Fundraising - Engaging Board Members

Before I share with you How to Get Your Board Members to be Walking Billboards for Your Nonprofit, School or Church, I want to remind you about my seminar the weekend of March 21st.

I'm taking everything I've learned and developed over the past 10 years of working with schools and nonprofits and I'm teaching it to 75 people - I have lots of seats open!  HELP ME FILL THEM. If you're not interested, please let others know.

I will teach folks a new way to think about resource development (money, student enrollment, community partnerships, building awareness), then share the knowledge you need to put these concepts to work, and then give you a big binder and electronic versions of tools and templates you can use (case statement, elevator pitch, student enrollment strategies, communications tools like Facebook, website, flyers for anything, scripts, applications for grants, and much more).

The cost for my seminar is: PAY WHAT YOU CAN OR WANT and attend one or both dates as well as join us for networking.

Click here and request registration paperwork or hit the BUY NOW button on my blog.  To learn more about what I'll cover and to read or hear testimonials from some of my clients, visit my website or my You Tube Channel.

Now, on to sharing my secrets for inspiring your board members to be walking billboards for your organization.

Understanding How to Inspire Your Board Members to be Active Ambassadors

 FIRST - It's About Confidence

Are your board members out there tirelessly promoting your organization?  I guarantee you don't really know the answer to this question.  Whenever I do a seminar for board members, and I ask them, "How many of you are confident and comfortable sharing your organization's story?" only one-third of the hands go up.  Your board members are the guardians of your organization, but most of them are NOT PROMOTING your organization.  Here's the thing though.  They will never admit it because they think they should know how to do this.

Over the past 10 years of working with nonprofits, schools and churches, I've learned that there is a lot of guilt on boards.  It's crazy, because here are people who volunteer outside of their jobs and families to offer their time, support, money and advice to a cause for which they have much passion.

They get onto the board often with little training and orientation and you can tell they're ready to get to work.  After a few meetings of soaking in everyone else's wisdom and perspectives, they are really feeling ready to go.  But then after a few more meetings, many board members begin feeling unsure about what to actually do to help outside of attending meetings and blessing the budget and activities of the director.  Eventually, many of them begin to feel ineffective and like they're not making a contribution.

What often happens on the other end - the staff end - is the director begins to make assumptions about a lack of commitment to the organization.  I have found that this just is not the case.  Through many board engagement projects and confidential interviews with board members, I have found the issue to be one of a lack of direction, training and tools than anything else.

A Real Story - Connecting Youth, Inc. (Milwaukee)

A few years back I was brought in by the executive director of a small nonprofit called Connecting Youth who needed help engaging the board in the organization's work after quickly growing operations.  This awesome organization is a group home for teens that can't be adequately served in foster care.  After my first meeting with the board and staff, even I fell under the spell of making assumptions about whether the president of the board was committed.  I really thought to myself, "This person is probably going to have to leave."

When we started clarifying the organization's mission, developing a compelling vision for the future and outlining three clear priorities and a committee structure to achieve them, you could just feel the difference in energy and motivation.  As part of our project, I asked the board members to personally invite some folks to an information session for the purpose of recruiting some additional board and committee members.  While just five people came, all five jumped in and got involved.  The really awesome story is the professional woman who was invited by the board president not only recruited her daughter to serve on the board (she had marketing expertise), she mailed in a $1,000 check after just that one meeting.  This was a HUGE donation for them.  With some clarity and tools, this board president was really able to share the story and make connections.  

Another Real Story - Eastbrook Academy (Milwaukee)


My last posting about board engagement is one of my most popular blogs.  I thought about this again recently as I started working with my new awesome client, Eastbrook Academy, a school that has one of the most amazing stories ever.  This school started 16 years ago with just a K4, K5 and 1st grade, and this year their first high school graduating class will graduate from college.  They have a 100% high school graduation rate, 100% college acceptance rate, PLUS they are racially and economically diverse, with one-third of their students qualifying for free and reduced lunch and a large portion of their students coming from wealthy suburbs paying private tuition.  Families that choose to go there state that they don't have to choose between diversity AND student achievement - THEY GET BOTH.

Anyway, this school is kind of shy about promoting itself.  They have quietly known that they are doing something really awesome, and their recent accreditation brought accolades from the accrediting association.  But they're still kind of shy, and it's my job to tell them how awesome they are and to teach them how to engage the rest of the world in their amazing story.

In the short time I've been there, there are already getting more results just by encouraging them.  They just held their annual event, which had been on a downward trend for various reasons.  Three weeks before the event, I provided the board members with a script and they signed up to make some personal calls to invite people to come to the event.  That made all the difference.  When the board president went to his company for sponsorship, he said all he had to do was write down some of the achievements of the school and the company said yes right away.  They exceeded their goal!

SECOND - Two Tools for Building Confidence

A past board member of Eastbrook Academy admitted that one of the reasons he left the board was because he didn't know how to share the story.  I'm so glad he admitted that.  You can have all the passion in the world, but if you don't know what to say, then you don't share.

There are three tools that really help your ambassasdors share the story:

1. Professional Case Statement.  Click here to go to my first blog posting about developing case statements. 
2. Elevator Pitch.  Click here to go to my blog posting about developing an elevator pitch. 
3. FAQ (frequently asked questions).  This is another great tool to have available to consistently address common questions that come up.  Click here to send me an email for a sample of an FAQ document.  

THIRD - Professional Nagging and Support Bring Credibility

Years back I read something about all the research that was done on all the millions companies spend on professional development programs for their employees.  Unfortunately, the research showed that most of that money was probably being wasted because there were no long-term changes in behavior and results.  The research did however identify the difference in what did bring lasting results and that was followup and support.  

We all intuitively know that changing behaviors and habits is really, really difficult.  We know that the majority of people who want to lose weight end up putting it back on, many people who try to quit smoking don't succeed until many attempts.  Just think about how unrealistic it is to expect people to expertly manage their time after going to a weekend seminar.  Or expecting harmony in the workplace to go up after sending employees to even a six-week program on how to have difficult conversations.  Without the followup and support from a manager, real change is unlikely. 

So even when you provide your board members with a beautiful case statement and elevator pitch, likely not much will happen - even though they're all motivated and excited about their new tools.  They may have every great intention, but when they get out there your board members will get stuck.  And remember, they won't tell you - they're too embarassed.  

I recommend these three follow-up steps to build the confidence and ensure your board members become active ambassadors for your organization.  If they do, you will definitely see new results.  

FIRST - Build in time to report back to each other on how it's going.  You could add a regular agenda item called "Community Engagement" or "Relationship Cultivation" or "Sharing the Story."  During this time, board members can share their experience of using the case statement and elevator pitch and what results they're experiencing.  How many new people have they shared the story with for example.  I like to actually add a little competition to the mix.  Set a weekly goal for the board members when it comes to sharing the story with new people.  

SECOND - Capture all new relationships in a tracking.  Your board members should know that when they have a meaningful conversation with someone that they are to ask them if it's okay to contact them in the future or put them on the mailing list (this is in the elevator pitch).  This contact information should be passed along to the person who is in charge of the relationship tracking so there is immediately a next step for this relationship.  To get a sample elevator pitch, click here and send me an email.    

THIRD - Celebrate success to build more confidence.  I can't believe how often organizations downplay their successes.  My client just exceeded their goal for an event, and the email that went out from the fund development director was very professional and detailed, but it did not scream - WE EXCEEDED OUR GOAL!  The fact that the board members actively made personal phone calls was something that was new and their efforts resulted in more tables being sold at the event, more attendees and a brand new donation!  THIS IS AWESOME!  Celebrating your successes is important for lots of reasons, but most importantly for helping your board members know that THEY MADE A MEANINGFUL CONTRIBUTION.  When they see that, they will be happy to do it again.  

Your board members are your most important tool for inspiring others to get involved in your organization.  I often remind organizations and board members that it's NOT the job of the fund development director to raise money.  It's her or his job to drive the fundraising plan and to empower as many people as possible to share the story, make connections and cultivate relationships.  The organizations that take this to heart have more donors than they can handle.  

As always, I love to hear your own success stories.  

Please consider coming to my seminar or helping me promote it.  I've got a week and a half to fill my 75 seats.  With a price of PAY WHAT YOU CAN and a guarantee that you'll receive inspiration and knowledge and materials worth thousands there are lots of organizations that can benefit. 

Deb 

  

Fundraising - Maximizing Results from Special Events

Before I share with you 5 steps that will GUARANTEE better results from your events, I want to remind you about my seminar the weekend of March 21st.

I'm taking everything I've learned and developed over the past 10 years of working with schools and nonprofits and I'm teaching it to 75 people - I have lots of seats open!  HELP ME FILL THEM.  I will teach folks a new way to think about resource development (money, student enrollment, community partnerships, building awareness), then share the knowledge you need to put these concepts to work, and then give you a big binder and electronic versions of tools and templates you can use (case statement, elevator pitch, student enrollment strategies, communications tools like Facebook, website, flyers for anything, scripts, applications for grants, and much more).

The cost for my seminar is: PAY WHAT YOU CAN OR WANT and attend one or both dates as well as join us for networking.

Click here and request registration paperwork or hit the BUY NOW button on my blog.  To learn more about what I'll cover and to read or hear testimonials from some of my clients, visit my website or my You Tube Channel.

Now, on to sharing my secrets for getting more out of your events.

5 Steps to Getting More Out of Your Events

This time of the year isn't just for spring training; it's also the time of year many nonprofit organizations host special events to raise money and build awareness for their good work.

I've never come across an organization that couldn't get more out of their events.  Here are 5 things to consider in order to maximize the results you can achieve through your upcoming event.

#1 - Determine the Purpose of the Event.

Do you have a written strategy for your annual event?  Rarely do I come across a nonprofit with a written plan for what exactly they want to achieve through the event.  Without specific objectives for what you want to achieve, there's no direction for all the steps that come next.  Without an exciting vision for what you want your event to look and feel like, too much attention gets focused on
logistics.

Often, a nonprofit will state that their goal with the event is to raise money, but then when I ask them who is on the invitation list and who actually comes, it's their volunteers, families of students or other constiuents.  Typically, this scenario is not going to help you maximize revenue generated by the event. However, if the objective of the event is to recognize volunteers, show off student work or build relationships among internal stakeholders, then this invitation list makes sense.  See what I'm saying?

Either objective is fine, but if your objective is to raise money, then your invitation list needs to look different.  Maybe you still want to have an event for volunteers and families; then do that.  But don't expect to raise a lot of money, and then when you don't, feel badly about the event.  Judge the results of the event based on your objectives.

BOTTOM LINE:  SET CLEAR MEASURABLE OBJECTIVES FOR YOUR EVENT.

RESOURCE:  CLICK HERE TO REQUEST A SAMPLE EVENT STRATEGY PLAN.

#2 - Decide Who You Want to Attend Your Event. 

You probably send invitations out via regular mail and email to everyone on your list, including donors, people who receive your email, constituents and others.  They just do what they did last year.  Instead, start by answering this question:  "Who do we want to attend our event?"  Just by asking that question, your list is going to look quite different.  When I worked with the Interfaith neighborhood Outreach Program on their event, I asked them, "Who do you think SHOULD be there?  Who should know more about you?  When they thought about their invitation list in this way, they came up with lots of people they had never thought about before.  Instead of just inviting everyone you have an address or email for, be more strategic and start with the objective you set above and then generate a list of people who will help meet that objective.

BOTTOM LINE:  INVITE THE PEOPLE WHO WILL HELP YOU ACHIEVE YOUR OBJECTIVES.

#3 - Engage Staff, Volunteers and Board Members in Generating the Invitation List.

People look at me a little funny when I tell them, "The role of your fund development director is NOT to raise money."  But it's true.  If everyone in your organization is looking to the development director or coordinator to raise money and put on events, you will definitely NOT maximize your results.  One person is just one person.  Instead, look at your fund development director as the DRIVER or FACILITATOR of your resource development plan.  Her or his role is to empower as many other people as possible to share the story, make connections and open doors.  Once those connections are made, it's her or his job to help decide what to do next in order to cultivate that relationship.  The volunteer or board member that made the connection may continue to be involved or may not.

Anyway, when it comes to events,  once you've set your objectives, allow your board members, volunteers and staff members to brainstorm who they know and respect that matches the objectives.  In addition, have them look at the attendance list from the last few years and identify with which attendees they have a connection.

#4 - Personal Outreach is What Inspires People to Come. 

Typically, nonprofits will use the strategies with which they are most comfortable.  When it comes to getting people to their events, they rely on mailed and emailed invitations. For your own events, you probably have some kind of hard mailing list and email list.  On the list are people who receive your newsletter, donors and constiuents.  You send out your invitations about four to six weeks ahead of time and then you excitedly wait for the rsvp's to come rolling in, and when they don't come in as fast as you had hoped, you begin to feel that pit in the bottom of your stomach.  You feel anxiety as you check the mail each day leading up to the event.  Am I right?

You can do your own research to confirm that mailings are not the best way to engage people.  People want to attend an event because they feel like their presence is meaningful, and the best way to make people feel important is through personal outreach.

Then have everyone (board members) assign themselves to personally reaching out to their people.  They will likely be nervous about doing this, so provide some language or a script to give them the confidence.  In the script include the language that if people are not able to attend, to ask if they would consider making a donation to help the organization reach their goal.  Then set a deadline like 48 hours to complete the outreach, which can be done via live conversation, voicemail or email.  The objective of the calls is to inspire people to want to attend or make a small donation toward the event.

BOTTOM LINE:  YOUR RSVP'S WILL GO UP DRAMATICALLY WITH PERSONAL OUTREACH.

RESOURCE:  CLICK HERE TO REQUEST A SAMPLE SCRIPT FOR YOUR BOARD MEMBERS AND VOLUNTEERS TO USE. 

#5 - Events Are About Cultivating Relationships, Not Just Promoting the Organization. 

Usually, much attention will be paid attention to all the logistics before and during the event.  As I mentioned above, focusing your attention on getting the right people to your event and then personally reaching out to them to inspire them to come will already increase your results.  Don't breathe your sigh of relief yet though.  Your work has just begun.

Once you know who is coming to the event, review the list with your board members, staff members and key volunteers and inspire them to see themselves as ambassadors of the organization.  Their job at the event is to personally welcome people and share their passion for the organization.  Their job is to genuinely be curious and learn more about them and then to report back after the event.

While many nonprofit staff members are just happy for an event to be over, it is important to schedule an event debriefing meeting within a week following the event to discuss what worked well and to share all the amazing experiences that were had with attendees.  The purpose of the event was to continue building relationships with existing supporters and to inspire new supporters.  There are so many juicy things you will all learn about people that will give you clues about how to continue to build the relationship.

People who took the time out of their busy lives to spend an entire evening at your event often are open to getting more involved, especially right after their enjoyable experience.  As you talk about the various attendees, think about what they may have in common with each other.  Then think about what might be a good way to build on their experience at the event.  If they've never taken a tour, this is a perfect next step.  If you have several who have never taken a tour, you might want to consider inviting them to attend one or two tours to experience your mission for themselves and to learn more about your top priorities for the next year.  It's just another opportunity to share and let them know what you need to achieve your vision.

BOTTOM LINE:  THE END OF THE EVENT IS THE BEGINNING OF MORE STEPS TO CULTIVATE RELATIONSHIPS.  

RESOURCE:  CLICK HERE TO REQUEST A COMPELLING TOUR GUIDE. 

I GUARANTEE that looking at your events in this way and taking the steps above will increase your results.  And I'd love to find out what happens when you try this approach.  Good luck with all yoru events this year!

Deb

FOR SCHOOLS - It's Enrollment Time

As I mentioned in my last blog posting, I want to give you a taste of what you will learn at my upcoming seminar.  Today, I'm writing about a topic that causes lots of stress for many schools - ENROLLMENT.

This week I also have a SPECIAL OFFER FOR MY UPCOMING SEMINAR:

PAY WHAT YOU CAN 

OR

MAKE A DOWN PAYMENT 

Really, I mean it.  You don't really know what you're going to get unless you've already attended one of my seminars.  I'm literally taking 10 years of what I've learned and documented and sharing it. 

Plus, I love helping small organizations, and I don't want money to be a barrier to getting all that I'm offering.  When you're raking in the dough later on, you can send me another check if you want.  

WHEN YOU ACTUALLY EXPERIENCE WHAT I HAVE PLANNED, I trust you will think it's one of the best workshops you've ever attended.  I know, because that's what many attendees have told me in the past.  

To find out more or to register and take advantage of this special offer, click on the following: 

www.alineaconnect.com

www.deblukovich.blogspot.com

My YouTube Channel 

Now, on to today's topic! 

It's That Time of Year Again - STUDENT ENROLLMENT 

The most requested item my school clients ask for help with is STUDENT ENROLLMENT.

• Charter schools that are getting off the ground spend a lot of time developing their curriculum, but without enough students, they won't have the budget they need to fully implement their unique approach.  Often times, the new charter school is seen as a threat to the existing public schools, so being strategic is very important.  In addition, the whole concept of a charter school is confusing and sometimes carries a lot of negative baggage.  When my clients hire me, I can pretty much guarantee that if they use my approach, they will not only achieve their enrollment goal; they will achieve it ahead of schedule. 

• Public schools that are losing students to other districts or voucher schools are not used to having to promote their schools and woo families.  There was a time when students just showed up to the local public school for kindergarten and didn't leave until they graduated from high school.  Student enrollment can be very competitive, especially in urban areas where there is a lot of expertimentation happening with different types of schools 

• Private and Religious schools have been losing students over the past decade or so due to changing demographics and economics.  Some religious and private schools have tried to fill in the gap by participating in the school choice program, which means low-income families are allowed to attend their school and a portion of the money that the public school recieves to educate that child goes to the private or religious school.  While this is a good option for some families, these schools have had to redefine who they are and how they will meet the needs of a more diverse student population.  They struggle with communicating their mission and approach to the wider community.  

Key to Achieving Enrollment Goals - Two-Part Formula 

The key to achieving your enrollment goal is two-fold.  

The FIRST STEP is actually alinea's formula for effective community engagement = STORY + DIRECTION = RELATIONSHIPS.  You must NOT panic and use the "spray and pray" approach.  The more you are clear on which students are most likely to succeed at your school, the more effective you will be in attracting those students.  It doesn't feel intuitive, but the smaller and more defined your niche, the more prospects you will attract, because you are speaking directly to them instead of to everybody.  Hopefully, you've developed a professional case statement so you're clear on how to communicate your story. 

The SECOND STEP is to understand the formula for an effective student enrollment strategy = OUTREACH + CONSTANT FOLLOWUP UNTIL YOU GET A YES OR NO + RELATIONSHIP CULTIVATION.  

While it's tempting to want to spend what little resources you have on things like billboards, advertising, fancy videos and other expensive marketing items (you will actually be encouraged to do so), you will not get as big of return as with good old fashioned grassroots organizing - connecting with people on a personal basis.

I know this personally.  I was the first founding board member of a charter school in urban Milwaukee.  When we developed our enrollment plan, we assumed we'd have to GO TO WHERE THE PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS ARE.  It's kind of arrogant to assume that when you're opening a new school students will just find you.  Those families don't know you.  We held block parties and offered food, beverages, kids' games.  The founder and a group of volunteers stood outside gas stations and grocery stores.  We even borrowed an ice cream truck, and gave away popsicles just to get attention.  We'd talk to the kids, tell them about the school and why we thought it was cool and then we asked where they lived.  Then the enrollment team (lots of volunteers and our early family enrollees) went door to door, asking to talk with parents about the  new school.  It was really hard work, but that's what it took.  IT WILL ALWAYS REQUIRE MORE OUTREACH THAN YOU THINK! 

I've helped all kinds of schools (public, charter, choice, private, religious) in all kinds of settings (urban, suburban, rural) with enrollment.  The formula is ALWAYS THE SAME.   

Step #1 - Set a Goal and Determine Activities Needed to Achieve Goal 

Before you put my formula to work, you must have a goal.  Attracting and enrolling students is an activity-driven task.  You cannot control whether people say YES or No to coming to your school.  So you need to focus on what you can control - # OF OUTREACH ACTIVITIES AND # OF FOLLOWUP ACTIVITIES.  

Let's use a real example.  My client Tomorrow River Community School is a charter school in Amherst, WI.  They are in the middle of their first year and currently have 52 students.  Their goal is to recruit 25 new students, mostly in the kindergarten class, add an additional kindergarten class and expand their 1st grade by another class.  

They give preference to the siblings of current students, and they have identified that probably 8 new students will come from siblings of current students.  They are reaching out to those families right now.  That leaves 17 new students.  The director of the school does about one tour per week with interested families that have learned about the school and pretty much 100% of those families enroll a student.  With their enrollment period ending at the end of April, that means that probably about 10 new students will come from tours (they have done a great job of spreading the word - see my blog on creating ambassadors).  That leaves about 7 additional students they need to recruit.  They should plan on doing enough outreach to get at least three times that number interested in the school.  This school's strategy is holding monthly information meetings targeted toward current and prospective parents.  

My other client Granton School District has a goal of recruiting 75 new students for next fall.  When I started working with them two years ago, they said they'd be thrilled to add 10 new families.  With my guidance, they did that.  As I continued to work with them and build their confidence and skills in outreach, they recruited in excess of 25 new families during this current year.  Having a specific goal will allow you to determine how many prospects you need and how many outreach activities are needed to generate those prospects.

How did they do it?  The answer lies in Step #2. 

Step #2 - Outreach Activities that Generate Prospective Students 

  This is the hard work.  Well, it's not really hard, it's just where my clients get nervous because they're a little shy when it comes to doing outreach.  Outreach activities are any activity that can lead to connecting with prospective families and students.  

Here's another real example.  My current client, Nova Tech, the 5th school to be opened by TransCenter for Youth in Milwaukee, needs 100 students by this fall.  Their #1 outreach opportunity is students at one of their current schools who are interested in an education that focuses on technical and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) careers.  We estimate that there may be 20 students from that one source.  So, that's where we're focusing our efforts first.  And because one of our goals is to have at least one-third of the students be girls, we have different outreach plans for girls and boys.  Because we also know that girls have a hard time seeing themselves in this type of career because they lack role models, we've recruited about seven young, primarly women of color who work in technical and STEM careers.  We just held our first information session just for girls at TransCenter's other school and it was a wild success.  

So, the first thing is to strategize who your prospects are and where the biggest number of them hang out.  Here are the top two outreach strategies in my experience: 

• Information sessions - These are sessions for prospective families and/or students who might be a good match for your school.  You want to hold the sessions at locations where your prospects hang out or at your school.  For example, if you're trying to recruit students for a high school, then holding information sessions at middle schools would be a good strategy.  Start with the middle schools where you have a good relationship with the principal or guidance counselor.  Ask them if you can hold a session there.  They might say yes or they might say no - remember I said you can't control who says yes or no.  Some will definitely say YES.  Another good venue for information sessions are organizations that serve kids like Boys and Girls Clubs or the YMCA or community centers.  Often, these organizations are proud to offer another resource to their own constiuents.  

• Tabling at events - Tabling is one of those old-fashioned grassroots strategies.  When you go to a neighborhood block party or community festival or county fair, you will see "tables" with volunteers trying to connect with potential customers or asking for signatures on referendums, etc.  This is tabling.  Many of my rural school clients have volunteers working at "tables" at these types of events.  I provide them with the training, scripts and materials to maximize the number of interactions they have with folks who could be or lead to prospective families and students.  Anywhere there is a gathering of people who might be your prospects is a tabling opportunity. 

Step #3 - Put EVERY PROSPECT into a tracking document and follow up immediately and consistently until you get a YES or NO.  

Just because you made a good impression on someone and they expressed interest, doesn't mean they'll take the next step.  Rarely does that happen.  People are busy.  But if you were lucky enough to connect with someone who expessed an interest in your school, your job has just began.  You must follow up with your prospects and offer them whatever they need to make a decision YES or NO.  Here are possible next steps: 

• Tour of the school - You ideally want your prospect to come to your school so they can touch and feel the magic of what their child will experience.  If I haven't written a blog about how to conduct a compelling tour, then go to my website and sign up to receive my handout on Developing a Compelling Tour.  Don't let them just walk out the door after the tour.  Sit down and ask them what they think and what they need to know or do in order to come to a decision.  Then let their feedback guide your next steps. 

• Packet of Information - For some people, a personal tour feels too risky; they're not ready to be pressed for a decision.  They might just want to start with more information.  You should be ready to send a packet that includes your case statement, a school calendar, a newsletter if you have one, and some references if your're an existing school.  You will also want to offer educational pieces about your unique approach, like project based learning, Waldorf or Montessori philosophy, how awesome your athletic program is, your internship program - anything that helps them touch and feel your unique approach. 

• Application or Enrollment Paperwork - If you get a YES, don't look at it as a done deal.  This is an opportunity to really cultivate a relationship with a new family that might become a new active ambassador for your school.  In addition, think carefully about what information you could gather in the application that will enlighten you about the family and their child.  If you're a project based learning school, finding out about the new student's interests could help you determine what kinds of community partnerships you need.  If you get a NO, do not waste that opportunity either.  Ask the prospects who end up saying NO why they made that decision so you can use it as a learning opportunity.  Ask them if they know others who might be a match - this could result in new prospects. 

If you use this approach, I guarantee you will achieve your enrollment goal.  Personal outreach is a great way to get current families involved in your school or to put volunteers to work.  You'll need to do a little training and provide them with tools, but volunteers are your most effective ambassadors.  

My caution though is not to take your families and students for granted once you've enrolled them.  See this as only the beginning of relationship cultivation.  

Good luck this enrollment season!  Feel free to respond to my blog with a question or share a success story.  You'll inspire others and build awarness of your school and community.  

YOU'LL LEARN MORE ABOUT 

ENROLLMENT STRATEGIES

PLUS RECEIVE 

ALL THE TEMPLATES AND TOOLS YOU NEED 

AT MY UPCOMING SEMINAR 

Register right here on my blog!

Deb 

Key to Better Results - Change the Way You Think and What You Do

You may have heard that I'm taking everything I usually do for my clients in a 12-month consulting project and I'm giving it all to 75 people who register to come to my weekend-long seminar on
March 21-23 in Milwaukee, WI.  They'll get inspiration, training and a binder full of instruction, samples and templates.

Leading up to my seminar, I'll be giving you glimpses of what this amazing experience will be like.  Today, I write about the key to getting better results - the need to change how you think and what you do.  I'll be talking about this at the seminar FIRST!

Enjoy this post, and to learn more about my seminar:

• Click here to visit my website for details 
• Click here to listen to me talk about the seminar or view client testimonials

Why Some Organizations and People Get Better Results

Over the past 10 years, I've worked with more than 50 schools and nonprofits, and I've paid attention to which cliens get the most out of working with me.

My clients tend to fall into two camps:

• Schools and school districts that are already doing innovative things and they are looking for more money, students or community partners.

• Nonprofits that are looking to grow and diversify their sources of revenue, want their board members to be more engaged, need more volunteers and want to build awareness.  

Before I agree to work with them, they must tell me they are open to thinking about and doing things in a new way.  My experience and intuition is usually right, but when it's not and it's not working with a client, it's always because of a resistance to thinking or doing things differently.

While many organizations say they want change, when the time comes for them to change, they can't make themselves do it and then they're disappointed in the results they get.  They say that unless the pain of NOT CHANGING is greater than the pain of changing, people just won't do it.

Before you immediately deny that this happens in your own organization or in your own life, sit back and think about the personal or organizational goals that you haven't been able to achieve yet.  I guarantee that the reason you haven't achieved them yet is because you haven't made the change in thinking and doing in order to get different and better results.

The Secret to More Money, Students, Volunteers, Engaged Board Members and Community Partners - CHANGE

I've discovered that there are two things that must always happen in order for my clients to experience great results.  There are TWO CHANGES that must happen:

FIRST, they must change the way they think about things.
SECOND, they must change what they do.

Schools, for example, used to be able to count on getting enough resources from a reliable government source and having students simply show up as kindergarteners and stay through high school.

That completely changed over the past decade or so.  For years, schools have been asked to do more with less, PLUS transform the way education is delivered so when students graduate they're prepared to enter the 21st Century workforce.

Well schools and communities have responded in different ways to this stress.  One way schools have responded is to become taken over by a "scarcity mentality," meaning there is constant stress over a lack of resources.  Working in a scarcity environment where there is a constant feeling of lack causes people to turn on each other.  I've seen this myself.  The teachers and staff members of these schools don't realize that their own beliefs about lack are being passed along to an entire generation of young people.  I find that people in this camp exert great effort trying to fight the system instead of adapting to the change.  There's a feeling that everyone is competing for a fixed amount of resources.  They become frustrated, which does the opposite of producing more resources.

On the other hand, some schools and communities have changed the way they think about school funding.  Many of my school clients have creatively used charter dollars to pilot and implement new 21st Century learning models.  There are school districts in Wisconsin that have started multiple charter programs in their district.  Other schools have launched or improved education foundations.  Some have focused on getting technology into the hands of every one of their students.  Other foundations have focused on scholarships for students to go to two- or four-year colleges.  The teachers, parents and community members in these school districts decide that it's up to them to adapt.  With my eternal optimism and cheerleading, they begin to believe that there is no limit to the amount of resources and people who want to help them.  That belief is contagious, and soon they are pleasantly surprised when people step up to help.

So, changing the way you think MUST HAPPEN before you can get better or different results.

Next, getting organizations to change what they do is not an easy task.  Lots of research has been done on whether sending people to workshops and seminars results in any measurable change.  IT DOESN'T unless there is followup, encouragement and support back at the organization.

Small nonprofits, for example, are already overwhelmed.  When I begin working with them, I tell them that I know our starting point is THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TIME TO DO WHAT I WANT THEM TO DO.  They breathe a sigh of relief when they hear me say that, but then I tell them we still have to find a way to change what they're doing.

When my client isn't doing what I ask them to do, though, it doesn't mean they don't want to.  It usually means they don't know how or they are afraid to do it.  I remind them that our minds and our bodies try to protect us from change, and that the feeling of discomfort is normal.  HOW WE RESPOND TO THAT FEELING is key though.  Instead of losing faith in me, I ask them to say to themselves, "I

know this is uncomfortable because I'm learning something new.  I MUST DO IT ANYWAY."

Then I go on to do whatever training they need, create whatever tools they need and then provide the gentle nudging required for them to follow through.  Celebrating whatever the outcome is is critical in their building the confidence to do it again and again so that it becomes a habit.

People who can resist the temptation to get mad at me when they are uncomfortable, and instead face their fear and try something new ALWAYS ARE HAPPY WITH THE OUTCOME.

It's Not About Knowledge, Information, Marketing or Strategies - IT'S ABOUT YOU!

For organizations looking for better results, it's often about the need to change how they are thinking and what they are doing.  It's not about creating a fancy video or brochure, although that's often what they'll do.  It's not about a scheme or a fundraising strategy.  It's about what you're walking around saying and whether you're inspiring people with your vision for the future.

These are the things that I focus on when I work with clients.  Not my specialized knowledge, because that won't help unless I first get people to change the way they think first.

As always, please share what you think, what you did and what happened when you tried something new.  You give others confidence to try it too. 

In Eternal Optimism,

Deb

New Year's Resolutions for Fundraising

New Year - New Fundraising Goals

Whether your fiscal year ends on December 31st or not, January feels like a good time to set new goals.

Even though just 45% of Americans set New Year's resolutions, and just 8% of them successfully achieve them, the beginning of a new year is still a good time to start some new habits that could bring better results.

You could be that 8%, which would put you out front of everyone else.  First, let's talk about the keys to successfully following through on your New Year's resolution.  Second, we'll talk about some good resolutions to set related to fundraising.

Keys to Achieving Your New Year's Resolution

I did a little research on what that 8% does to achieve their New Year's resolutions, and my favorite pieces of advice include:

• According to The Women's Club Blog (www.thewomens-club.com), "Leaving your comfort zone can be very daunting but it is this discomfort we must face in order to truly reach our goals." 

• According to Winners Drink Milk Blog (www.winnersdrinkmilkblog.com), "Write down and publicly announce your goals.  Tell your friends, broadcast it on Twitter, Facebook or whatever your choice of communication. You are much more likely to make improvements than someone who hasn't made a formal resolution."   

• According to The Telegraph Blog (www.telegraph.co.uk), "Break your goal into a series of steps, focusing on creating sub-goals that are conrete, measurable, and time-based.  

What Does This Have to do with Fundraising?

If you want to get different results in fundraising, then you'll need to change your behavior just like you have to when you want to lose weight, manage stress, get a better job or recycle or volunteer more.  

That's why I love the three keys to success I found above.  Let's relate them to fundraising. 

#1 - Leaving Your Comfort Zone 

My clients who get the best results are so open to THINKING about things in a new way and suffering through the discomfort of DOING things in a new way.  My favorite clients say, "Deb, just tell us what to do; we're ready."  They have a little faith and when they try what I ask them to try, they're so pleasantly surprised by the results.   

• Pick up the phone and talk to people.  Whether you are the development director or a board member, this is the number one thing holding you back.  Go find my blog on case statements and elevator pitches and just start practicing on someone, anyone.  Whatever is the most difficult thing for you to do is probably the most important thing for you to do - just like exercising.  Stop saying you don't have time.  That's really an excuse for avoiding something you're uncomfortable with. If you can call on your discipline to JUST DO IT, you will get results. 

#2 - Share Your Goals 

I recently worked with a client that had a goal to increase their patrons.  They already a significant number of very loyal patrons who just adored them.  I asked, "Have you told the people who already love you that you're looking for more people like them?"  People like to help; but they need to know how.

• Don't be afraid to let your supporters know about your goals.  There's a kind of intersection of magic that happens when an organization inspires someone who has the desire to make a difference.  It's actually a gift to the donor AND the organization!  No one knows how hard your're working and what you need unless you tell them.  In the words of one of my clients, " I have also gotten more specific in identifying what people can do to help - specific number of drivers and specific things we need to buy.  It really seems to motivate folks to hear specifics - even if they can't do it they may hand me a check [for some amount]." 

#3 - Break Your Goal into Steps and Celebrate Along the Way 

Let's say your goal is to raise an additional $100,000, and your total budget is just $2 million.  That's a big increase.  How can you break this into smaller, achievable steps? 

• Figure out what this $100,000 will pay for.  Be specific so prospective donors know exactly how they can make a difference.  For example, maybe you need $6,000 to pay for two lego robotics sets, $15,000 for Chrome Notebooks for 60 students, $6,000 for Discovery Education Online Curriculum, $15,000 for student project supplies, and $58,000 for a new computer lab.  Defining your needs will allow prospective supporters to know exactly what their contributions mean. 

• Schedule one hour more per week focusing on relationship culivation.  One hour more per week equals at least 50 hours per year, and that can really make a difference when it comes to cultivating relationships.  Think about it.  One more hour per week could mean a significant number of interactions with people every week:  10 more phone calls thanking donors, two more tours, one more lunch with a new donor or research on two more people that might be inspired by your work - EVERY SINGLE WEEK!  While there is no guarantee you will receive a specific gift from a specific person, there is a guarantee that if you do the activities (research, calls, tours, meetings, etc.), you will get more than you got before. 

• Celebrate small success to provide more momentum.  A  lot of this work is done by volunteers like board members, who are really looking to make a meaningful contribution.  It's important that they feel there's progress being made, even if it's small.  It's just not motivating to feel like what you're doing is never good enough.  If your goal is $100,000, and you've just raised your first $5,000 of that amount, send out an email to your entire boad congratulating them.  Do a little dance to celebrate.  Think about what recognizing your children for their little accomplishments does; it makes them want to do more.  We really never grow out of that need for positive recognition.  

Share the Joy! 

There's enough to go around.  You don't have to be in competition with anyone.  The more you share, the more you receive.  Please share your success stories on my blog - spread the joy! 

Happy Holidays!  

Deb

Holiday and End-of-Year 
Fundraising Appeals

If you're already planning on a year-end appeal, how can you maximize your results? 

If you've never done a year-end appeal, how can you quickly write and get one out by the end of this week?


But Aren't People Tired of Being Asked to Give?

Your donors support you because you are doing something important.  If you have done a good job of showing your gratitude and using their donations wisely, then your supporters expect you to continue asking for help.  

And there are two really good reasons to appeal to people for support at the end of the year.  

FIRST, in the hustle and bustle of planning family gatherings and shopping for presents, many people take a step back and think about the idea behind holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa.  These are opportunities to think about family members, neighbors and community members, people we don't know but are in need, and organizations doing good work. 

SECOND, the end of the year is an opportunity to follow through on goals and pledges related to charitable giving.  An added benefit is the tax deduction that comes with a donation to a qualifying organization.  

So, DO NOT feel badly about asking for more support.  People will make their own choice about whether or not to give at the moment.  Offer them the opportunity.  


3 Steps to Maximizing Your Results 

Step #1 - Say thank you and tell them why you're asking for help up front.  

Always begin your letter or email with a big fat THANK YOU for all the support you've already received.  You can't say thank you too many times.  The second sentence should make clear why you are writing again.  

Here's an example: 

• Dear community member, we are so excited about how our first year is going at Tomorrow River Community Charter School!  

• We have so many people to thank for our successful launch - the families who chose our school for their children, our amazing students, volunteers who helped get our classrooms ready and continue to step up for any task we need help with, and community members who are interested in offering hands-on experiences to our children. 

• We welcomed 52 students this fall, and we're in the process of growing our enrollment by more than 30 more students next year, and even more the year after that.  We'll outgrow our space soon, and that's why we're writing.  

Step #2 - Celebrate your successes so your donors know how their past support has made a difference. 

No one knows how hard you're working or the impact you're having if you don't tell them.  People will feel very excited when you share stories with them that help them understand the meaning and impact of their donations.  Take this opportunity to tell them a story that brings your mission to life.  

For example: 

We want to take a moment to share some exciting accomplishments:

• Hands-on learning and field trips.  We're so excited to report that just three months into the school year, our students have been able to take their learning outside of the classroom almost every week through field trips plus hands-on activities.  These opportunities are critical to our unique Waldorf approach.  

• Transportation funding.  For many of our families who come from other school districts, transportation is an obstacle.  We're excited to share that our parent group was able to raise enough money and work with our local bus company to make transportation affordable.

Step #3 - Share your vision and priorities and explain why you're asking for support.  

The last step is to let people know more about what you need help with.  You have expressed gratitude for their support and helped them see how they have already made a difference.  Now it's time to share your new priorities and be specific about what you need to accomplish those.  

For example: 

• Tomorrow River Community Charter School is excited to have opened our doors to 52 students this year, but we will soon outgrow our space.  We plan to build a sustainable, nature-inspired building that is suited to our unique approach.  This new facility will allow us to expand enrollment to eight classes totaling 160 students.  

• The building will blend into the natural surroundings of the Central Wisconsin Environmental Station (CWES), which is located on 200 acres of woods bordering beautiful glacial Sunset Lake.  The building will utilize many energy efficiency measures and solar to produce electricity and to heat the building. 

• Our next task is to secure $4,500 to create drawings and a design.  We hope to raise this amount before the end of the year.  

• I know many people that make donations to charities in lieu of receiving gifts for the holidays.  If this sounds like you or someone you know, consider a gift to Tomorrow River Community Charter School for our facilities campaign.  Let us know if you want to make a gift on someone's behalf and we'll be happy to recognize both you and the other person. 

• We're enclosing our professional case statement, which tells you more about our philosophy and approach, as well as our facilities case statement.  Please feel free to pass it along to others to let them know what we're up to.  In the meantime, your donation of $1,000, $500, $250, $100 or other amount will help us achieve this next important step in our facilities plan. 

Get Your Appeal Out Via Mail, Email or Facebook by the End of This Week! 

You've got a small window though to do this.  The end of the year is very busy, and you should try to get it out before December 10th.  As always, let me know how it goes, especially if you've never done this before.  Others can benefit by your experience. 

Deb

The Best Seminar Experience Ever

What Would Your Best Workshop Experience Look Like? 

On March 21-23, 2014,  I will be facilitating my FIRST EVER weekend-long transformative workshop for people who want to learn how to apply the alinea formula to their nonprofit, school, church or other project.  

I'd really love to know your thoughts on what would make the best-ever workshop.  I want to know what I have to do to make attendees say, "This was the best program I've ever been to.  I'm inspired and I know exactly what to do to get better results for my organization."

Click here to to take a short survey

My clients (schools, nonprofits, churches, small businesses) hire me because they want: 

• More awareness and attention
• More money, technology, community partnerships or sales
• More students, volunteers, congregation members, board members or customers
• More engaged board members or volunteers 

Typically, I deliver my services through a consulting/coaching model over 12 months, costing my clients $14,000 or more.

While I love working this way with my clients, I'm limited in my reach and impact.  First, I can only work that intensely with a limited number of organizations.  Second, there are so many awesome organizations out there that cannot possibly pay this level of fee. 

My new goal is to inspire and empower more people with the alinea mindset and formula, and I've figured out a way to do that. 

Over the past 10 years, I've been able to document exactly how I do what I do, and I'm prepared to share all my secrets with you.  I can guarantee that if you apply the alinea formula in the way I teach you, YOU WILL GET MORE AND BETTER RESULTS. 

Beginning next week, I'll begin promoting this transformative weekend-long experience and accepting early registrations.  

Now, on to some useful advice:

Encourage Your Supporters to Make Donations in lieu of Holiday Gifts

One of my awesome clients, Tomorrow River Community Charter School (Amherst, WI), just launched their school this fall with 52 students.  Their unique approach combines the Waldorf education method with a natural environment.  They're going to outgrow their space in two years, so they need to quickly build a foundation of supporters to raise $2.5 million to expand their facilities.

I told them to just start letting people know about their plans.  I've been known to tell my clients, "You just never know what will happen if you share good news and let people know what you're up to."  They've decided to let people know about the option to make a donation to the school in someone's behalf in

lieu of a Christmas or holiday gift.

I personally know of many people who are looking for a way to have a meaningful impact, and the Holiday's are an opportunity to do that.  Consider simply adding this option to your existing communications materials, like your Facebook page, website or holiday concert program book.  See what happens.  People want to help, and it's up to you to let them know how.

As always, please feel free to share your success stories so others may benefit by your experience.

Deb

Founder and Chief Inspiration Officer