2024 Time To TRANSFORM – Here’s how.
Tomorrow is your time to LEAP! Every four years.
Thinking back to four years back…February 2020. Yikes.
Still feeling 2020? Wherever you are in your journey forward from 2020, LEAP tomorrow to TRANSFORM in 2024! Whatever you’ve been down or frustrated about that has changed, is still a challenge, or is still hard…examine that thinking and use LEAP DAY tomorrow as the time to reset and TRANSFORM!
THIS IS YOUR YEAR TO DO IT!
Purposefully move away from transactions and towards relational fundraising…and life.
Research tells us that 90% of our happiness is based upon the quality of our relationships.This includes your donors, your colleagues, your family, your friends. Transactions can support connecting – an email, text, birthday card, newsletter, a direct mail piece, social media – but LOOK for ways to take time for phone-down, I-see-you connections.
One of my clients took a major gift agreement – in person – to get the needed signature from the marketing department head. Sure – could have used DocuSign. But this way they met face to face, got to know each other better, and this deeper friendship has been key in moving a second 6-figure gift forward.
INSIGHT: Opt for creating deeper relationships over efficiency.
2. Be your own THOUGHT LEADER.
In this world of SO MUCH INFORMATION it can be easier to simply follow what others say – so called “thought leaders” or “influencers.” Consider who is sponsoring a message. Are you being supported or shamed. “Good fundraisers, mothers, whatever do such and such.” Check in with YOUR values. Pause and evaluate what you are hearing. Use the unsubscribe key, shut it off, put it on pause if it feels out of sync with your values.
INSIGHT: Lead your OWN thoughts by questioning information for truth and alignment with your values.
3. LEAD with strength and clarity. Provide options but then LEAD with your decision.
Post covid leadership calls us to be decisive and move forward with clarity. With your board, donors, team, kids…. collaboration is fine, but transformation comes by doing your homework, making a decision, and calling for action around your decisions.
INSIGHT: LEAD with strength and confidence.
4. Automate everything you can based upon the steps that need to be taken.
Timeline ALL your events and opportunities to engage and share impact for the year on one spreadsheet. Then put specific action steps into place to delight and surprise your givers. Be sure to have copy proofing, distribution, messaging in place on the timeline. Look for bottlenecks, look for piggy-backing options. Look for whatever can be automated to remind you to take action.
INSIGHT: Automating processes supports you in taking personal action and creates more time for you to do it.
What I REALLY WANT for YOU.
Give yourself permission to take time out of today to consider, plan and put into place systems that will give you more time tomorrow.
Don’t use your time to save money. Use your money to save your time. STOP, consider, and take time today to put into place what will give you more time and less stress tomorrow.
