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Your opening line has a BIG impact on how your donors react and feel

Your opening line has a BIG impact on how your donors react and feel.

Notice, I didn’t start with, “How WE open OUR year-end messages…” or “The Artful Asker has a tremendous success record of year end giving results…”

Why?

It’s all about you.

It’s NOT about me.  It’s not about my company.

Sure…WE accomplish things together.  Sure, my MORE Major Gifts workshop propels folks to greater major giving success. Yep, my VIP clients raise millions working with me. Indeed, my Dream-Act-Achieve Coaching clients are happier and more productive! Blah, Blah, Blah. You don’t want to be sold. Neither do your donors.

It’s all about you.

How you show up to embrace these most generous months will determine your year-end results.  Talk TO your givers, not AT them. This is about your year-end letters and emails, annual reports, and impact brochures. Whatever you send…beginning now.

Before you begin… remember, the OUTSIDE of the envelope or SUBJECT line has to make it past the garbage and delete key.

You will enjoy these 10 tips for annual appeal letters! 

Then you will get to readGenerosity with hands an actual sample piece I’ve reworked to show you what I mean.

1.    The very first sentence needs to be directed to YOU and the very first paragraph needs to say it all. Really.

It may well be all they read.

2.    Your core message is only 4-5 sentences and bolded.

In a nutshell, what is your message?

  • You are important to us for your partnership and support.
  • Your giving has an impact. Thank you.
  • Yes, there is more to do.
  • Would you consider a gift now?
  • PS Big hug moment. Would you consider a gift now?

If you just read the bolded sentences, it should read like a mini-piece within the larger piece,  hang together and make sense.  The bolded sentences are all many will read…after the first line, or in place of the first line.

3.    Read whatever you write OUT LOUD.

How does it flow? If you stumble or gasp for breath reading it – shorten the sentences, use easier words to read. (That doesn’t mean dumbing it down)

4.    Use whatever length you need to tell the story.

There are successful, informative 4-page appeal letters BUT they are engaging and YOU-focused top to bottom.  I think it’s hard to write so I generally stick with one page.

5.    “Join me” flows from the signatory’s lips.

If the piece needs a signature, (appeal letter, message in year-end report, etc) the person signing this needs to be someone who can invite their giving from a place of giving too. It’s that simple.  Probably not the ED, Pastor, CEO. Who can say, “Join me in giving.”

6.    PS is your place for action and emotion

PS Only the first $10,000 in gifts received will be matched. Double your impact, now!

PS My wife, Julie, and I give because we so believe in these young people. Prayerfully consider joining us with your gift now so we can bring more students into the Chapel.

PS You can stop the hurting. Join us with your gift yet this year.

7.    Pictures still say 1000 words

Find great ones and make this as BIG as possible!

8.    ASK or THANK – not both

Have a single purpose for your correspondence. While you can always be grateful, when you are asking, ASK.  When you are saying, “Thank you”, don’t have your hand out for more. The donor deserves to have at least 3 pure thanks touches before you ask again.

9.    Make it easy to givemake it easy

Hire help to make it all work on the back end if you have to – make it easy to send in, press the button, whatever.

10.  REPEAT…and repeat….and repeat

Yes, even if it feels like it is too much.  Do it anyway, We are a society of second and third chances. We hit delete expecting it will come around again. We toss it thinking there will be another.

And Now…thanks for Nancy Gerard for letting me use her piece to launch the next phase of the campaign as an example.

Continuing the Mission…

The next stretch for success! 

We are delighted to report success in surpassing our first fundraising goal of $12 million for the Continuing the Mission initiative that was established in 2015!

Our goal was to raise funding for facilities, student support and program enhancements for Georgia-Cumberland Academy that would set this school on solid footing and prepare us for a bright future.  Now, three years into this initiative, our hearts are bursting with joy as we see what God has done through people like you and through the support of the Georgia-Cumberland Conference, foundations, and businesses.

Because of you we were able to dedicate and officially open the new Wally Fox Wellness Center, which includes a new large gym, cafeteria, classroom and fitness facilities.  Because of you, students are up early working out and improving their personal fitness.  Because of you we are able to host large events in our new gymnasium.  Because of you, students and staff are enjoying healthy meals in our new dining commons.  Because of you, groups are able to meet to accomplish important work in the new private dining room.

But we aren’t done yet!

As we take this Next Stretch for Success, we seek donors like you who are interested in naming opportunities to fund the completion of our new facilities and renovations of the existing spaces.

In our Next Stretch for Success, we will look for partners like you to help us reach our goals to fully fund the additional scholarships and endowments we need.

Finally, the Next Stretch for Success will find us seeking those who are interested in providing funding for strong, cutting edge programs such as sports, music, student life and campus ministries.

Thank you for partnering with us in the Next Stretch for Success!   

rewrite  Here’s Marcy’s Rewrite…

Continuing the Mission…

The next stretch for success! 

Thanks to you our first fundraising goal of $12 million for the Continuing the Mission initiative has been passed!

In 2015, you challenged us to set GCA on solid footing and prepare us for a bright future. To accomplish this we embraced a big vision to raise funds for facilities, student support and program enhancements. Now, three years into this initiative, our hearts are bursting with joy as we see what God has done through people like you and through the support of the Georgia-Cumberland Conference, foundations, and businesses.

Because of you we were able to dedicate and officially open the new Wally Fox Wellness Center, which includes a new large gym, cafeteria, classroom and fitness facilities.  Because of you, students are up early working out and improving their personal fitness.  Because of you we are able to host large events in our new gymnasium.  Because of you, students and staff are enjoying healthy meals in our new dining commons.  Because of you, groups are able to meet to accomplish important work in the new private dining room.

Because of you, our Next Stretch for Success is possible!

As we take this Next Stretch for Success, partners like you interested in naming opportunities will fund the completion of our new facilities and renovations of the existing spaces.

In this Next Stretch for Success, partners like you will help fully fund the additional scholarships and endowments needed for our students to experience GCA.

And, in this the Next Stretch for Success partners like you will invest in funding for strong, cutting edge programs important to you, such as sports, music, student life and campus ministries.

Thank you! We have every confidence that God will stir our hearts as we take this Next Stretch for Success together! 

Get writing!  I’ll share some emails next time.

Invest in JOY®

  

 

Marcy Heim is a trusted authority in the development profession and helps organizations and educational institutions boost their major gift programs through artful, long-term relationship building that dramatically increases fundraising success while promoting increased staff job satisfaction. To receive a free chapter from Marcy’s book, Empower Your Board to Serve as Effective Development Ambassadors, click here.

Questions:  Contact KK Konicek at KK@MarcyHeim.com

“You can’t have fun without Excellence.” – Get BOTH in YOUR Year-End Results

Professor Mike Leckrone, 82, is completing his 50th year directing the Marcy Trumpet with Prof MikeUniversity of Wisconsin Marching Band. He shared his plans with humor. “My doctors said I needed to slow down… so I’m looking for new doctors.” For most of my undergrad years the band was not open to women. Sensing this was Mike’s last year directing, I was determined to fulfill a life-long goal and be a part of it – even if only for a few hours on the practice field enrolled as a ‘special student.’ No matter if you’re 18 or 80 getting into the band is based on mastering the unique marching style, endurance, musicianship AND how far above 100% you push.

Professor Leckrone knows my fundraising for the band endowment, as a band donor myself and jumping at his invitation to sing in his famous Varsity Band Concert (you can see it here).

Mike said, “You can’t have fun without excellence!” to more than 350 returning and prospective band members, me among them, after the 4th day of the rigorous try-outs.  Now let me connect the dots on how this applies to your Year-End fundraising.  Your year-end results CAN be fun to achieve…but only with excellence in planning and execution.Planning

1. Get ahead of the (football) game.

Mike is creating his football shows MONTHS ahead. The band is over-prepared and early for everything.

My clients have heard this since mid-August.  I get really riled up this time of year.  Why?  Because I KNOW that if we just start THINKING about Year-End NOW we will have both more fun and better results.

NOW is the TIME to start thinking and planning for Year-End.

You know it is coming. And I will promise you there will be hiccups to deal with along the way.

Ask….

  • What can I do NOW to make everything flow more smoothly?
  • What went well last year?
  • What was a complete panic where I said, “NEVER AGAIN!”
  • Did I ever feel bad about my family last year…(sigh)?

Stop. Reflect. Think. NOW.

Right now go to your calendar and set aside 1-2 hours with your laptop or a yellow pad and just remember last year.

  • Were you frantic to get important year-end major donor appointments?
  • Did you pay extra to get the year-end letters printed and mailed?
  • Was there a big typo in a year-end email?
  • Were you running like crazy to be ready to celebrate Rosh Hashanah last week?
  • Were you wrapping Christmas gifts at 2 am the night before Christmas?
  • Did you fall asleep at the Thanksgiving table?

When you get a head start

I am talking your WHOLE life – not just your work.  Do a full brain dump onto a piece of paper or into a word doc. I used to groan loudly and say, “Why do these stupid stores have Halloween out already?” They are helping you get going and you need to start NOW. At this writing, my house is decorated for Halloween.  NO candy yet – it would be consumed by Halloween, but I will enjoy these decorations for 2 full months.

2. Draft your 3 KEY Messages and overall theme.

Whenever someone hears your organization’s name…what do they think?

What do you WANT them to think?

Theme:

“Investing in tomorrow’s leaders with XYZ yields big dividends.”

Key messages:

“Our participants rise above self-doubt.”

“Our graduates change health care and science literacy in their communities.”

“Your giving supports 1287 participants in 32 counties just like Joe from Mayville (his story).”

I know you are supposed to create your overall theme first, but I think FIRST write up your 3 KEY MESSAGES and they will lead you to the overall theme.  Then pick the theme, colors, photos, etc for everything.  Get everyone together and have a blast doing this. (Wine helps)

3. Relationship Building

Professor Leckrone has 50 years of UW students, band members (some multi-generation), band families, 80,000+ fans at the football games, athletic partners, band concert attendees most of whom he has inspired in person. Sure, he has a zillion likes on Facebook, but that’s never used to REPLACE personal connections – only enhance them.

NOW…make a list of every potential major donor visit you want to have between now and December 15th.  Call, text, write, all of these folks – NOW.  Your message?  “This happened today (10 word story) and it made me think of you and how much we appreciate you.”  For those prospective major donors you must see prior to year-end say, “I promise to be in touch again to set up some time for us to get together before the year is through.”  Your next call is, “Remember I promised to be in touch….”  This one thing will make you SO much more comfortable setting up your year-end donor visits.  Alternately, you don’t do anything now and you feel like a money-grubber in a panic calling in November and December for that year-end gift.  You are kicking yourself for not reaching out SOMEHOW.  Do it now.

Take the same action for your annual appeal work.  “Giving Tuesday – Hold the date now!”  “Look for how you can be a part of our annual Work-Study program success – you’ll get a letter in November.”  “Like the last minute to give? (13% of all donors do!) Look for 3 amazing stories to wrap up the last three days of your year with us.”

4. Show Appreciation

Professor Leckrone talks about everyone else who has made the band great — the Athletic Department, parents, Professors, fans….constantly giving specific examples of how THEY supported the band and shared Badger Spirit.  In reality, Mike makes the band great and sometimes these very groups get in the way of the band’s success.  Mike makes them ALL PARTNERS in the success of the band.

For your most MAJOR DONORS, ask, “What can I do so you really understand just how much I appreciate you?”  They will tell you and they will enjoy the question.  Listen and do it.

Think of creating a steady stream of appreciation….involving as many others as possible all with a single focus – expressing sincere and specific thanks – with NO ASK!

Phone calls from your board, staff, volunteers and recipients…Script this.  “Thank you…I am simply calling to say, “Thank you for sharing the vision, values and goals of XYZ.”  Shut up and hang up. NO ask!

heart

Mail a postcard. Send an email.  THANKS with NO ASKS!  Just results of giving.  Just impact of giving. Just the JOY OF GIVING!  This is FUN!

Thank your family and close friends.   Wish them well for the holidays.

5. Block your time NOW

Marching Band practice is 3-5 pm every day during football season…plus some extra for music rehearsals.  When you are in the band, you block off ALL this time and then get everything else done around it.

Time to planAs you approach year-end, block off your time now for MAJOR GIFT SUCCESS!  Here’s how.

1. For larger organizations – get the plan together TOGETHER!

2. When you juggle many things…..MOST time for your major gift calls.

3. WRITE ALL YOUR YEAR-END MAJOR GIFT ASKS BEFORE OCT 1st!  If you don’t know what to ask for, write your best guess and get an appointment to test your ask.

4. Take off for the most important family traditions, school shows with the kids, etc.

5. Who do you need with you on your calls? Connect with them and get open dates to use in setting up visits.

6. Schedule work blocks to create postcards, appeal letters, and year-end emails.  Share for input as needed but remember…YOU are the development professional!   Do these in the order they need to launch.  Delegate whenever possible.  Remember – simple, clear, direct. NO jargon. Few we’s and I’s.

6. Define Excellence!

Notice that excellence is NOT perfection.  Seeking perfection stymies our productivity.  Embrace the notion that it is “good enough.”  (This took me forever to grasp – seemed like failure somehow.)

Does it help the giver make the giving decision that will bring them joy?

Do you make it easy to give?

Do you give them a second and third chance? (It’s a busy time you know!)

Have you made your own gift joyfully?

Excellence is doing those things well that add to your results.  It is NOT doing Make things much betterthe newest, latest greatest thing. It is not doing everything. It is resisting those “distractions” that everyone is talking about.

You can’t have fun without excellence.  A small shift in your thinking will yield big results.  YOU can have fun this year-end and experience excellent success.  I believe it for you.  And when you believe, you’ll be believed!

Invest in JOY®

  

 

Marcy Heim is a trusted authority in the development profession and helps organizations and educational institutions boost their major gift programs through artful, long-term relationship building that dramatically increases fundraising success while promoting increased staff job satisfaction. To receive a free chapter from Marcy’s book, Empower Your Board to Serve as Effective Development Ambassadors, click here.

Questions:  Contact KK Konicek at KK@MarcyHeim.com

Wanna Do EVERYTHING Better?

Do you agree there’s magic in Three’s? number 3

The research will support you on this.  Going to the store for three things?  You say them to yourself. Ok. Four?  Probably need to write a list. There is something “doable” and memorable about three. This is important to understand in both your major gift development work…and your life.  And you know I want BOTH to ROCK for you!

Why is this practice of three important?

  1. Clarity – we can take it in verbally and in writing.
  2. Priority – what REALLY is the first priority?  The ole’ “urgent” vs “important” conundrum.
  3. Mindset peace – managing three of anything does not feel overwhelming for most.

While this applies to EVERYTHING you want to do better, let me share three (of course) examples of applying the Practice of Three:

  1. Year-end appeals (it’s time to be planning these!)
  2. Major donor relationships (where your transformative giving happens!)
  3. Your day, Your week, Your life (where you get your so-important personal JOY!)

Clarity, priority & mindset

Year-end appeals (it’s time to be planning these!)

It’s that time of year. Start now in planning and creating a successful year-end appeal process.  This includes the direct mail, email, social media and sometimes annual fund personal visits to inspire the most generosity during the historically most generous time of year.

3 messages

How can the Practice of Three help you?

1. Create your Three KEY MESSAGES about your impact, complete with a story for each.  Don’t go wandering off from these in ANY communication or toss in a last-minute additional idea. FOCUS! When anyone – donors, board, recipients, volunteer, community – thinks about you, what immediately comes to their minds?  Sure, change up the format to fit the delivery method, but don’t waver from the THREE key messages.

2. Create your Three (or multiples of 3) touches.  How many total messages you send depends on what you can manage well, given your unique circumstances.

3. In all your messages, are you vomiting information on them?  Be sure each letter, email, text, post has three, and only three total “things” going on.  For example, “update story, opportunity to invest, clear ask.”

Major donor relationships (where your transformative giving happens!)

Let’s look at three components of creating high-value Major Donor Relationships. 

1. Marcy’s Major Donor visits

Prior to each visit consider what three goals you want to accomplish on the visit.  These might be 1) build rapport, appreciate and learn something about your giver, 2) deliver up to three key messages about your organization’s impact and options for investment and 3) set up a clear next step.

2. Marcy’s Major Donor letter

For my 20+ successful years personally raising major (5-7 figure) gifts, I structured every correspondence with three elements. These were 1) sincere appreciation, 2) copy around options for them in terms of dollars required to accomplish a certain impact and 3) the next action for them to look forward to.

3. Marcy’s 3-sentence ask

Since the Fundraising and Development Conference was launched at the University of Wisconsin 25 years ago, I’ve been teaching my 3-sentence ask.  (Go here for a download of the worksheet).  In a nutshell, you create three sentences; You have (a sincere compliment about them and their relationship with you). You understand (their connection to this ask). Would you consider a gift of ($____) for (project/purpose).

Your day, Your week, Your life (where you get your so-important personal JOY!)

Overwhelmed? Most of us have moments of this daily. Managing it requires many practices and the simplicity of three can be a major step towards enjoying the journey of life more.

3 keys

1. Your Day

Your three steps…1) Begin your day with STATING LOUDLY, “I CREATE MY LIFE!” This declares that you are taking personal responsibility for what happens in your day. You are not a victim of circumstances.  Life does not happen TO you. YOU are in the driver’s seat.  Then, 2) What will move your most important goals forward today? What three actions must you take to smile at day’s end? DO these. And finally, 3) Give thanks each day for all that is good in your life.

2. Your Week

My VIP clients all complete my 7-Day Summit each week and have an accountability call with me. They credit this practice as the single most critical piece of their success in accomplishing both personal and professional goals.  Within this summit, we lay out the three top priorities for the next week in addition to exploring both mindset and methods factors that contributed to the week they experienced.

3. Your Life

They are those who make the simple complex (but oh are they busy) and those who make the complex simple.  Truly it is peeling away the layers of needless jargon, comparison, and getting caught up in the drama of the day that leaves room for the white space where you can enjoy your life.  Creating three simple ideas about what makes your life ideal sets this as an intention.  Our words become our thoughts and our thoughts become our feelings which in turn dictate how we take the action that leads to our results. Whew! A long journey to get something done!

My wish for you is to apply the Practice of Three imperfectly.  Keep giving it a whirl and you will discover that it sets clear intentions for your work and life.  “Everything” is NOT due today.  “Everyone” is NOT expecting something from you.  “Everybody” is NOT wanting one thing more from you.

“Today before Tomorrow.”  Enjoy this great work and life we “GET” to lead!

Invest in JOY®

  

 

Marcy Heim is a trusted authority in the development profession and helps organizations and educational institutions boost their major gift programs through artful, long-term relationship building that dramatically increases fundraising success while promoting increased staff job satisfaction. To receive a free chapter from Marcy’s book, Empower Your Board to Serve as Effective Development Ambassadors, click here.

Questions:  Contact KK Konicek at KK@MarcyHeim.com

Four Tips to Finding Fulfillment in Fundraising!

You could feel the excitement as the dots connected at my MORE Major Gifts workshop! Artful relationship MORE Major Gifts group Aug 2018 management! YES!

This class, for the first time, contained a Board President, Director of Development and Development Assistant – all from the same organization!   You can be sure they will meet a massive year-end matching challenge after attending together!  WoHOO!

Regardless of the role you play, funding your mission is fulfilling like nothing else!

It can also be overwhelming and frustrating.  We ALL share a common theme of too many distractions, too many tasks to get done, too much pulling us away from major gift work and just too much.

Here are Four Tips for Finding YOURSELF on the “Fulfilled” side of the equation.

 4 Tips for Finding Fulfillment in Fundraising!fulfillment

1. Focus; If only we could focus on being focused!

  • Phone calls, Email messages, Text messages, Notifications, Facebook updates, LinkedIn requests, Instagram, Snap, Twitter feeds, and mindless YouTube videos all scream…LOOK AT ME.
  • TV ads, Magazines, Bumper stickers, Car wraps and Billboards scream…LOOK AT ME!
  • Today’s news “crisis” Colorful banner ads, pop windows, click bait, fake news, unwanted survey’s, sensational and misleading headlines, endless hyperlinks all BEG for your click.

The goal of these relentless, aggressive siren songs from our environment?  Divert your attention so that what was once yours is now theirs – your focus. Your attention, energy, money (whatever) is now focused on them. Is it really any surprise that we are becoming less efficient, lagging in productivity and feeling more scattered?

The answer: Make the complex SIMPLE.

  • Ask yourself, “What will I do today to move my most important relationships forward?”
  • Skip a day on social media
  • Turn off the TV and don’t listen to the news or at least don’t go into drama over it
  • Start each day with gratitude calls – gratitude brings clarity
  • Listen to music with no vocals – just music
  • Reduce options in your life – Fewer restaurants, fewer activities. This sounds limiting, but actually will bring you calm.
  • Create a short “Yes” list of key priorities and stick to it. Say, “No” more.
  • Pile everything on your desk into one pile at the end of the day – looking less cluttered looks simpler when you come in tomorrow.
  • Keep a list of the day’s GET To Do’s (5 max) posted in the same place – in clear view
  • Schedule the 5 most important tasks you are doing in the day as appointments
  • When something takes you away – a donor drops in, great gift in the mail – say, “I choose to welcome this new action into my day” and embrace it, welcome it. This lets you be joyful instead of resentful.
  • Be completely quiet and still for 5 minutes and breath
  • Make your bed

2. Forward Thinking

You crack up if you are constantly looking in the rear-view mirror. Drive your car and your life the same – with forward thinking.

  • Stop saying, “You always…” about others or yourself. That drags along the past and doesn’t acknowledge that people can change.
  • Each morning you get to decide how you will walk through your day.  “I create my Life!”
  • Look forward to the results you want – have goals that excite you!
  • Talk as if the results you want have already happened. “When we complete this new building drive the new exhibits will wow our young science visitors!”
  • Talk about your donors as investors.  “With John’s investment and Sarah’s investment we will take a giant step forward.”  Talk about these gifts coming in – it will pull you into taking actions with the donors because you get eager to have the result you are talking about.
  • Endowments will ensure good continues.  Talk about endowment and the future. Have a great donor story to share and share it a lot!
  • ONLY look back at the end of each day to CELEBRATE what you DID get done this day!

3. Fun

Another day, another 24 hours of overwhelming demands. NO! Laugh. Just people laughinglaugh. It’s possible. Everyone will wonder what is going on.

  • Smile
  • Bring healthy food to share
  • Learn 3 corny, funny jokes…ie What did one sidewalk say to the other sidewalk?  Meet you on the corner.  HAHAHAHAHA.
  • Say nice things to others with energy and sincerity.
  • Blow bubbles.
  • Send flowers.
  • Leave little notes on your colleagues’ desks.
  • Be fun to be with.
  • Say, “I GET to do this work.” Shake this feeling of “Have to.” You picked this work and it is wonderful work – don’t allow it to become a mental chore for you.

4. Friendships

Funerals aren’t the only time to appreciate those around you as “friends.”

  • Have you gathered a group of “friends” that gripe about the world being distressing?  Do you engage in the drama or, as Nelson Mandela would advise, rise above it?
  • Hug a porcupine. We share the same values. Practice truly appreciating that someone believes exactly the opposite you do.  They are not stupid, or not enlightened, or wrong or bad. They just don’t believe what you do.
  • Take a suspicious view of “facts.”  As a scientist, my research would involve collecting data, analyzing that data, interpreting that data and inferring information from it. There were many opportunities to accidently or on purpose skew the results.  And you never “finish.” Tomorrow there will be a deeper level of understanding that changes everything you once believed as fact.  Butter, now exonerated, is a great example.  In other words – don’t judge others.
  • Embrace every opportunity to engage others in getting your goals accomplished.  Delegate clearly and often in every way possible! (and it’s ok if they mess up and don’t do it the way you do it)
  • Are your donors friends or not?  Do you only see them as sources of money and it is your professional work to shift that money to your organization?  It’s less complicated not to care, I get that but I’ll still go for “friendships” versus “professional acquaintances.”  To me this pulls me to be more focused on the donor’s outcomes as they relate to our funding priorities.
  • Be thankful every day for ALL of your relationships.  Best time is to say, “I am grateful for”…and list the names as you are laying in bed going to sleep.

love your life

For our fundraising work to be fulfilling, it must be focused on results that inspire us, forward thinking – looking to the good we are creating, fun and filled with laughter and filled with relationships managed with simple respect, kindness and love.

You are doing honorable, wonderful work. I applaud you and I am here for you – always.

Invest in JOY®

  

 

Marcy Heim is a trusted authority in the development profession and helps organizations and educational institutions boost their major gift programs through artful, long-term relationship building that dramatically increases fundraising success while promoting increased staff job satisfaction. To receive a free chapter from Marcy’s book, Empower Your Board to Serve as Effective Development Ambassadors, click here.

Questions:  Contact KK Konicek at KK@MarcyHeim.com

Your 3rd Quarter Vision. A million dreams is all it’s gonna take!

 As much as I am deliberately in the moment, present, drinking in every minute of this glorious summer, it is slipping past too fast.  Do you ever feel this?

And somehow summer explodes all sorts of new ideas in my head – different ways to inspire generosity, to serve my clients, to help YOU have more JOY and SUCCESS in your life and work.  I can hardly sleep!

bearded lady

Enter “The Greatest Showman.”  Make time to watch this musical.

 

It’s about P.T. Barnum and his zest for life, love and creating a circus.

 

He boldly allows the bearded lady and so many others a place where they can own who they are and be part of a family.

For me, it is summed up in these lyrics (that I am singing constantly)

Every night I lie in bed,
The brightest colors fill my head,
A million dreams are keeping me awake.
I think of what the world could be,
A vision of the one I see,
A million dreams is all its gonna take.
A million dreams for the world we’re gonna make!

Ok, now for a quick story …..

Yesterday, I was on a coaching call with an ED who is in urgent need of refocusing, and who desperately needs to have stronger major gift activity in the 3rd quarter and for the rest of the year.

Everyone seems busy, but the dollars just aren’t coming in and she is finally willing to invest in me for board and staff training followed by some continued coaching and accountability.

What’s her problem?

Might YOU be in the same spot? CHECK ALL THAT APPLY

1. You did not have a precise set of VISIT and ACTION goals when the year began.

2. If you did, you were not 100% committed to achieving them from the start.

3. You did not develop relationship action plans and hold yourself accountable to those actions.

4. You allowed yourself to lose focus and wasted a lot of time, talent and resources tuning into the daily drama, reading email, posting on Facebook and organizing your sock drawer.

5. You blamed your spouse, boss, ED, Dean, even your DONORS (Why are they on vacation when I want to see them?) for your inaction. The blame game takes a lot of your time.

6. You didn’t have a coach, accountability buddy or colleague to help you take control of your actions week-to-week.

It deeply concerns me when people think that they can really improve their 3rd quarter performance and finish the year strong by engaging in the same behavior, the same habits…the same strategies…the same beliefs…and the same work ethic that got them into this situation in the first place. We just go along…conforming to the wrong group.

Back to the ED…I told her…

“The things you need to be doing in the 3rd quarter, are the exact same things you should have been doing all year long.”

What exactly are those things that you NEED to be doing?

  • Focus on a small number of your highest potential major givers. Write 25 ‘Marcy 3-sentence asks’ NOW for completion by year-end.
  • Enforce non-negotiable deadlines for meeting with your top donors. It is your 1st priority EVERY DAY. Express appreciation, gather advice, get clarity on giving interests.
  • Treat everyone like a major donor. Add more value by being totally tuned into them and not YOU, your opinions or politics. Be sincere in helping them find their joy in giving! Focus on where you share the values and mission of your organization.  Be the person that’s FUN and positive to be with.
  • Take massive action and create a powerful sense of urgency. This includes planning now for Giving Tuesday and your year-end appeals.
  • Demonstrate discipline and be accountable for results. “I CREATE MY LIFE!
  • Embrace total optimism – Choose to be positive, kind and lift up others. Persevere no one ever made a differencethrough obstacles and blow through the dramas of the day.
  • Measure visits, plan next steps, write and practice my 3-sentence asks, involve your volunteer partners and commit to hitting those metrics…Every. Day.
  • Jump into my MORE Major Gifts course Aug 2-3 in Madison or be part of my Dream, Act, Achieve coaching group.  Get the support you need. It’s all on my website.

and most of all remember… ‘A million dreams is all its gonna take. A million dreams for the world we’re gonna make!’

Invested in your success!

Invest in JOY®

  

 

Marcy Heim is a trusted authority in the development profession and helps organizations and educational institutions boost their major gift programs through artful, long-term relationship building that dramatically increases fundraising success while promoting increased staff job satisfaction. To receive a free chapter from Marcy’s book, Empower Your Board to Serve as Effective Development Ambassadors, click here.

Questions:  Contact KK Konicek at KK@MarcyHeim.com

Problems & Challenges: Bring Em On!!

“The secret to success is not to try to avoid or get rid of or shrink from your problems; the secret is to grow yourself so that you are bigger than any problem.” —T. Harv Eker

Some days it seems everything is a challenge. Major gift calls cancel, the data base fails, you get bad news, it’s hot and you struggle. Other days it seems that no matter what you are faced with you somehow effortlessly plow right through. The size of the problem is not the issue; it is the size of YOU!

In a recent poll at a conference these challenges emerged for those in our profession.

  • 30% – Need more major gifts
  • 24% – Overwhelmed
  • 18% – Lack Clarity
  • 15% – Lack board support
  • 13% – Staffing issues

Being overwhelmed is high on the list!  Here are 3 problems that plague us in major gift development work and how to be bigger than they are.

1. Overwhelm and Gratitude. Your email box is forever full; there are always more prospective givers to see, family needs, and on and on.I like to look at overwhelm as nothing more than proof I am expanding! If I didn’t have more and more opportunities in all aspects of my life, I wouldn’t be overwhelmed! The key to busting this ‘problem’? GRATITUDE! Stop. Look at everything youwomen sunset gratefulhave to deal with — your development work, event, deadline, kids, volunteer work — and shout out loud, “Thank you for all of this in my life! I am grateful for this work, my family, my service. I am gratified I have the talent, resources and abilities to be given these many things to do!” Now just start one. You feel better, right?

 

2.Technology Mishaps  Oh, sure, TODAY your internet service acts up. Cell phone reception not good right when you need to make that call. Why is my Uber app not allowing me to ask for a ride?

Technology allows us to do some amazing things and serve so many more people. Again, the problem is not BIG; it is you who are small. To bust technology mishaps remind yourself how many more prospective givers and donors you can reach because we have today’s technology and social media; how many more options we have to share our impact — the joy and power of philanthropy! We can respond in ways our donors prefer. Also remember that pen, paper, handwritten note and a stamp together is still a powerful tool. A phone call with a quick, “thank you” is always an option. And praise yourself for all the knowledge you have acquired about technology — at whatever pace you have acquired it.

3. Unexpected Changes and Choosing Optimism  What? ________ (major donor name inserted here) called and is sick and can’t make our appointment? The beltline is backed-up from an accident? The flight is delayed!? The package didn’t arrive! It is always our choice. Stuff will continue to happen but it is ALWAYS our choice how we react to it. Anger, laughter, intense alternate probing. Decide right now if you want to ADD to the wreckage or ADD to the OPTIMISM. Surround yourself with others who choose to be optimistic. Don’t spread the crap by telling the story of your change over and over. How many of you spilled your coffee in the morning at home and have told 8 people about it by 10 a.m.? Stop that!

“Something good is going to happen to me!” Say this the second you are faced with an unpleasant change. You will like what happens!

Invest in JOY®

  

 

Marcy Heim is a trusted authority in the development profession and helps organizations and educational institutions boost their major gift programs through artful, long-term relationship building that dramatically increases fundraising success while promoting increased staff job satisfaction. To receive a free chapter from Marcy’s book, Empower Your Board to Serve as Effective Development Ambassadors, click here.

Questions:  Contact KK Konicek at KK@MarcyHeim.com

A Bizarre Tale from South Africa

Ever had a volunteer’s passion go to unhelpful extremes? Let me share a tale from my trip to South Africa.

We were told to bring candy, stickers and soccer balls, if we wished, for the fifty or so 1st to 8thgraders at a small black school near our safari camp.  So with candy, stickers and 4 soccer balls my camp colleague, Stacy, and I arrived at the school with our host, Karon, who planned “excursions” of all kinds. She energetically explained her big goals for the school…if only she could raise the money. Clearly she was passionate about the place and spent considerable time as a volunteer there.

During Apartheid, Karon explained, black children were not educated. Period. Nothing.  Today schools had been set up for these black children in very rural parts of the country, most at least 60 miles from the nearest town. Some went home at night to families that worked at the nearby safari camps. Others, with families far, far away, boarded at the school. We stopped briefly in 2 classrooms, passed out candy and took pictures. The oldest kids did not participate.  Then Karon suggested we pick 4 children to receive the 4 soccer balls Stacy had brought.  When we shook our heads, confused, Karon jumped in and selected 4 kids. Outside, with balls in hand, Karon told them “These are YOUR balls. You take them home. They belong to you – not the school.”  This was not our intention so I said to Karon, “There has been a misunderstanding. These balls are for the school.” This triggered an emotional, detailed response about how Karon wanted these kids to have something to call their own.  She dismissed the 4 selected kids and took us to see the new dining area without another word about the balls.

When we returned to the common area ALL the children were outside and the lead teacher was trying desperately to resolve a situation. The kids with the 4 soccer balls looked terrified. The older boys were wielding scissors and knives and stabbing in the air pointing to the kids, the balls and us.  Now I stepped in loud enough for all to hear and slowly stated that these balls were the gift from my friend FOR EVERYONE. I looked at Karon directly and said she was free to give balls SHE purchased differently but she could not do this with the ones we brought.  Karon objected, said we didn’t understand, burst into tears, and went to the car.  I asked the teacher to explain to the kids, in Africanize language, that the balls were for the school – everyone. This generated applause during which Stacy marched right into the previously angry pack of older boys and ask them to promise her that they would not harm the balls or anyone else.  As I held my breath, they agreed.  The teacher said that Karon didn’t let her talk to the people who visited the school about what they really needed. We were dumped back at camp after a mostly silent ride.  It was bizarre. While Karon certainly meant well, she clearly was channeling any safari visitors she could engage with a “visit a local school” excursion to HER ideas of what the school needed and even what the kids should value – clearly out of step with the culture.

impactful generosity quote

Here are my top 10 reflections from my time in South Africa. Perspectives I humbly share and welcome your consideration and, of course, hit “reply” with your reactions.

1. People like people like themselves. We are most comfortable with people like us. Similar voice volume, jesters, language, interests. Same color, opinions, culture? We are, by nature, fearful of what is different from us. Stronger groups will separate out those who are “different” and label them as “lesser.” Generations believe what they are told is truth. We want people to be like us. But when we have an opportunity to really BE with others, and really examine our beliefs and actions, we discover we are really more alike and our old beliefs are simply not valid. Then begins the awkward actions to connect differently after a past of poor behavior. It’s so simple and so complicated. You can’t change action until you change thinking.

2. Wild animals are WILD animals. With visions of Disney personifying every critter I encountered in my head, seeing animals in their natural setting was a vivid reminder that nature is filled with wild, powerful animals fighting over females, food and territory. We eat them; they eat us and each other. While I saw them frolicking through the wide open preserves, our challenge to manage these animals on today’s planet earth complete with 7.6 billion people was clear. You can’t go back in time and magically have only 1 billion folks to share planet earth with.

3. What you reward you expand. If the government gives you money for children, you will have more children to get more money. This has no impact on how these children are cared for.  Governments everywhere are challenged to think through how they “help” so it actually helps.

4. The roar of the ocean is a universal magnet. Every race, language, age and personality joined me on my daily walks along the shores of the Atlantic in Cape Town. And everyone responded in kind to a smile and English, “good morning.”  I feel empowered with unlimited abilities to be, and do, anything by the ocean.

5. Water does not come out of every tap. In both Cape Town and Johannesburg airports bottles of hand sanitizer sat by dry sinks. Wash your face? Forget it. Dry water fountains sent me to purchase bottled water. Forget refilling. Limited toilet flushes and timed showers make me appreciate my abundance of water here.

6. Being silent is restorative.  The long walks on Safari and by the ocean without a word, perhaps 2-3 hours at a time was a completely new experience for me. (Yes, I can shut up for that long.) The mind quiets and space is created.  We need White Space.

7. Life goes better when you look together. Every day, even if I was just going to be in the bush, I dressed intentionally and totally. The days just go better when you start by making your bed.

Marcy at Cape of Good Hope

8. Manners magnify relationship-building across cultures and languages. Somehow, “I beg your pardon” “Excuse me, sir” immediately brings people closer, even if you don’t understand the language. Manners count.

9. Oceans and sunsets and stars expand your possibilities.  I could see the entire Milky Way Galaxy and feel the endless possibilities. The relentless crashing of the rough Atlantic Ocean waves into the shore was energizing. South African sunrises and sunsets speak volumes to the promise and beauty of life. I CREATE ME LIFE!

10. Rise ABOVE. There is constant reference to the life and legacy of Nelson Mandela. Many repeat one word – Rise. But NOT as in “rise against” but rather RISE ABOVE…Rise ABOVE hate, Rise ABOVE oppression, Rise ABOVE circumstances. It is a timeless and powerful message that says we don’t have to fight to make change.  It comes from within each of us in small actions every day.

Marcy in South AfricaDuring my time in South Africa I experienced incredible animals, oceans, mountains and locals. In Cape Town, Nelson Mandela’s island prison cell was a bold testimonial that we can, indeed, manage our mindset no matter the circumstances.  So thank you. Thank you for allowing me to be mostly without internet, and out of touch, for much of the trip.

 

I challenge you to go somewhere out of your comfort zone and open yourself up to new beliefs. And thus we compose a good world.

Invest in JOY®

  

 

Marcy Heim is a trusted authority in the development profession and helps organizations and educational institutions boost their major gift programs through artful, long-term relationship building that dramatically increases fundraising success while promoting increased staff job satisfaction. To receive a free chapter from Marcy’s book, Empower Your Board to Serve as Effective Development Ambassadors, click here.

Questions:  Contact KK Konicek at KK@MarcyHeim.com

What does your future hold?

RJ

My son, RJ, just graduated from the UW Madison! Yep…we are bursting with pride and spent a wonderful 4 days celebrating. In a few short weeks he’ll be off to Boulder, Colorado and a new job with Major League Baseball Advanced Media creating some sort of mobile app. A sweet job, indeed. WoHOO!

At 23, his future is really bright!

What does YOUR future hold?

It seems we spend a good deal of time assessing the markets, wondering what direction the leadership will take us next, considering if it will rain on our vacation….

My first big keynote was for CASE V in Chicago in 2011. During this talk to newcomers in advancement, I challenged them to see great success in advancement work, to take full responsibility for what they accomplished and not to blame anyone or anything else if it didn’t happen. After the talk a young man came up and said to me, “You don’t understand. I have had so many things working against me from the start. I can’t possibly have the same chance to be successful as someone who didn’t have my challenges.”

Hmmmm.

Sometimes when I ask clients, ‘What do you see next for your career here?” or “What direction do you see this organization taking next?” I get sort of a shoulder shrug and hear, “Not sure, Marcy. Guess we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.”

Hmmmm.

What does your future hold?

“What does YOUR future hold? Seems to me it depends a lot on what you SEE!” Marcy Heim       

I begin all my talks by asking the audience to stand and shout, “Something gooooooooods gonna happen to me!” I first heard this from Joyce Meyer and found it to be an instant mood changer.

But what’s really going on here?

Well there’s actually a right way to think and a wrong way to think.

The wrong way to think leads to stress, anxiety and overwhelm in our advancement work and prevents us from having the personal and professional success we want.

The right way to think leads to more donors, more impact, more joy… and having it ALL.

The beautiful thing is — the right way to think can be learned. But like any new habit or skill…to learn it we have to change and practice.

The world’s most successful folks have learned how to consistently align their thoughts, feelings, and actions with their goals. In other words, they manage their thinking to align with the results they want.

For my eye-rollers now who only want tools, strategies and tactics I promise you that the tools, strategies and tactics you need most is how to be aware of, and lead, your thinking.

It sounds too easy to work I guess. But the reality is this:

Most people have some kind of inner conflict. They want to create “Outcome A.” But really, what they’re really thinking about is why “Outcome A” might not happen.

For example, you want to double your major gifts this year, but you focus on how many donors you’d have to find and meet with and what a struggle it is now to keep up with the major gift work you are doing now. You think about how hard it is to get the board to help, and that one past major donor just made a gift to another organization so she probably won’t give to you.

The result is stress, anxiety, and overwhelm — which begin to infect your conversations and life and your major gift work bombs. But, you were already prepared to justify this by blaming your lack of donors, your board and too much competition from other non-profits. It’s what you saw all along.

You have to SEE something and then you have to SAY something.

It’s about learning to be aware of and actually change your method of thinking, so it’s congruent with what you want to accomplish in the world. Here’s how.

  1. You have to SEE something. SET an INTENTION.

“Something goooooods gonna happen to me” sets an intention for each and every one of my talks. It instantly makes you SEE something good!

“We are having our best year for major giving yet!”

  1. You have to SAY something. Rewire your thinking.

Saying your intention out loud, OFTEN, pounds out new pathways of thinking in your brain. This is scientific fact – not woowoo.

  1. You have to DO something. Make a decision.

Often times we’ll think of many actions we could take. For some this is paralyzing. “What if I make the wrong decision?” Just hit “repeat” See something different, Say something different and make another decision.

Decisions lead to actions. Indecision leads to immobility. Clarity brings action. Confusion leads to a standstill. Action leads to results.

So back to RJ…..he first decided on an engineering degree. Half way through he discovered computer science and chemistry. So he watched his buddies graduate while he continued on. He discovered he loved classes where he worked as a team and that he learned so much better and easier if he built a study group. As he began applying for jobs, he’d say after an interview, “I can see myself working there” or, ‘I’m not sure that would be a place I’d be happy. Then some of the places he thought were great didn’t make an offer. He’d say, “Hmmm. They must have seen something in another candidate that was a better fit.” Sure, he was disappointed, but he was not defeated.

It was just time to see something new.

looking down a road

Then we can look at what happens in our days as part of our journey – a journey WE are leading, we can react to anything that happens to us by SEEING something new – setting a new intention, SAYING something new, not blaming our boss, spouse or board for what’s not going right, and TAKING ACTION toward what we are seeing and saying.

Because you can have all the strategies and tactics in the world — but if you don’t learn how to think in the right way, none of it will get you where you want to go.

Now let me hear you….

“Something gooooooooods gonna happen to me!”

Yes it is. I can see it!

Dedicated to inspiring you to see, say and do great things…..

Invest in JOY®

  

 

Marcy Heim is a trusted authority in the development profession and helps organizations and educational institutions boost their major gift programs through artful, long-term relationship building that dramatically increases fundraising success while promoting increased staff job satisfaction. To receive a free chapter from Marcy’s book, Empower Your Board to Serve as Effective Development Ambassadors, click here.

Questions:  Contact KK Konicek at KK@MarcyHeim.com

Part IV – If only my Board would help show our appreciation

It was a whirlwind four-conference speaking tour at the AFP International Conference, NAYDO, AFP Genesee Valley and LeadingAge Iowa. Even the 5:45 am flights were AWESOME!  (well that may be a bit of a stretch).

I must share the most amazing surprise at the AFP Genesee Valley Conference–  JOY cookies!  The entire conference was themed around my keynote – Invest in JOY – complete with these wonderful cookies! How can you NOT smile!  Thank you!

cookie with words JOY on it

Why am I making such a big deal about a cookie?  Well…my voice, my message is ALL ABOUT the JOY of GIVING!  These cookies made me feel SO SPECIAL – SO APPRECIATED!  Wow…what a feeling!

Perfect timing as we dig into engaging your Board’s help in acts of appreciation to your givers.

 

So let’s talk about Boards – Marcy Style – and in 4 Parts.

Today – PART IV – The Power of a Genuine Board Thank you and other shows of appreciation
Last time – PART III – Invite them to Invest! Giving their gift and helping make an Artful Ask  See it HERE –

Before that

PART II – Board Bonanza – Creating a Joyful Giver See it HERE

PART I – Building Trust to Begin See it HERE

 

Some people just have a way of making you feel so good. They have that special knack for knowing just what to do or say.

Actually, this is really is a learned skill. It comes from a special combination of two key ingredients.

  1. Genuinely being grateful, and
  2. Being keenly in-the-moment to observe what makes the recipient joyful.

When we invite our Board members to join us in creating deep, respectful, engaging and fun relationships with our givers and prospective givers, begin with my Cycle of Successful Relationships so they see the ENTIRE relationship-building process and the key roles they play around the cycle.

And note…my third phase of the cycle is called, “Invoking the Grateful Recipient.”  This means that we go beyond classic “stewardship” – where we provide appropriate management of the gift assuring it is put to the intended good purpose – to embracing our responsibility to help the donor ENJOY the giving. Helping the donor move from success to significance is a key part where our board members can help as they have hopefully experienced this feeling themselves. It moves a person from obligatory giving to that dopamine high the brain releases when we allow ourselves to enjoy the giving –  celebrate our giving.

quote board impact

Now here we go!  10 tips to help board members share appreciation.

  1. The Power of One

Every board member has a unique style. As members of the board, any sincere action they take will be deeply appreciated by the donor.  It’s not about the perfect words, or gift or note – it’s about indeed being grateful.

  1. Make it fun

Even for challenging missions – domestic abuse, addiction, and the like, having fun, being joyful as you thank is valued by the givers. Giving should feel good.

  1. Brainstorm on meaningful actions

Respect that your board members have some great ideas. Take time at a board meeting or get 2-3 board members together and talk about what they think donors would like to feel appreciated. Remember, just saying “thanks” anytime anywhere is always on the list! What about gifts? Make them simple, not too expensive and reflective of mission.

  1. Engage board members to make the touch

Many of you already have note cards and donor info at Board meetings and board members write out thank you notes on the spot. You can also ask them to drop off an annual report, event invite, or picture of your mission in action.

  1. Quarterly touches as part of Relationship Action Plans

Board members are perfect partners to help with continuous gratitude. As development professionals we have lots of good intentions. Appreciation actions often get postponed in our busy days. Board members are perfect to schedule out ahead of time to connect and thank.  Plan the touches and board members will be much more likely to help.

rock with Thank You on it

  1. Use a communication style the donor likes or stands out

Board members can have a big impact when you pair them with someone who communicates the same way – phone, text, in person, written, Facebook etc. OR, pair them with someone completely different.  The unexpected phone call – just to say thanks – can be very impactful.  GET YOUR Thank you Script here!

  1. Create a System that is comfortable and achievable for each board member.

Some make 3 calls each week – they love to be on the phone.  Some will come on calls, some have a knack for hearing about good deeds of donors and recognizing these as well as extending thanks.

  1. Group touches

I love little events….those gatherings of 6-9 folks at a board member’s home or club. They are personal, fun and really relatively easy. No formal invites, no silent auction. Just an update of impact, appreciation and fun.

  1. Must be genuine

Whatever you and your board do, you can smell a money-hungry fake miles away. If you are giving thanks to get money it shows. Gracious donors will be pleasant and decide to give elsewhere – where they are authentically appreciated.

  1. NO SOFT ASKS

When I do Campaign Readiness Studies, after I ask the regular questions, I add on a bit of conversation about how we development folks are doing. One thing that almost ALWAYS comes up, “Can you ever say ‘thank you’ without your hand out?”

Be certain to help your Board understand that “Thank you” followed by, “We look forward to your continuing support” is not a thank you, it’s an ask. OR “We look forward to having you a part of the XYZ Charity family next year.” is not a thank you, it’s an ask. Say thank you and shut up.

The very best part? It feels so good to recognize another’s’ investment in a mission you both are passionate about. With many donors now giving anonymously to avoid press or increased unwelcomed solicitations, you enhance their giving joy in just the way that is meaningful for them. Are you stuck on that?  Try the question, “What can we do to be absolutely positive you know how very much we appreciate your support?” or “Help us understand how we can say ‘thank you’ the very best?

I appreciate YOU!  I am thankful for YOU and the gift you are to your donors and beyond. Thank you for choosing to lift up those around you with the power and joy of generosity!

Invest in JOY®

  

 

Marcy Heim is a trusted authority in the development profession and helps organizations and educational institutions boost their major gift programs through artful, long-term relationship building that dramatically increases fundraising success while promoting increased staff job satisfaction. To receive a free chapter from Marcy’s book, Empower Your Board to Serve as Effective Development Ambassadors, click here.

Questions:  Contact KK Konicek at KK@MarcyHeim.com

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(608) 772-6777

Marcy Heim Consulting | The Artful Asker
2679 Fahey Glen
Madison, WI 53711

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