Photo Consent Form - We will need this anytime we use an image of any recognizable person in a published photo or video. You might want to print a few and stash them in your brief case so they will be handy for those spontaneous photo moments. If you get a great picture without the completed form, I am happy to work with you on getting it completed "after the fact," but it is very important we have this on file before publishing the photo.

2. Field Staff Manual: Guidelines for Fundraising - This is the document you received after the field staff meeting last fall. I wanted to put it here in case you need to download a new copy or pass it on to new area and associate staff.

Look for a couple of new ideas this week that might help with your May HeartChanger Letters as we head into the last couple of months of the (fiscal) year.

Few Charity Supporters Use Social Networking Sites or Blogs to Keep up with Activity - But Most Want to Know it is Available

2008-04-21T10:55:00.000-07:00

A survey conducted by Harris Research and posted by Virilion found that only 6% of charity supporters use social networking media to keep up with the latest news from the charities they support. However, a majority of those surveyed said it was important for nonprofit organizations to use social media as a communications medium for their constituency.

At CMDA there are several area and regional ministries using social media as a way to "network" with supporters and friends. The most recent addition to this group is the CMDA Chicago Area Ministry. New area director Michael Shafer established a Facebook page for Chicago for area members even before he officially took over when he was still in England. CMDA Louisville has a Facebook page as well. And there are plenty of individuals and student groups on Facebook who identify themselves as part of CMDA in some form or fashion.

This is just one example of the social networking media available to us as we work to rise above the noise and become more relevant in the lives of our members, donors and friends.

The Next 100 Days will Determine the Last 100 Days

2008-04-21T07:43:00.000-07:00

I know many of you are looking forward to wrapping up another successful year of student ministry. Some of the students you have been ministering to for the past four years are about to graduate and move on to residency. Others will be back in the fall to continue their studies and I know you have already made plans to start their year off right with continuing and expanded ministry.

For many, the summer offers a bit of a breather and a chance to regroup and, hopefully, de-stress. But I also wanted to encourage you to make it a time to further build the relationships with those who so faithfully support the work of CMDA and your ministry.

What you do over the next 100 days in the area of fundraising and relationship building will directly impact the success you have in the last 100 days of the year. Yes, I know it is “just” April, but we already need to be thinking and planning for the fall, and even year-end. For most of us, that is when the majority of our donated income will be realized.

The Plan

Here are a few ideas that should help you make the most of the next 100 days.

Take some time to research your donor base and list your top 10 – 20 supporters in terms of financial donations. I would suggest looking at a 24 month snapshot of your givers. Look at patterns, frequency and total amount given.
After you have your list, contact each person and make an appointment to personally visit them. The purpose of this visit is simply to say “thank you” for their generous support and let them know your plans for the new year of ministry. Yes, email, phone calls and personal notes are great, but this is the time for a live, in person, face to face meeting. Nothing can ever replace the value of your taking the time and effort to do this. If some of your supporters are distant, a planned phone call (web cam visit?) may have to suffice. But if you have several concentrated in a specific location, it would be worth the trip. This is not a time to ask for money. And don’t worry that you are imposing on them in order to visit. Remember, these folks are giving money for your ministry. They want to hear how their gifts are making a difference in the lives of students and doctors.
Ask your current donors to introduce you to new potential prospects. Maybe one of your council members would be willing to host a get together where you could introduce your work and CMDA to new people. By doing that in the next 100 days you will have the opportunity to get to know these new people before year-end giving rolls around. This is the place to cast your vision for ministry.
After you have made these visits and contacts, look at your list again and decide who your very best 5 – 10 prospects are for the fall. Then get back to each of these folks in early fall and remind them why your ministry with CMDA is unique. Tell them what you are doing that no one else is doing and why it matters. Tell them stories of ministry success. It takes clear vision to capture the hearts and minds of major donors.
Finally, in mid-November, prepare and deliver a personal proposal for your very best current/potential donors. This does not have to be complicated. A simple, one page document laying out the problem and solution is plenty. Especially if you have been communicating with this person over the previous few months with a clear vision for ministry.
After a week or so, follow up and make sure your proposal was received (if you had to mail it) and ask if there are any questions about the document.

I hope this is helpful and if you have any questions or comments please feel free to post them here or contact us directly at stewardship@cmda.org. You can also refer to your Field Staff Manual: Guidelines for Fundraising on the topic of donor cultivation and solicitation. If you do not have a copy of this document, please email us and we will get one right out to you via email.

Wecome to CMDA Development Notes

2008-04-18T08:06:00.000-07:00

Thanks for stopping by the new CMDA Development Notes blog. I hope you will subscribe via email and that you will find the information posted here in the future to be helpful. It is our desire to provide as much useful information as possible on the topic of development and fundraising so you can use it in your ongoing ministry. This is also an excellent way for you to make comments and ask questions that may be valuable to other CMDA staff members.

I plan to include lots of helpful links and feeds from various fundraising resources as well as posts specific to your work as CMDA field staff. I am working on an article now that should be up by Monday on how to implement a development strategy in the next 100 days that will positively impact the support you receive in the last 100 days of the year.

I hope you will find this service helpful as we move forward together Changing Hearts in Healthcare!