Create an Effective 2nd Reminder Letter for Payment for NPOs

2nd reminder letter for payment for NPOs

well there's one week left in this year and it's time to rest right not on your life recent statistics show us that about 12% of all annual giving happens in the final three days of the year the final week can be a GameChanger now I understand that after a long year you're ready for a break to spend time with the family and friends and you absolutely deserve it but there are still ways to manage both enjoying the holidays while staying open and available to [Music] donors today let's walk through five key lessons to help make sure you're ready to capture these gifts lesson number one assessing the giving status of your donors lesson one is all about assessing where your donors stand especially the critical few we know the 8020 rule well around 20% of your donors likely contribute 80% of your funds research also tells us that a big part of this income can come in December with even more a year end so it makes sense to stay in touch with these individuals right up until the end of the year by now you should have received regular giving reports and at a minimum I recommend pulling these reports twice during during December if possible having a weekly update is even better specifically you want to know who in your critical group has given already and who hasn't it's also important to know if anyone committed to giving by year end but hasn't yet fulfilled their Commitment if you haven't checked on these commitments this is your friendly reminder to do so now lesson number two targeting donors who have yet to give this lesson is about focusing on those individuals who haven't yet given with your critical few you'll find three main groups those who have given those who haven't but might and those whose status is unclear my recommendation Target those who've shown some openness to giving and then follow up with those whose intentions are less certain make your communication strategy clear and targeted for this week especially if meeting in person isn't an option use video calls phone calls texts or even emails this is not the time for physical letters they won't reach your donor in time so don't do it focus on quick clear messaging that lets your donors or Partners know you appreciate them and there's still time for them to make a powerful difference this year lesson number three be ready to respond to funding questions quick quickly you need to be prepared to answer funding questions at a moment's notice you never know when a donor might reach out to ask what can I support with my yearend gift I've experienced this firsthand a donor once called me on New Year's Eve because they needed some last minute options fast this was all about appreciated security and stock giving and they needed the answers quickly this taught me a critical lesson be prepared you need to be be ready with a project or program or proposal that matches their capacity and interest if they're ready to give now they won't wait for you to get back to them they need answers immediately it's a good idea to have a variety of proposals in different dollar ranges make sure they're specific and compelling enough to attract donations without delay if you're aiming for big gifts even having one highlevel project proposal ready could be the difference between receiving the donation or gift or watching it go to another organization lesson number four keep lines of communication wide open this may be the most essential lesson of all because these last days of the years are so important keep communication lines open one of the biggest mistakes you can make at this time of the year is assuming your partners won't need to reach you back in a previous year a large donor tried to call our organization late on New Year's Eve and couldn't get through to anyone fortunately they reached me and were able to make their stock gift but after that experience I made sure our organization had protocols in place to prevent it from happening again so how do you keep things open consider having a dedicated number for last minute questions you might even rotate team members to have someone on call for shifts throughout the last day of the year this could be just a few hours per person but ensure someone is available to feel last minute donor questions make sure donors know this number as well by sharing it in your year-end messages and social media posts being available can make all the difference in the world and it might even mean your organization is the only one that answers their call lesson number five be ready to drop everything if necessary to respond this lesson is all about flexibility be willing to drop everything to handle an unexpected opportunity this is what sets proactive donor centered organizations apart from all the rest in over 40 years of fundraising I've learned that being able to adjust quickly to last minute requests can often lead to significant gifts being prepared prepared means not only responding to the donor's needs but sometimes anticipating them it might mean having several gift options ready or being able to rush and create a custom proposal if that's what's needed keep your ear to the ground stay alert and remember that the effort you put in now could mean your organization benefits in the final hours of the year January 1st is right around the corner so it's time to put these iies into practice you don't need to lose out in the last week's giving and with these lessons you're ready to make the most of it let's go over these key lessons one more time assess your donor's giving status know who's given who hasn't Target those who haven't given prioritize and personalize your Outreach be ready for funding questions have specific wellth thought out proposals ready to bring to your partners keep communication lines open be reachable especially on the last day of the year and be willing to drop everything flexibility at this time of the year can be Priceless let's make these final days of the year really count remember just one gift can make a huge impact and that gift might come right at the last moment stay positive stay prepared and you'll finish the Year Strong I hope you found this video helpful if you did let me know by giving it a thumbs up and leave a comment below if there were things you especially like or there if there are topics you'd like to address or if there's some stories that you'd like to leave about year and giving and let this community of Life Changers know that you're part of making a difference in our world if you wish to watch future videos on this channel hit the Subscribe button and click the Bell to be notified immediately the release of the next video video if you wish to follow me on X go to jimw Dempsey on Twitter also at jimw Dempsey or if you have questions go to fundraising mastermind.net jimin jaava if you wish to be part of community of like-minded leaders join our Life Changers group on Facebook as always I wish you the best as you strive to become fully funded thanks a lot see you in the next video [Music]