3 Steps for Cultivating Year-End Fundraising Ambassadors
It’s almost year-end fundraising season. Are you banging your head against the wall yet?
Joking aside, it may seem like your team’s hard work and limited resources just won’t be enough. And you know what you could do, if only…
I believe that there is a way to move past this seemingly insurmountable barrier: Develop a team of year-end fundraising messengers to be your nonprofit’s ambassadors. Enlist your colleagues, board members, passionate volunteers, and loyal donors to help you expand your nonprofit’s reach and results for little or no cost. The best part? These people are already inspired to help you reach your goals.
Ready to get started? Here are three steps to identify, motivate, and support your messenger team.
1) Focus messengers on a particular campaign element.
When it comes to messages, less is more. Select a clear and narrow focus for your messengers. It could be #GivingTuesday or your year-end launch day. You’ll find it easier to share the messages with them and they’ll be more likely to drive donations with confidence.
Learn more about building your team of messengers: Sign up for Nancy’s Nonprofit911 webinar The Year-End Game-Changer: Your Team of Messengers Thursday, October 6 at 1pm EDT
2) Select your messengers strategically.
Choose a small group of folks most likely to succeed as your first team of messengers. Consider individuals with a public-facing staff role, a strong network (social media network, in-person relationships, or both), a history of giving to your nonprofit, or the personality to be a good messenger. You can mix and match these traits to compose your team.
Don’t forget that these messengers are your “guinea pigs.” Be straight about that and thank them for joining you in productive experimentation.
3) Ask for their help and tell them what they’ll get in return.
When you ask people to become messengers, explain why their team is going to make a real difference in year-end fundraising. Then, give them a detailed description of what you want them to do.
It’s also important to stress the WIIFM (what’s in it for me or what they’re going to get out of it). These can range from honing their speaking and fundraising skills to advancing the organization’s mission
Taking these steps will help your nonprofit deliver relevant messages in a consistent, compelling way. You’ll also grow your repeats (we all need repetition in this distracted world) and your reach.
Let’s join forces to build your team together!
Even if you can’t make it to Nancy’s webinar, sign up anyway and we will email you the recording. REGISTER NOW!
