action

Imagine the simplest and lowest cost strategy to talk to a donor about supporting your organization.  There is a perfect time.
 
An actual conversation I heard at a medical center recently where a patient was working with an appointment schedule to arrange a follow-up visit:
 
Patient:
  • Thank you!
  • You’ve really improved my life!
  • So this is covered? So I owe you (practically) nothing!
  • I feel like I should do something!
Appointment Scheduler:
  • You are welcome!
  • We are so glad to help.
  • Yes, you are covered. You don’t owe us a thing.
  • But you sound interested – you certainly can “do something”. Here is some information on charitable giving. With a charitable gift, you can make what you have received available to people who aren’t covered and can't pay, or you can help with research so our resources are even better in the future.
So simple. The perfect donor stands there grateful and motivated!
 
Three people did an outstanding job:
1. The donor.
2. The appointment scheduler did not miss a beat. She knew how to respond to a patient who said “I am grateful, and I would like to do something!”
3. The funds development staff person knew that the front line meets many grateful givers at the crest of their gratitude. Sharing ideas with them on how to respond is simple and successful.
 
Our staff can have a simple response to a grateful congregation member or supporter professing their feeling of gratitude.
 
Consider sharing a brief overview of what planned giving is with the front line staff at your church. Find an opportunity to share with them what resources they have:
• A simple response for an grateful giver - like the one above
• Whom a member may contact if they seem inspired to make a planned gift
• What literature is available 
• Your own web link to your planned giving