Tag Archive for: Not for profit

Setting goals to serve Your Success…and YOU! 

This past week over 50 – YES 50 – folks joined me for the AFP DEEP DIVE on Major Gifts. Typically I limit the group to 30-35 but with MAJOR GIFTS being SO CRITICAL NOW, I let it go. Took two zoom screenshots and I’m not certain I captured everyone! Singing “People Love to Give Me Money” was chaos and I know I didn’t personally speak with everyone. The session was clearly a success – EVEN THOUGH I FAILED TO MEET SEVERAL OF MY GOALS.

Like many of you, I was hard-wired I swear since kindergarten to connect setting goals, and achieving them, with being productive and successful.  Failure to do so was, well, failure. I’ve spent a lot of my overall VERY SUCCESSFUL LIFE feeling like I often failed to do what I said I would do when I said I would do it by – personally and professionally. Can you relate?  You get a bit jaded on this whole goal thing. It becomes more of a game to fill in the required “annual plan” with your best guess of what you can actually do – or you can always set the bar really, really low.

Over time I’ve adopted a different view on goals and planning… thanks to coaching and life.

For our fundraising work we often use specific dollar, attendee numbers and visit metrics for our goals. In a campaign, we create a Chart of Gifts and then work to fill it in with donor names we think will invest at the various level. Plotting this out gives us a sense of security and confidence. We have a plan.

However, it seems when we have very specific deliverables we focus more on what we MISS than what we make.

“We were hoping for 200 attendees and ended up at about 180 – a bit short.”

“We factored Paul in for $100,000 and ended up he gave $50,000.”  (What about the fact that his largest gift prior to this was $5000?)

“I was planning to make calls for visits and ended up responding to an email from a potential donor about a $50k gift. Didn’t get those appointments set up.”

You have your own examples, I’m sure.

If 180 people had a great experience the goal of 200 is fine, but does not mean we somehow failed or were short.

If we had $100,000 gift goal down that resulted in $50,000 did we “leave money on the table?” or do something wrong in the asking process?  Or was $50,000 the amount that was right?  I had lunch with a donor of one of my clients this week. She said, “I never wrote a check (to make a gift) I didn’t enjoy!” THAT is reaching a goal.

Our days are filled with interruptions – so why do we plan them out as if we can manage the time as we planned? 

And, we can actually get frustrated with our family, boss, donors, and ourselves because they are not falling in line with what we planned!

My goal is for you to enjoy, and be happy about, your development work and your life. 

1. Your joy is governed by how you think about the results you experience.  We choose to see something as a failure or a success. See the original goal as your ‘best guess’ for the result and be open to a different result as you move forward toward the goal.
2. Have long-vision goals. Make very specific steps you can reasonably take in a day or week to move toward that goal. 
3. Decide that extending or modifying a goal is part of the process – not a sign you failed.
4. Celebrate what WAS ACCOMPLISHED – and view this as a step in a continuing journey toward that longer vision.
5. Every goal can be reworked.  The Campaign can have a Phase II to get to the needed result over a longer timeline. More gifts can be sought to make up for those that came in lower than the gift chart level assigned. You can try again to get along better with your kids.
6. Our most important goals are on-going and hard to measure:

• To have close and loving relationships.
• To enjoy donors who are happy about their giving.
• To feel pretty healthy most days.
• To have work that makes you feel valued and fulfilled.

What is your life vision?  Mine is to help others create their best life.

That vision guides how I interact with my spouse, my kids, my clients, donors and all the fundraisers, board members and leaders every day and how I judge myself and my progress. At the core is my belief that the world is good and I am destined for joy and success.

Vince in my APF Deep Dive course said, “When I work with donors I feel like I am helping them with THEIR “American dream.”  That’s a vision!

May you, too, be lifted up and energized by your life vision. A life spent working towards your vision is a success. 

Invest in JOY®

Why it better serves donors to engage partners in major giving relationships! 

You know what they say…”By the time I get someone to help me, it’s just easier to do it myself!” For many non-profits partners are vital in major gift relationships! 

Last Friday I had the total delight of being with an amazing collection of faith-based small non-profits. These organizations all had received grants from the Madison Christian Giving Fund – the program sponsor.  Few had anyone dedicated to fundraising. Most wore several hats including fundraising. All were passionately dedicated to the kids, seniors, homeless, moms or whomever they were helping.

In my session, I highlighted major giving mindset, vibrant options for giving and using partners along with my signature tool – Ask for Anything Artfully! For these nonprofits, it’s crucial to use partners.  

ALL OF YOU can benefit from embracing others in your major giving relationship building. Here’s how!

1. Who are Potential Partners?

Partners go beyond the board – way beyond. How often I have heard, “If only my board would help!” Sure, the board can be a great help AND there are so many more potential partners. 

• Other donors (of ALL sizes)
• Other staff members
• Recipients of your services
• Alumni, members, students, etc
• Faith family
• Sports united folks (Badger fans/Packers fans/Little league parents)
• Service group friends (Elks, Kiwanis, Rotary, Lions)
• Your financial people
• Volunteer financial people – planners, attorneys
• Your organization’s volunteers
• Spouses of Board members
• Emeritus Board members
• Past staff members now retired
• Event or organization sponsors
• Event table hosts or silent auction item donator
• Vendors (your printer for example)
• Parents/Families of those engaged with you
• Your board and
• YOUR organization’s unique opportunities!

2. What makes a good partner?

The criteria is pretty simple – an inkling for what you do, a perspective on what you do, some experience with what you do, some investment into what you do and the willingness to help. (notice I don’t say they have to be over-the-top supporters)

3. What exactly do partners do?

Partners are invaluable in providing help in the ways THEY are comfortable and strong. Partners do NOT need to ask for money – that’s the development professional’s role. What you ask of them needs to mesh with their skills and time availability. It can range from a quick conversation over coffee, to attending a retreat – from writing a card, to sharing their story. You are only limited by YOUR mindset around this. Think of everything YOU say and do. Who could also tell that story, make that point, share that experience, text that photo, validate your stories and demonstrate your impact?

PLUS – they can often be the reason someone WILL meet – just to engage with the partner – thus giving YOU the chance to secure the visit, zoom, call.

4. How do partners move the giving relationship forward?

They are not us – the paid fundraising staff. Enough said. They bring their personal experience and opinions. They may not always agree with everything the organization is doing. They may still be finding their way with the organization. They may not be major donors themselves (but it is best if they have given something). They are positive and share good energy for what you do.

For me, the best is that they take on part of the conversation when in person, on zoom on a group phone call.  This gives me the chance to sit back, listen and observe how the donor reacts, responds, and engages in a way I don’t get to see if I’m by myself.  That’s golden!

5. Are there challenges to look out for in working with partners?  Sure.

• They can be difficult to schedule requiring us to be more ahead of the game.
• It can take more time to walk through the goals of the interaction – AT FIRST – but this gets easier over time.
• You need to remind them of confidentiality – don’t assume they get it.
• You will find it gets complicated and your partners connect! That’s good, too.
• You have more to get entered into the database.
• You can’t control what partners say and sometimes it surprises you!
• They cancel. Too many times and you need to move on.  
• You have to watch how you talk about people! I think this is a GOOD

CHALLENGE! How are you talking about your donors? Manipulative, calculating, like an ATM or sincerely considering the gift most meaningful for them?  Always talk about your donors as if they are standing next to you.

6. How do you begin to better utilize partners in your major giving relationships?

1. Make a list of potential partners and what donors they could help you with or what role they could take on with you.
2. Begin with one or two of them. Make a plan to add more in a timeline that works for you. Maybe one/month.
3. Talk with them about the way they would be most comfortable helping you – does it mesh with what you were thinking?
4. Have them do that action with you once – make time to walk through it with them. 
5. If it works – REPEAT. Give a partner a specific task/role to get good at! Every master was once a disaster – let them practice this one task/role and master it!
6. Let them be on their own. You will find that for some tasks – tours, thank you calls – your partners can be on their own after some time. Celebrate that now partners are actually freeing up your time! 
7. Enjoy sharing how we honorably do our fundraising work – how we serve – how we engage. Thank your partners. Celebrate with them. Stay in touch with the results of a major giving relationship so they know what happens!

Major giving relationships are just more fun when shared.  Drop the mindset that it’s too much work and embrace the party! Get ready to be bombarded with goodwill and connections that create constellations of joy in your life!

Invest in JOY®

He’ll be gone two years. Is it fair to say I’m both excited and heartbroken? RJ and Bailey leave today for Portugal where she’s attending the University of the Algarve. RJ will be working remotely on the beach between dives.  Sure, we can visit. Sure, we can Facetime. No, it’s not the same. Poor me.

One of my MORE Major Gifts Accelerator Program members is Holly Guncheon, Advancement Director at Herzl Camp. She shared that kids at camp want to be two places at once – at home and at camp. It’s called homesick and it’s hard for kids to manage.

Perhaps you sincerely want a donor to discover the gift that is most meaningful for them…and, at the same time, you want them to give to YOU, your mission – not something else they might choose.

Or, you sincerely want to deflect the credit to volunteers, other staff, and donors. Yet you feel frustrated that you aren’t getting credit and appreciation for your hard work.

As adults we don’t always manage two, BOTH TRUE, conflicting feelings well either… and we feel bad and often act out.

Flip your switch from “Poor me” back to Happy by asking, “What’s Next?”

1. Own you are being a victim.

It’s easy to shift into a “poor me” victim mindset. Life happens TO me. It’s not my fault. Your own struggling self-esteem wants to blame others for what you don’t want to take responsibility for. The excuses flow. Taking personal responsibility is hard.

2. Decide you don’t want to feel like this.

When you are a victim, at some level you know its bunk. You lash out at those around you, often those you care about most, because you are afraid or hurting and you often want to get those words back. They can be mean or defensive.  Unmanaged “poor me” can bring deep regret, strained relationships and labels of being hard to live/work with. 

3.  Ask yourself, “What’s next?”

Get beyond being a victim. Ask, what can you do next to shift away from this?  It may be as simple as taking a deep breath or jumping into a new task/activity to bring you to a better space.  It’s amazing what happens when you can simple tell yourself that YOU are a masterpiece and you are doing amazing stuff. Nobody has to confirm it or agree – it  comes from within you. Putting kids into an activity at camp will evaporate homesickness. Taking a new action will switch you away from those conflicting emotions.

4.  Use some tricks to speed up the process.

Decide how much time you really want to give to feeling bad about something – to being that victim. Maybe even set a timer for 2 minutes – then say, “I’m done with feeling like that!” Maybe put on Abba! LOUD! Maybe say out loud, “What’s next?”  Be careful talking about it – it can be difficult to actually express what’s really going on and you may find yourself in mean mode. Are you hungry? Are you really tired? And beware – have you had a couple of cocktails? This can have a big negative impact on how you express these struggles.

5. SMILE and declare you have moved on from these “poor me” emotions. Shout, “I CREATE MY LIFE!” and mean it.

Sometimes our actions to reconcile this may feel (and can be) manipulative or insincere – like your talking out of both sides of your mouth.   I want RJ to experience this adventure AND I want to be able to see him every day. I want to be appreciated for my hard work AND I want to deflect the credit to others. I want donors to have personal joy AND I want them to give to MY cause.

Looking back on a long, and mainly happy life, I can tell you the time spent in Poor Me space leaves you low. Recognize when you are slipping into low self-esteem and the blame game. Create your unique way of flipping the switch to What’s next? It’s important to find a way. 

You CAN change your mind like the flip of a switch. Believe that you are the key – you create everything in your life. You determine your spirit, joy and happiness.

“What’s next” for you? I believe Happy!

Invest in JOY®

Ok…so I will confess I enjoyed every second VIRTUALLY with the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto and about 40 of their team earlier this week. While the goal is to eventually be with them in person, this was a terrific way to get them on board THINKING differently about our work and digging in with my tangible 3-sentence ask tool. Great fun! They are having great success and headed for even more now!

Ah, thinking differently! There’s the magic! Why? Because when you think differently it influences the next steps you take – it’s that simple – for right or wrong, positive or negative. Yeah, that’s the rub. The same magic can produce rainbows or earthquakes!

In my VIP coaching calls this week one of my clients, a successful major gift officer, shared, “(CEO) and I both have donors we have been trying to connect with. We are feeling like they are dodging our calls. I am not sure what’s going on with my people. So your advice on how to handle these situations would be good – for both of us.”

As much success as we experience doing this wonderful work, we are often still plagued with fears that we are offending someone, being a pest, or being avoided because we are asking for money.  Most of the time it’s YOUR THINKING around these gaps in connecting that’s causing the troubles.  Here’s how to think differently!

Think Differently About Being Dodged by your Donors

1. Determine what is truth and what is fear.

As you look at a situation – donors don’t respond to an email, or two, or text or call….do you have any concrete reason to believe they have changed their mind about having a conversation with you?  Or is your thinking leading you to this conclusion?  “They seemed interested, but not so much now” is your unmanaged thinking and YOU projecting your fear, your reluctance to “push too hard” on meeting up. 

2. Stay true to your relationship.

What are the facts here?  Have they supported you in the past? Do they believe in your mission? Have they been friendly and interested in the past? So is it true that all that’s really changed is their reaction to your invitations? The reasons for this are ENDLESS – they never got the email, summer fun, family gatherings, health, vacations, work, and on and on. Be curious around what might be going on with them – don’t dream up stories about how they feel about you or your mission. If your kids or close friend were not to respond would you decide they don’t love you anymore or they just have other stuff going on? Why not give your donors this same understanding?

3. Be your best self with them. 

YOU CHANGE when you believe your donor is avoiding you! Your voice, your tone, your smile, your spirit! YOU project – “I know you really don’t want to talk to me but I was obligated to call you anyway.”  I have witnessed the best development professionals transform with a donor they believe has an issue – and it’s not a good change.  Your change can be the biggest driver in the wrong direction! Your donor is reacting to YOU and feeling your awkwardness. Recognize your feelings and reframe how you show up for the call. Tell yourself, “These folks are eager to see me and connect with our mission.” Be excited about them and what their

4. Take action to inspire generosity! Be open and honest in your approach.

Remember you have a calling. You have the magic sauce that connects the giver with the good they want to do. Giving feels GREAT! You are not getting them to “open there wallets” but rather invest in something they believe in – and that YOU SHARE WITH THEM – your love of mission. Sure, there will be folks who are not interested in giving for whatever reasons. Be excited about them and where ever their philanthropy leads them.

So what happens when we change our thinking about donors dodging us?

 “Talked to a donor at August registration who I had emailed back in early June about a WSF gift. She never responded, so (as usual), I wasn’t sure how to interpret. When she saw me she asked, “Did you send me an email this summer?” When I said yes, she said what a busy summer it had been and that she is still planning on making a WSF gift. So there you go.”

“Called the individual who I felt was dodging me again the next day coming from a different mental place. He thanked me for calling and said he plans to give double the amount ($14,000) and wants to know how to set this up to be a permanently supported gift. Amazing!”

And finally, realize that not every call will lead to a gift, but every call will be a chance to enjoy a conversation about the power and joy of giving. And that’s what makes our work and life so very special! SHINE ON!

Invest in JOY®

So I went to how many fireworks shows???  Who’s counting! Best part was time shared with family! Hope your July holiday was filled with good times… and some quiet times, too! Happy Summer!  Best for me is being a major donor to the Kids from Wisconsin. Tyler Curtain is one of the “kids” I am sponsoring. He’s amazing! I was in total tears after the opening show!

Honestly, does it really “slow down” in summer anymore?

Do you ever start thinking that something is going to happen and then it does? This can be a good or not-so-good thing.

It’s the power of our mindset and setting intentions. 

So I want to get you thinking NOW about your MAJOR GIFT YEAR-END GIVING!

Here’s how to get started NOW.

STEPS To Take NOW for Year-End Transformational Giving.

1. Start growing your mindset for major giving success NOW.

What you focus on you grow. For greatest success no matter how much of your role is major gift work, make a habit of thinking about your current and potential major givers in a relaxed manor. Consider why your mission is a good fit for them. See the special connections you have now – why they enjoy being part of your work. What’s the largest gift you see them giving if everything just worked out?  Do you need to elevate YOUR giving sites?  $5000 or $50,000? Make sure YOUR money thinking isn’t limiting your success. Boldly answer why everyone would delight in making a transformational gift to you, and your mission. See your major donors excited about giving to you. 

2. Start looking at your potential Major Donors NOW.

Sure, review your top donors last year AND look into the annual fund for repeat givers. AND, who shares your values and interests and might be excited about the specific work you are doing now? AND, who else should be in your major gift relationship-sights for transformational giving this year? This list can be bigger for now…30-100 names. (not hundreds). Keep this list in front of you and look over the names every day.

3. Write out Marcy’s 3-sentence ask NOW.

I spend a great deal of time writing out 3-sentence asks with my top clients. Why? It sets an INTENTION of what you’d like to see happen. This sheet will guide you.

www.marcyheim.com/askworksheet

This forces you to get clear on the amount and project you think will best resonate with your major givers NOW. You won’t ask now, but this puts the plan in your head. This identifies that north star you are headed for. It also exposes lack of clear organizational giving priorities when you still have a chance to get clarity. Big donors want big visions.

4. What needs to happen BEFORE you ask? Consider that NOW.

What conversations need to happen? Who should you partner with? Board member? Another donor? What giving vehicles may make sense for them?  Do you want to partner with planned giving? What can you do to get to know them better?  Are you clear on what the money does and really does? What is the tangible and emotional impact of saying, “Yes” to the ask you wrote out?

5. Plan the key steps NOW.

You may have a great idea for the volunteer/partner/staff member to have join you for a visit/call only to find they are not around when you wanted to make this visit. Sure, we have zoom now, yet in-person is still enjoyed by many donors. Your DONORS may have a big trip planned, or a fall wedding. NOW is the time to connect with the players and talk about a date or two that works for everyone to explore some ideas for how they might want to help you this year. When you talk about these dates NOW chances are better they will happen.

6. Own your role in making this happen NOW. (and enjoy some great surprises!)

When you set intentions it’s amazing how the universe will come to your side and amazing things happen! Remember, you can’t make someone give you money but staying in touch – being genuine – even in the face of our difficult external environment will inspire more and larger lifelong giving. You can’t control the stock market, and other challenges of these times. You CAN control YOUR ACTIONS. Do the work. Be eager and happy about the work you GET to do and the folks you GET to engage.

Don’t let anything steal your sparkle – at least not for long. You are special. You have a calling. I appreciate you.

Invest in JOY®