Tag Archive for: mindset

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Want different fruit- look at the roots?

Don’t like the fruit? Look at the roots.

Are you and your board disappointed with your results? Are you struggling to get together on a plan for growth? Not sure what you can raise?  Wish you had more time with your family? Wish the Board was more ‘on board’? Weren’t working evenings? Down to that number on the scale?apple tree

These are all fruits.

And we spend a great deal of time looking at them, talking about them, and analyzing them.

There are not enough of them. They are not big enough. They are not red enough.  And on and on.

Recently one of my Dream, Act, Achieve coaching clients shared a financial spreadsheet for the board. It was a page of numbers…and a projected 13% increase to allow for a needed hire and other infrastructure. The board wanted reassurance that raising this increase was really doable.

Here’s the big problem.  A TREE CUT OFF FROM ITS ROOTS WILL DIE.  If something infects the roots, it will decline.

Instead – Focus on the roots that grew the fruit. It’s your actions that lead to your results. It’s your inner world (mindset) that brings success in your outer world (results).

focus roots

What if under these numbers you draw the direct connection to the roots that are needed to grow this fruit?

————————————————–

To achieve these results requires the following actions:

1. An increase of X many more in-person visits by the development staff to engage X new major gifts of $X and above.

2. 100% meaningful giving by the Board to demonstrate their leadership and passion for the mission.

3. X Board calls to connect a prospective giver to the development team.

4. X communications out to all current donors so they continue to see the impact of their giving

5. X phone calls to set up appointments.

6. X phone calls by staff, board and volunteers to express appreciation for gifts of time and money.

7. X sponsorships for success at the next event.

8. Canceling X event to free up staff time for more productive activity.

9. Setting clear priorities and giving options.

10. X number of facility tours with current and prospective givers.

And so on….

My point?  If you only show the board numbers, that is what they will focus on.  What you focus on you grow – BUT – you are only giving them part of the story.  The focus must be on the actions needed to produce the results.

These “roots” are written right into the spreadsheet with the numbers.  It’s a package.

Then the board understands what is really needed for these results.  Are they all willing to invest? Do they understand the staff time needed to make all the calls?

When reviewing an event, do we lay out only numbers?  So many tables, money goals?  Or do we lay out the number of staff hours in set up and arrangements needed, the number of conversations each board member needs to have at the event, the number of phone calls by the board and staff prior to the event to invite key current and prospective givers, time collecting silent auction prizes, etc etc.

You won’t have the fruit you want until you get clear about what’s needed in the roots.

This also applies to your personal “fruits.”  What are the roots that lead to the fruits you don’t like? These are all situations I am coaching right now….Current Fruit and Change needed in Roots (mindset)

1. Current fruit – missing time with family. A leader/manager picking up work for an unproductive staff member to avoid enforcing performance expectations and difficult performance conversations and missing evenings with family.  Root change – respect yourself. You are worthy of high performing team members. You don’t need to cover for poor staff performance to be loved.

2. Current fruit – overweight, tired.  Placing work and personal activity over buying and preparing better meals. Skipping walks and workouts. Root change – You are worthy of your own self-love and making self-care a priority.

3. Current fruit – Overwhelmed. Letting others via email and text set your agenda instead of doing your more important tasks first. Root change – Set times to look at email, don’t start your day with it. List your top 3 items and do them first. You can set boundaries and still be liked and respected.

So, from now on, dig deeper and discover what is at the ‘root’ of your challenges.  I promise you will enjoy the ‘fruit’ so much more!

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 are a Gift! I appreciate you.

 

Roses are Red

Violets are Blue

YOU are a gift!

I appreciate YOU!

HeartMay your Valentine’s Day be filled with love, your favorite chocolate and flowers. There is still time to shine and share your love and appreciation with YOUR special family, givers and friends.

Create your own Roses are Red verse.  Email it, text it or call and leave it as a phone message. Simple and sincere is special and powerful!

And I DO appreciate you

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

Fundraising Lessons from Shelling in Florida

You are in an honorable and noble profession and your work is SO important. It’s challenging and rewarding. Fine-tuning your own restoration is as important as continually learning new skills.

For me, there’s nothing like the ocean to restore a full tank of optimism and energy!  And, there is nothing more powerful than storytelling.  So here’s my story from my temporary Florida home on the shore of Venice Beach. May it lift you up!

Marcy Holly Mike Shelling

Florida beaches are laden with shells – thousands of them.  Honestly…where do you even start if you want to find that “perfect” shell?

Certainly you can just get out there and look!  Time flies by walking endless miles of beach. Depending on the tide, there can be corners deep with shells.  It’s overwhelming actually.

Or, you partner with others, listen to what the “locals” know, and do some research on the internet.  Soon you learn that Casperson Beach is a great place to find Shark’s teeth, Venice Beach has vast quantities of Kitten Paws, beaches you can only get to by boat are more exclusive and boast rarer shells, and so on.

You discover there are tools to help you.  Shark teeth metal sifters, long-handled net baskets, shell bags and more. Some seem helpful, some just sort of get in the way. You learn the tools that serve your particular mission.

In the vast diversity of what is out there do you even know what you are looking for?  Is it just the most valuable shell?  Is it a shell that has a certain color or will work for a specific project?

Dawn Marie is caring for my cats while I’m gone and I wanted a meaningful way to say “thank you.”  My friend, Holly, pointed out these beautiful dainty shells called Kitten Paws or Cat’s Paws. She suggested I glue these to a small vase suitable for a votive candle. Her partnership detailed the specifics of the project beyond what I could have done on my own even as well as I know my cat sitter! This brought clarity to my vision for shelling!

But what was Holly looking for?  She was seeking Fighting Conch shells for a home landscape project. So we worked together to find both her shells and my shells making both of us more successful more quickly.

SO many shells – my goodness! Are the right ones even out there?  Those that truly fit my mission?  Every time I shelled I visualized that THIS WAS THE TIME I would find a perfect shell. I could see them in my mind. I proclaimed out loud, “Today I will have success!”  And I believed it!

I would share my dream, my vision, with others. On one excursion I told Mike, “I believe today I will find a sand dollar!”  So far, I just didn’t seem to have the knack for seeing them…usually mostly hidden in the sand.  A bit farther down the beach, Mike called me to him, and with a sparkle in his eyes said, “Look around here.”  There was a perfect sand dollar!  We don’t always get our results they way we expect.  They can appear as opportunities.  Sharing my goal, believing we could do it better together, had led to success! He got excited about my vision and invested in making it happen with his time and resources.

Flower Shells

But it was also frustrating. SO many shells looked so good at first, only to be broken. Really…that was the vast majority of them. They were not perfect. I threw them down again. My friend, Holly, gently said, “To me, these shells look like flowers.”  WOW! What a different perspective!  I could suddenly see how they could fit into my shelling projects. There were shells with holes. Rats. Holly saw these as natural necklaces.

After days of this, I had quite a collection. Glue gun in hand, I quickly discovered that no two shells are alike making it hard to uniformly complete my Kitten Paw candle holder. Pressing on, taking imperfect action, the result was gorgeous BECAUSE of the diversity of the shells.

Shell centerpieceWhen creating a centerpiece, the “perfect” shells combined beautifully with the “flowers” (broken shells). Your eye might be drawn to the largest shells, the biggest contributors, but scores of smaller shells filled in the empty spaces establishing the foundation for the rest. For some projects, using just one type of shell produced dramatic results.

Shells require some care and not each one the same way. For the Sand Dollars, appreciating their unique, fragile nature and coating them with glue strengthens them so you can enjoy them for a life time. Other shells need only a periodic dusting to continually contribute to the collection.

Finally, my fundraising colleague, Don Gray, in Florida Shell with Lifetoo, pointed out that EVERY shell, regardless of size or type, had already contributed as a home to a living creature. Even the tiniest of shells piled up in the sand, had a unique and significant story.

Take aways:

  1. You don’t find shells sitting in your office.
  2. Embrace the tools that best serve you, not every new gadget is a fit.
  3. Clarity on your end goal focuses you, even if it morphs along the way.
  4. What you focus on, you find.
  5. Let others be part of getting the result. You don’t need all the glory.
  6. Reach beyond words, appearances and actions you don’t value and find ways to connect.
  7. You get more accomplished with partners.
  8. Be open, even invite, surprises.
  9. Keep your dream in front or you at all times – see it, say it.
  10. Replace disgust with understanding. (That mega donor who has more conservative beliefs than you.)
  11. Appreciate the unique nature of each giver for a strong lifetime relationship.
  12. Stop judging. Everyone has missing pieces, broken parts and holes but is still of value.

As you plan ahead, be sure to include something that restores you!

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

Be More Confident! 10 Habits to Drop Now!

It’s a new year.

going into new year

Regardless of what happened last year or yesterday, you have a new day today.

Confident people trust in their ability to navigate.  No matter the obstacles, they believe they will make it to their destination. That conviction attracts others because it makes them feel more confident in themselves.

Real confidence takes effort to attain. It takes repeating and repeating actions that help you build the unwavering self-trust you desire. You can’t just buy new clothes and expect that to sustain you through the ups and downs of life.

You need to immediately give up these 10 habits if you want astonishing confidence. (Adapted from a list by Matthew Jones)

1. Tolerating your negative self-talk.

Your mindset! Being first off, AWARE, of what you are thinking and saying to yourself, then knowing it is holding you back and lowering your self-esteem. Replace it with positive messages.

2. Caring too much about what other people think.

Seeking approval from other people reinforces that you need external validation. Why is someone else’s opinion more valid than what you know to be true about yourself? This really reflects you have insufficient internal love. To build yourself up, stop trying to meet other people’s expectations, and start appreciating yourself.

3. Seeing shortcomings as something you need to “fix.”

Focusing on what you don’t do well builds their strength and your feelings of inadequacy. Reduce your time in areas that aren’t your strength. Put most of your effort into what you do well.

Quiet in the outdoors

4. Filling your life with screens and stimulation rather than quiet introspection.

Stop over-stimulating your brain by staring at screens all day. Peace and quiet builds a foundation for confidence.

5. Constantly reliving the past. Anxiously anticipating the future.

No matter how good or how bad things in the past were, they’ve already happened. The only way to create the future you want is to take action in the now. Bring your attention to the present moment and start building a better future.

6. Focusing too much on the details and not reflecting enough on the big picture.

Most of your day should be in today. Balance your perspective so you can be involved in your current work, know where it’s going, and see how far you’ve come.

7. Looking to external objects–people or things–to alleviate internal hurt.

You know your hurts. Pushing them down keeps them just below the surface to raise their ugly heads during new challenges. Address them. Close them out. Seek help from a coach or therapist. It’s not about being ‘right’. Make peace.

Don't sweat the small stuff8. Stressing over small problems that don’t really matter. Today’s drama.

Stop creating problems and building unnecessary stress. You always have the power to choose your reaction. Being dramatic drains you of valuable energy that you could be investing in your personal and professional growth. Stop looking to be offended.

 

9. Thinking about faults, regrets, and failures instead of practicing gratitude.

Most people aren’t exactly who they want to be. The people who are happy and confident are the ones who appreciate what they have right now, which allows them to continue growing and building a satisfying life.

10. Wasting time comparing yourself with others.

We compare our ‘insides’ to others ‘outsides.’  We see their polished external posts, website, mailing, and more and compare that with the hiccups and stumbles we are experiencing – all the internal issues they have too, but we don’t see. Stop envying other people and instead discover your own value.

You are amazing. You do good in the world. It’s a big pie out there with plenty of opportunity to go around.

Better version of you!

I have confidence in you. I know what you can do – for your mission, your work, your family and for you!  You are worthy. Each day is your opportunity to be a better version of YOU. Enjoy!

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

Plan Your 2019 Off-Season!

Walter Bond

You can create your off-season!

What?

Let me share a story. Last year I earned my Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) credential!  Wohoo!  Turns out the National Speakers Association hosts a conference JUST for CSP’s to gather and grow.  One of our session leaders was Walter Bond – a former NBA professional basketball player. Now he’s a motivational speaker booking over 100 speaking appearances every year (my dream). A few years into speaking he was feeling like he wasn’t “on top of his game.”  Then he realized that as a professional basketball player, he always had an “off-season.”Marcy Heim with CSP medal

Off-season training is considered the most important phase of any conditioning plan. It helps the athlete recover physically and psychologically. Playing sports at competitive maximums is taxing on the human body. It is common sense: You cannot race a car hard every single day at the track without something eventually breaking down.

The human body (hear YOUR human body) responds in much the same way.

As development and advancement professionals, there has been a shift….while our year-end work does intensify, do we really have a “slow” time? Like that race car, you can’t push hard day after day without something eventually breaking down…like you.

What would your off-season look like?

YOU can create your OWN off-season!

OK!  You can create your own off-season keeping these REMARKABLE characteristics in mind:

  1. REMOVE. You separate yourself from “business as usual.”

More important than the amount of time – one hour, one afternoon, one day, one week – it’s feeling like you are in a different place. It’s a mindset!  NOT at your desk, NOT in your office.  Away from what is yelling at you to take care of next in that space.  Away from the routines and habits in that space.

  1. REFLECT. You reflect – without judging.

Looking back on your past year in advancement work – fundraising, marketing, communications, constituent relations – reflect.  Consider the days you felt like a rock star. What made that feeling? Consider the days you wanted to quit. What made that feeling? Not through the lens of “I should have… been better prepared.” “Started earlier” etc. NO JUDGEMENT. Just sit with your calendar and look back over the year and FEEL your energy change as you remember.

CSP Mastermind Group

  1. REFRESH. You practice skills.

For athletes, this time is an opportunity to practice but at a much lower intensity and volume than during your competitive season. So practice planning a major gift ask, practice the ask. This is NOT when you MUST GET THE GIFT at year end!!! Our ‘competitive season.’ Improve on the fundamentals. Enjoy your visits when the quarterly or year-end numbers aren’t bearing down on you. Actually be in the conversation at the moment.

 

  1. RE-ENERGIZE.  You revisit your passion – your ‘why.’ 

It’s never about the money – it’s always WHAT THE MONEY DOES.  Remember how inspiring science literacy, securing a spiritual connection, lifting up a Jewish heritage, feeding hungry people or pets, rewarding academic excellence, restoring health ….whatever it is that brought you to this place.  AND…check in, is the passion still there? If not, how do you find it again?

  1. RECHARGE. You are a unique gift.

Remember that you are a unique gift to the world. You bring perspectives, love, empathy, stories, and opportunities to others in a way no one else does. Rest, walk, add white space, workout, clean out the file drawer, purge electronic files, get with friends, read, whatever physically and emotionally recharges you. The conditioning work done in this time stabilizes you for the higher-intensity demands to come in the “competitive seasons.”

  1. REJOICE.  You are grateful.It's not Happy People who are Thankful

You GET to do this work. You GET to connect a giver to their joy. You GET to listen to others and help them invest in what is important to them. You GET to build relationships and document them so they become life-long for your organization. You GET to do this work AND you GET to serve your friends and family. Remember, it is the most basic law of physics – for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Perhaps your spouse or kids don’t seem to appreciate your service and support…..it MUST come back to you, but it can be from anyone, anywhere. Drop the scoreboard and rejoice.

Rejoice!

Happy New Year! It’s gonna be a GREAT ONE!

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

Today is Your Day!

Today is your DAY!

Is today just a place between stressing over what didn’t get done yesterday and what’s on the list for tomorrow?

Is today what you pass through getting to “someday” when you will “arrive?”  When the time will be right? When your ship will come in? When you can finally get some sleep?

Tolle quote

Are you waiting for the time to “be right?”

To be right to speak that “ask?”

To be right to be true to your values?

To be right to NOT conform to what “most people are doing or saying?”

To be right to ignore the drama of the day?

The past is behind us. The future is ahead of us.

Between the two…this tiny slice of time … the present.

It’s all we have.  It’s all we will ever have.

How old must we be before we really get this? Neither yesterday nor tomorrow is our friend. It’s comforting to want to cherish yesterday and to look towards tomorrow to smile on us. We are all creatures of habit…Habits of thinking, behaving, eating, communicating, talking. We agree it’s insane to expect different results tomorrow by doing the same things we did yesterday.  The best predictor of tomorrow’s results will be based on what we think, say and do….today. Yesterday and tomorrow encourage excuse making, procrastination and being afraid today.

Hear these words from one of my favorite coaches…Dr Seuss.

 

Dr. Seuss Today is your Day!

 

Right now, the present moment is the only moment you will ever have.

Today is the day you’ve been looking for.

Today is the day to initiate change in your life.

Today is the day to act with urgency.

Today is the day to be your own hero.

Today is the day to make your dreams come true.

Today is the day to unleash a lifestyle of generosity.

Today is the day to lift up those around you.

We become tomorrow what we are thinking about today!

You create your life…Today!

Go do something big, bold and beautiful with your donors for your mission….. TODAY.

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

How will I get it all done? Get in the zone!

Ever feel, “Wowza! How will I get it all done?”

You are making time to be grateful to the people who have supported you in the past. You are reaching out to connect with, and serve, as many people as possible to help them accomplish their year-end giving goals. And you have a slew of events – family and mission – on your list to attend.

Let me help.help on file cabinet

You are only one person and one team. There are only 24 hours in each day. You have plenty of time just too many opportunities in which to invest this time. But, this isn’t just about setting priorities.

It’s about staying in the zone.

Getting into the vortex. Setting your mind to the task at hand with optimism. Embracing the chaos! I love this time of year. I love the energy! People coming at you over text, phone, mail, email, Facebook messenger, oh and in person! (my personal favorite!) Just wanting to share the magic of this most generous time of year!

But then something shifts. “How dare they? Don’t they know how busy I am?” “Stupid cookies!” “Presents! Don’t they have enough?” “Why can’t people get it together to give earlier?”

When we get out of whack we start shoving our family, donors and colleagues into the liability column instead of the blessing side. When we feel too busy to even be courteous we lose the spirit of giving thanks and appreciating our donors, our good work, ourselves.  When we are not, “in the mood” and snarky we can really set ourselves back by trying to continue to move forward.

So how do we get back in the zone?

STOP – Time for a reboot!

First off, what does it mean to be “in the zone?”

happy peopleIt’s when we come from a MINDSET that is eager towards life.  We tackle the next thing with vigor. We celebrate finding the perfect gift. (Wahaha)  We flow with creative giving options to share with our donors. The right questions appear on the tip of our tongues!

 

Try these tips…some will work better for you than others.

1. DISPEL LIMITING BELIEFS. “People are asked too much.” “They won’t give this year.” “I am not a good asker.” “My cause is not important enough.”  You cannot have something until you believe you can have it! Everything you want is on the other side of your limiting beliefs. Beliefs are not truths. They are your perceptions based upon your experiences and what you have been told.

2. DECIDE MONEY AND WEALTH ARE GOOD. This time of year we can get very self-righteous about money. Much of our society is wrapped up in a mindset that money is bad. We often hear words like “selfish” “entitled” “mean” “didn’t earn it themselves.” Consider portrayals of wealth on TV shows…Gilligan’s Island (remember that?) Dynasty. Undo the thought that poverty is more “holy.”

3. WRITE ASKS TO SET INTENTIONS. Who are the donors with the greatest capacity, interest and most ready to give yet this year. Write out your 3-sentence asks. Call them, “Hi and happy holidays! This is Marcy. We’re so honored and delighted you have chosen to invest in (our impact) in the past.  I want to be sure that I’m available to help you accomplish any giving goals you are considering for us yet this year.” Then be quiet. Let your words settle and let them speak. This is wonderful because it lets you know if they are interested or not. Often it triggers them to give! They just haven’t gotten around to it. Hear them saying, YES! Or, know you can plan to reconnect in 2019. Today I talked with Nancy Gerard…one of my VIP clients.  She said, “I have my year-end 3-sentence asks in front of me and I just keep reaching out, knowing they want to help.” That’s being in the zone.

Yoga pose with Sunset

4. WALK! STRETCH! SING! DANCE! By far when I talk to successful fundraisers, physically moving is the quickest way to get back into the zone. Whatever you do to keep movement in your days and joy in your step, don’t stop now! It’s more important than ever that you are able to maintain your joyful spirit and attitude. When I have a hectic speaking travel schedule on top of my client work, I forget how much I enjoy what I do.  Getting OUTSIDE is key for me. What refreshes you?  Think about it. I find most of my clients KNOW what re-energizes them, but they don’t do it!  A massive problem or challenge will SHRINK if you step away from it and MOVE…even for 5 minutes!

5. WHAT AM I GRATEFUL FOR? Ask this out loud and answer it out loud!

6. SOMETHING GOODS GONNA HAPPEN TO ME! I CREATE MY LIFE!Take back the knowledge and power that you create everything that is in your life and everything that is not.  You have no circumstances – you create them.

At my recent keynote in Seattle I reconnected with my good friend, Penelope Burk.  I love her research.  She documents that after believing in your mission and wanting to make a difference, donors gave because they were asked.  So now focus your energy on asking your donors to consider a gift to you…your mission. During these last few amazingly generous days of the year over a third of the charitable dollars are given. Whenever you slip out of the zone, STOP and get back into it. Remember that every positive step you take makes a difference for those you serve. Remember that every kind word lifts up your family and donors and colleagues. Remember that every smile on your face (even if you have to put it there sometimes) brightens your spirits. Breathe in this amazing work we GET TO DO each year end!

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

Thankful for You!

Giving thanks to YOU on Thanksgiving. Grateful for the good YOU unleash in the world!
image

I am thankful for

…Unending ways to continue to learn – if your not growing your dying – and I’m a-growing!

…My family… and you – the joy you bring to me, and to the world, and the gift I have been given to serve and inspire you. Thank you.

May your Thanksgiving Day, and every day, be filled with abundant gratitude, joy and love.

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

Scared of Year End?

Boo! Happy Halloween! November is here! Whoopee!  halloween with pumpkin

November 1st can be really scary if your giving numbers or metrics are not where they “should” be.  Are you reaching for the excuses?  Too many competing drives in the community…not enough staff….need more people in the pipeline…the new tax laws.

Let’s stop the blame game and embrace this generous time of year! It’s a great time to be raising money. The economy is strong and people are feeling comfortable with their resources! They are interested and willing to invest in causes important to them.

Set your intentions for success and let’s go!

Marcy’s Top 10 Year-End Tips

1. START NOW!

Whatever you intended to do before now, forget it. Just start today. Don’t freeze over what isn’t done. Adjust to what makes sense now and implement what you select to do with gusto.

dream big2. Dream BIG!

BIG donors want BIG VISIONS!  Meeting your budget short-fall is hardly inspiring. You can certainly ask for operations support, but tell that story in terms of what each dollar will do for the trees, cats, babies, students, elderly, abused person, gifted student, water quality… You must see a big, bold future for your organization and inspire your donors to see it too.

3. Decide on the biggest gift YOU are going to give!

Give with JOY! Be clear on why you give and be prepared to tell your own story! Stay excited and positive about giving and your organization.

4. Use partners and small groups.

The holidays are a perfect time to connect people. Bring along a board member (not to ask), another donor, another staff member. Make it fun! Talk about what others are doing to wrap up the giving year on a high note.

5. Reach out NOW to reconnect.

Send a personal email to everyone you would ideally like to talk to about a gift prior to the end of the year.  Write it as if you are writing to one person. “I was just thinking about you. Today we had the most wonderful thing happen here and I wanted to tell you about it. (story) Let’s connect before the end of the year. I’ll be in touch.”

6. CALL all of your larger PYBUNTS.  (past years but unfortunately not this)

These folks need a sincere reminder. You are probably part of their giving plans they just need prompting. Use this call to sort out who is considering a gift from the rest. “Hi, Marcy here. Just checking in to see if investing with us again this year is something you are considering.” Or “I want to be sure I am available to help you accomplish your year-end giving plans with us.” They will most likely say, “Yes, need to get thinking about this” or “No, I am not planning a gift this year.”  This lets you focus on the folks who want to give. Narrow the list.

7. Say “Thanks” with NO ASK.

‘Thank you’ with your hand out for more is a big turnoff for all donors.

“Giving thanks for you today!”  Be genuinely grateful for the gift THEY choose to make.

8. Identify 3 key messages that clearly describe your organization.

What do you want anyone to immediately think when they hear your organization’s name? Use your year-end visits to give everyone the vocabulary to talk about what you do. Say these phrases in every call, every time.  Whatever happens this year, you are setting up a strong mental link for enhanced future giving. Keep the focus on the heart. Donors give with their hearts and justify it with facts…later.

Gift wrapped brown9. Write/say everything with a Giver focus

‘Have you ever experienced this?’  ‘Remember when you were such and such?’  ‘You are important to the kids living in the shelter’.  All YOU!! Not ‘we’ and ‘I’. Remember it’s your donor’s timeline, interests and values you are connecting for good this holiday. Your words are containers of power.

 

10. ASK your BEST year-end MAJOR donors.

These are high in your “best guess” rating for Capacity, Interest and Readiness based on what you know. Remember, in response to surveys DONORS ranked, “I was asked” as the second highest reason they gave.  The first was belief in your mission and wanting to make a difference.  Use my 3-sentence ask! No judgment about the size or purpose or if they say it is not a fit.

GET OUT AND TALK TO PEOPLE! Don’t get distracted with year-end giving gimmicks and if you are a small staff, pick a few things….year-end letter, Giving Tuesday and 3 emails that last few days of the year. Do those well.

Invite others to invest! Be light-hearted, upbeat, fun and positive. Leave any snarkiness, politics, and whining out of your calls. Be someone others WANT to see! This is true even if your cause is more solemn.

There is still plenty of time to see your most IMPORTANT folks and artfully ask them to join you in doing your good work. Sometimes instead of running from something scary in your life it’s easier to learn not to be scared of it! Set you mind to success. Choose energy! Choose joy! Choose fun!  I know you can do it!

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

Thinking about Impact as you Ask this Year End (and always actually)

You are expected to raise money.  Your success fuels the work of yourraise money symbol organization.  It is very important and honorable work.

In just the past 3 weeks I’ve shared my belief in believingwith scores of folks in keynotes and sessions across the Midwest.  This week I’m with AFP-Lubbock, Texas. Wohoo!

How you THINK about your life and work has a great deal to do with your success at both.  For over twenty years I raised millions at the University of Wisconsin.  When I started consulting people would ask me, “What was your trick to raising that much money?  What was your secret strategy?”

That got me thinking about what I actually WAS doing. And, why were some of my team members so successful and others not so much?  I coached them all the same.

I discovered I was thinking differently about my work, our givers and wealth. And, my thinking and my beliefs clearly impacted my success. And you know what?  It also impacted my JOY!  I could give my team all kinds of “how to” training and inspiration but only they could change their beliefs, fears and thinking around our givers and wealth. Only you know what is in your heart. I didn’t (and still don’t) have any “tricks.”

Do you think raising money is a “necessary evil?”

Bring joyMoney is not evil and neither is raising it. You experience joy in giving the perfect gift to someone you care about. Giving money to a purpose you believe in also brings joy. Our work, then, is to authentically create feelings between your givers and the impact they have. This brings them joy in giving to your organization.

Remember my often used quote, “We become what we think about!”?  Our thinking is so important because it leads to our feelings…and our feelings stir up our actions and our actions create our results. So achieving the giving (and living, by the way) results you want, begins with how you are thinking about those results.

Do you want your family and friends to have experiences that make them fulfilled and joyful? Of course! This is not so different than what we want for our givers. How does experiencing and investing in us – our programs, projects and/or people make them feel? Because their feelings will lead them to the action of giving to make those results happen…again and again. Manipulative, high pressure asking leads only to resentment, not giving and certainly not repeat giving.

Much of stirring up strong feelings to give depends on how you describe the opportunity. Why? Those words create our thoughts around the project, donor and giving potential.  Do you connect the giving to the real impact?

When you use my 3-Sentence Ask™, the second sentence begins with “You understand” and reaffirms the donor’s understanding of the impact the gift you are asking for will have.

(Note: How does the donor understand the impact? The experiences, conversations, materials, whatever you provide for them as you engage the donor over time PRIOR to the Ask. If you don’t believe your donor DOES understand, you aren’t ready to ask!)

Let’s look at some examples. The first sentence is fine. The second sentence promotes more connection to impact.

“You understand the importance of having nature areas at our facility.”

“You understand a rose garden would provide fragrance and beauty for all our residents to enjoy.”

“You understand the importance of sponsorships for our event.”

“You understand how your sponsor investment will ensure our teachers can spend quality time with their students.”

OR

“You understand that your sponsorship will inspire a kid’s love affair with science.”

OR

“You understand that your sponsorship will ensure women have a safe place to escape abuse.”

How do you THINK about, and describe, the value you bring to those you support, help, nurture, protect, educate, or care for? That creates the magic, social good, or impact for your prospective giver to say an inspired, “Yes!”

Now let’s talk about buildings and equipment.  We spend thousands on architects. (sigh) Yes, our not-for-profit causes are, indeed, worthy of beautiful spaces. It IS important that we have the needed facilities to effectively and efficiently do our work. However, keep the focus on how this SPACE is worthy of the education, fun, healthcare, service, spiritual growth, safety, healing, hope, protection, sheltering, whatever that happens within it.

Back to my 3-Sentence Ask™

“You understand quality space for math is important for our school.”

“You understand how the “Math is Fun” space will dramatically improve math skills in grade school children.”

“You understand the Science Museum will be a proud destination within our state.

“You understand how the Science Museum will escalate interest, skills and knowledge of science in kids and their families throughout Wyoming.”

“You understand that the new Shelter will help expand our services to women.”

“You understand how our new Shelter will help more abused women feel safe.”

“You understand how the Community Foundation provides resources for scores of community projects.”

“You understand the Community Foundation helps your community remain the place the next generations want to raise their families.”

“You understand a new software program will make our organization more efficient.”

“You understand a new software program will provide key data to measure and improve our service to patients.”

Does this help you?  Connect to the impact beyond the project in your ask.

One final thought….as you go forth presenting major gift asks, please don’t “settle.”  As non-profits, we often feel we must “settle” for someone’s “donated” space, or left-over computers, or used office furniture. Perhaps we even consider this a tribute to our humility. We are grateful for whatever.  We may need to make these concessions in order to do the work for which we have a passion. But really this is victim thinking. Poor me. Have big dreams.

Examine how you think about what your organization does and get very clear on how to describe the impact in a tangible and person-focused way.  Your donors may support scholarships, but their impact is ensuring the educational growth of middle school students.

How do we think about where we want to be and not be frustrated with where we are now?

Each night as I lay in bed, I say, “I am so grateful for my life exactly the way it is now.  I’m so in love with everything I get to do – my family, my band and the people I get to speak to, coach, inspire and be with right now.  AND, I’m so excited to see what’s next! I’m joyful and eager for the next opportunity, to continue to learn and grow, to attract more wealth and to make everything I do for myself, my family and all those I serve even better!”

YOU make an impact! I am grateful for what you are doing right now….and for thinking about all you will do in the future!

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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