Should you invest in a co-working space?

As November comes to a close, many of you, like me, are probably already thinking about your budget for the New Year. You're looking at where you can cut back, where you can expand, and where you're sitting pretty.

For small businesses and solopreneurs, I don't think it's ever an easy decision to spend money. But, if we are going to grow and scale, I do think we need to take calculated risks, and that can sometimes mean forking over some hard-earned cash.

Last week I compared 13 social media scheduling tools, and ended up choosing SmarterQueue for Signify. I think it will be a great, long-term asset, and in fact, I've already seen some traction on social media, including receiving my first client lead from Twitter. Not too shabby!

This week, I want to talk about co-working spaces. They seem to be a big topic of conversation in my circles, and many of you may be trying to decide if it's time to invest in one for your nonprofit or social enterprise as well. So, I'll lay out some of the pros and cons for you to consider.

With the growing freelance economy and the shift of traditional companies offering work from home solutions or alternative environments, co-working spaces are all the rage. Here in Atlanta, we seem to have a couple dozen of them, and I feel like I hear about another one every month.

They are incredibly appealing if you're looking for a completely separate space to work, free of home distractions like laundry and Netflix. But, of course, their perks do come at a cost—literally.

This summer, I decided to try out Roam here in the ATL. I shelled out the money for a 30-day experiment because it was something I was really curious about, and wanted some first-hand experience. After reading the websites of about a dozen potential spaces, I chose Roam because it was the closest to me, a friend also had a membership there and liked it, and they were running a summer special. I've also been talking to other friends who utilize these alterna-offices to get their feedback. 

The Pros

• Getting out of the house. While I am an introvert who loves working from home, I know I need to be intentional about getting out of the house. But it must be especially hard for extroverts who crave in-person interaction with others. Being around the energy of a co-working space can actually be a good fit for both.

• Meeting space. Sure, there are coffee shops everywhere, and they've served many of us very well, but sometimes you just need a private space to talk with your people or a potential client/donor/customer. At places like Roam, their meeting spaces even have A/V equipment so you can present like a pro.

• Dedicated office space. Maybe you just need a couple feet of desk space, or maybe you need a lock and key for yourself or your little team. Many co-working venues rent dedicated office space, and some even have printers, fax machines, mail boxes, and other benefits that come with more traditional office environments.

• Event space. When you need event space for just a few people, or maybe up to a couple hundred, it can be extremely difficult to find. Co-working spaces help fill that gap, and also give you a little more personality than a hotel ballroom.

• Collaboration. As I mentioned, I chose Roam because I had a friend who was already a member. So, it was fun to plan which days we could work together, bounce ideas off of each other, and make believe we had someone else on our team.

• Networking. If you're on the hunt for new customers, donors, or even sponsors or partners, there are often regular networking events at co-working spaces.

• Other events. Depending on the venue, they may even offer pitch or feedback sessions, bring in guest speakers, celebrate holidays, or offer other opportunities to get to know your co-working neighbors and enjoy the environment.

• Food and drink. A lot of co-working spaces have coffee bars, food, or delivery options, which makes it even more convenient to spend the day there. And a few places even provide snacks and drinks, which is a super nice perk. I certainly took advantage of the sparkling water on tap at Roam!

• And depending on the space, you may also get guest passes, after hours access, and gifts included in your membership.

 

The Cons

Really, I think the biggest con for any of us would be the cost. All the features above have to sound pretty enticing regardless, but it's just a matter of making it work for your budget.

And think about it, you will not only have to pay for the membership, but your costs may further increase if you purchase food or coffee while being out all day, or frequent nearby restaurants for meals. I typically only work at a coffee shop or restaurant one day a week, so during my experiment, I certainly spent a lot more on coffee and eating out than normal.

However, money isn't the only factor. Keep reading!

Other Considerations

Co-working spaces seem to take on the personalities of their founders. I hadn't thought about that before my experiment, but it makes sense, doesn't it? Your personality likely dictates the culture at your nonprofit or social enterprise, whether it's an army of one or many. Roam was started by business people, so you definitely get that vibe and those are the kind of people you'll often find there. That's also why you'll see a lot of meeting space at Roam, like an abundance of conference rooms and a large event space.

However, a friend of mine who is a graphic designer works out of a co-working space designed by, and for, creatives. So, that is reflected in the layout, the events offered, amenities, etc. Neither of these "types" of co-working spaces is good or bad, but you may be drawn to one or another. Or just because one space doesn't work for you doesn't mean you won't love another.

 

Evaluate the ROI of Investing in a Co-Working Space

There are a lot of positives that come with co-working spaces, and you may be tempted to stop reading and start Googling to find your nearest option. However, outside of the budget factor, we still haven't really considered the ROI, or return on investment. So, before you start recalculating your budget, let's take a hard, last look.

• Is it a need or a want? If it's going to be financially hard for you to shell out the cash, you need to really decide if this is a need or want. Even if it won't be too much strain on your budget, you should still decide if this is the best place to put that money, or if it would be better spent some place else.

• Will you be more productive there? This was one of the chief reasons I decided to do my 30-day experiment. It would've been a financial sacrifice for me, but if I could get more work done there, it would be worth it.

• Do you need meeting or office space? If you hold regular meetings, it may be a great investment for you. No one likes sitting next to large groups of people at Starbucks, especially if they are attempting some sort of presentation.

• Do you want the extra benefits, like networking or events? Depending on your organization, this may be a terrific way for you to find new partners, donors, or customers.

 

My Conclusion

In the end, for me it was a luxury, not a necessity. The shine wore off after about two weeks. Then it become more of a gym membership—I went because I was paying for it. But it wasn't because I didn't like it. I just found another way to confirm that I like working at home . . . and not brushing my hair if I didn't have to.

I also wasn't any more productive. I worked longer hours, again, because I was paying to be there, but I don't think I would've kept up that pace long-term.

If you're still on the fence, or want to take the next step, most co-working spaces I've seen offer day passes. So, this is a terrific, low risk way to check one (or more) out. Even if you don't see it listed on their website, reach out and ask. Some also offer seasonal discounts or special offers, so be sure to follow your favorites on social media or hop on their email list to take advantage of the next opportunity to stretch your budget a little further.

And even for people like me who decide not to pursue it right now, we can still utilize day passes now and again, or even rent the meeting rooms, if needed. Overall, I am a huge fan of these spaces, and love seeing exciting, new options like this for freelancers, solopreneurs, and small businesses. 

Have you tried a co-working space? What did you think?

PS: Next week, we'll talk about the two most significant investments I've made in my business this year, and why you should consider doing the same. And if you didn't get the chance to read my comparison of 13 social media scheduling tools, check it out here.

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I'm Kristi Porter, and I started Signify to provide writing, consulting and strategy services to nonprofits and for-profit organizations with a social mission, primarily through copywriting, marketing and business communications. I believe that cause-focused organizations like yours are the future of business. You're proof that companies can both make money and do good. And I'm here to help you get noticed and grow. When you succeed, we all win.

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The Key to Maximizing Your Year-End Fundraising Efforts

Today's guest post comes from Cindy Wagman, President of The Good Partnership, which is on a mission to make great fundraising achievable for small nonprofits. Since we are entering prime fundraising season, I wanted Cindy's perspective on how to make the most of year-end efforts. And she's got some great advice for you!

Oh, hi!

If you’re like most of my clients, you’re the Executive Director for a small nonprofit and you’re juggling a million balls, trying to keep up with the increased holiday workload. On top of that, you need to take advantage of year-end fundraising. You’ve probably seen the infographics on Pinterest that show how much money comes in through donations to charities at year-end. Feel like you’re missing out, or behind the 8-ball?

Take a deep breath and grab a coffee or tea, and I’ll give you a few pointers on how to focus your year-end fundraising to maximize results with the least amount of effort.

 

Campaign vs. Appeal

First thing’s first. You need to think of year-end fundraising as a campaign, or mini campaign. It’s not just one direct mail package or one email asking for support. It’s also not a bunch of random asks that don’t have anything to do with each other. A campaign is cohesive and multi-channel, multi-touch. But, that doesn’t mean overwhelm. In fact, a campaign can help eliminate some of the overwhelm because it gives you a clear plan with a lot of messages that can be repeated, over and over.

At minimum, I want you to do a three-part email series with an ask in EACH one, some social media posts and, if you do traditional direct mail, at least one letter. If someone makes a donation, you can remove them from the subsequent communications.

Your Theme

Now that you have an outline of what you’re sending, you need to know what messaging to include. Pick one theme for your campaign and then have that theme run throughout all of your materials. Build on the story through your emails and social media posts, and keep in mind that it takes someone 8-10 times of seeing the SAME message to really internalize it. Don’t worry about repetition. Seriously, don’t worry about repetition.

 

Your Writing

So, there are some best practices when it comes to fundraising writing. Effective fundraising writing is not necessarily “good writing” and usually isn’t what we personally “like." But it works. It should be casual and friendly, with a specific and personal call to action. I’ve actually written a whole blog about just that, which you can read here.

 

Your Thank You

Your thank you is as important (or more important) than your ask.

Your campaign doesn’t end with a gift. In fact, what you send after someone donates is as important or more important than what you send in asking for it.

Create a thank you letter that directly reflects the ask. It should build on the same story as the rest of your campaign and give donors a sense of meaning for their contribution.

Also write a thank you call “script” (something short, sweet, and informal) and have your staff or board call to thank donors when they give.

Somewhere between three and six months after your campaign, create a short but meaningful donor update building on the same messaging as your campaign, to let your donors know what progress you’ve made thanks to their support.

 

Focus

It may seem like this is a lot to do, but if you focus it on one campaign with consistent messaging (and understanding that people need to see repeat messages for it to sink in), you can actually minimize your work and maximize your impact.

Here’s a quick checklist for your year-end campaign:

• One theme/story to use throughout your campaign

• 1 letter (if you usually do letters), 3 emails, and a handful of social media to support the campaign

• A thank you letter and phone call script

• A 3-6 month update

You’ve got this! One final tip is to turn off your cell phone and notifications, sit down for a couple hours, and get this all written and drafted in one sitting. Batching work can often save many hours of switching back and forth.

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Cindy Wagman is President of The Good Partnership, which wants to make great fundraising achievable for small nonprofits. She loves fundraising because she gets to see the most generous side of people, and helps match their passions with real action.

After 15 years as an in-house fundraiser, she left her 9 to 5 and created The Good Partnership to help the organizations that were closest to her heart. These were organizations that were driving change, and aligned with her priorities for her community, our society, and the world. She wants to help you be your authentic fundraiser and lead the change you want to see in the world.

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PIN THIS POST FOR LATER:

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I'm Kristi Porter, and I started Signify to provide writing, consulting and strategy services to nonprofits and for-profit organizations with a social mission, primarily through copywriting, marketing, and business communications. I believe that cause-focused organizations like yours are the future of business. You're proof that companies can both make money and do good. And I'm here to help you get noticed and grow. When you succeed, we all win.

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12 Epic Marketing Ideas Your Nonprofit or Social Enterprise Will Want to Copy

If you’ve got something new to promote, like an event, product, fundraising campaign, book, awareness campaign, or course. . . . pay close attention. We’re about to discuss 12 epic marketing ideas your nonprofit or social enterprise will want to copy.

Before we do that, though, let me make a couple of things clear.

Creating and promoting something new, also referred to as a “launch” in the marketing world, can present its own opportunities and challenges.

On one hand, they're often exciting, and a great chance to build buzz and get people's attention. On the other hand, they're usually short-lived, so you have to make them count because they may only happen once, annually, or at most, a couple of times per year. So, you need to maximize your time and effort with strategies and tactics that support your social impact goals.

There are definite trends you want to ride when it comes to launches (ex: email sequences and social media blitzes), but you'll also need to be creative. Innovative ideas are more likely to make people take notice—and bring in the sales and donations you want. 

Below you'll find 12 unique marketing ideas for your next launch. But, here's my caveat: don't just copy and paste. Put your own spin on them. They'll only be successful if they align with your mission.

(PSST: This post is part of a series about launch marketing for cause-focused organizations. Read Part 1 and Part 2. Or take it to the next level with my launch strategy guide.)

Nonprofit or social enterprise Event Marketing

Idea 1: Meet Ups

I was the Event Marketing Director for The Orange Conference for almost six years. And during that time, one of my favorite event marketing strategies was to host local meet ups all over the country. The catch: we didn't have staff all over the country. So, we let people in our tribe host them for us.

We hosted several meet ups here in Atlanta, where the nonprofit is headquartered, as well as in locations across the US where we did have staff. But there were a lot of places we obviously couldn't reach on our own, and our fans were more than happy to jump in.

They wanted to meet others like them in their hometowns, and we were thrilled they wanted to connect with each other. So, we provided downloadable flyers, social media images, guidance, and even allowed each gathering to give away a ticket to the upcoming event.

Whether people came to win a free ticket or to network with peers, these meet ups built community among the people who showed up—and got people excited about our event. Plus, it was a really fun way to empower our fans.

It also goes to show you that launch events don’t have to be a huge production.

Idea 2: Membership

It can be very difficult to get and sustain momentum for your nonprofit or social enterprise when your entire business model rests on one, big event. Yellow Conference is one of those. Yes, they have a regularly-updated blog, social media, and things like that, but in a sea of events, blogs, and social media accounts, your message can get lost or forgotten, even by your fans.

One of the ways they fight through the noise is the Yellow Collective. It originally began as a subscription box, which I thought was very clever for their business model. In its second year, it has evolved into a membership group that includes many of the original elements: in-person, at home, and online resources. And it also includes discounted tickets to their annual conference.

They've done a really great job at keeping their community connected throughout the year so that, when it's event launch time for their next conference, their fans are already primed and waiting.

Fundraising Campaign marketing

Idea 1: Get Out of the Office

Sometimes all you need is a change of scenery. For Atlanta Dream Center's "48 in 48" fundraising campaign, the founder of the nonprofit lived on the streets for two days. One of their three, primary ministries focuses on homelessness, so it made perfect sense with their mission.

And because the founder actually had the past experience of being homeless himself, it magnified and personalized the cause. He made the issue relatable and gave first-hand insight. Leading up to the event, a lot of buzz was generated among their supporters because it was not something you expected to see from a nonprofit founder.

During the 48 hours, he also did multiple Facebook Live videos so that people could follow his experience, and that generated additional donations once people saw it in action. He talked about his life, what he was seeing, and interviewed others on the streets with him (with permission, of course).

It was a brilliant way to shed light on their mission, and give people an up-close encounter they might not have otherwise.

Idea 2: Shared, Uncommon Experiences

Similarly, Nicholas House has an annual fundraiser where their supporters can sleep outside in an effort to raise awareness about homelessness. Each participant is asked to raise $2,500, taking some of the annual fundraising responsibilities off of the organization itself.

What I liked about this nonprofit’s event, in particular, is that my friend who participated is a board member. Often, events like these attract more adventurous high school and college kids. But seeing adults and their families involved was special.

Yes, the environment for this fundraiser was more controlled than the example above, but it was a more approachable way to bring others in who may not ordinarily be up for that type of experience.

And having individuals raise support on their behalf provides more "social proof" for the nonprofit because someone else is doing the talking. My friend’s fundraising letter conveyed her heart and excitement for their work—and that's not something you can force or buy.

 

Book marketing

Idea 1: Blog Book Tour

Unless you have the full might (and budget) of a traditional publisher behind you, it can be difficult to get the word out about your new book. And, even so, today's publishers want authors to take an active role in their own marketing. Enter the blog book tour.

My friend Katrell, who owns Dr. Bombay's tea shop here in Atlanta, participated in one of these for her book. She didn't have a big name or a big audience, so this was a fantastic way to spread the word without traveling around the country to book signings and interviews. Even though it was set up by her publisher, it would be relatively easy to pull off for just about anyone.

For a blog book tour, you'd simply set up a series of book reviews, guest posts, or author interview posts during a defined time period leading up to the book release, such as one to four weeks. This strategy definitely helped expose her to new audiences and sell books.

(Psst: You can also do this with podcasts!)

Idea 2: Galley Copies

If your social impact organization has one or more large events each year, you probably already know that it's best to release new products there, while you have a captive and engaged audience. But once-in-a-while, the timing just doesn't quite work out.

This was the case for the latest book by Growing Leaders about inspiring and mentoring today's students. So, what they decided to do was to give all 200+ attendees at their annual conference a galley copy of the book.

This opportunity allowed them to promote the book and build interest for it's release the following month. They also had a special pre-launch price with bonuses, which were designed to further entice attendees.

Nothing replaces a face-to-face pitch, and by giving out galley copies, they were still able to capitalize on a live audience for future sales.

Awareness/Community-Building Campaign MARKETING

Idea 1: Recreate an Experience

Some causes are sensitive in nature, and require you to protect those you help by offering them anonymity. This could include victims of sex trafficking, domestic violence, or issues involving children. Not only do you want to avoid capitalizing on someone else's tragedy, but you want to keep them safe.

Street Grace launched Suburban Horror Story as a way to accurately portray the issue of sex trafficking for the community without disclosing names and faces. You could watch videos online that were recreations of actual events, and also learn more about the issue. They also had guided "tours" to houses where arrests had been made to show real-life scenarios, as well as talk about warning signs and the experiences inside.

This gave those in attendance (donors, potential donors, and media) an up-close look at the problem, and showed them how they could be involved in the solution. It was a very effective way to talk about the people behind the issues without actually involving victims.

It’s a captivating idea on it’s own, but the quality (and frankly, scariness) of the website did a lot to stir up interest for people to take a tour, learn more, get involved, or even donate to the nonprofit.

So, make sure that even when you're promoting an in-person event, the promotional materials, like the website, do a good job of drawing people into your cause. This site did a fantastic job. They could've just splashed up a single page with stats and a description, but they definitely took it further to great results.

Idea 2: Take Advantage of (or Declare) a Holiday

I've talked about the idea of taking advantage of holidays—both official and unofficial—on this blog and my newsletter before, but it's always important to bring it up again. Because there are so many to choose from!

People love celebrating special occasions, so take note of any that you can work into your launch marketing plan. It often gives you a new way to talk about what you're doing.

There are, of course, plenty of legit options like Christmas, Halloween, and Fourth of July that might play nicely with your marketing and promotion. And how about #GivingTuesday to kick off your year-end giving campaign? Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Black History Month, and White Ribbon Against Pornography are a few others.

However, there are plenty of wacky or unofficial observances as well. For example, you can try World Kindness Day, Adopt a Rescue Pet Day, Digital Detox Day, or Read a Book Day. There is literally a day, week, or month for just about anything you can think of.

There may be even times when you need to create your own holiday. When I worked at Captain Planet Foundation, we created a Captain Planet Day. We had a formal ceremony down at Atlanta's City Hall, received a proclamation, and the whole nine yards. It was to celebrate a milestone in the foundation's history, but also garnered attention for the organization as we kicked off promotions for the annual fundraiser.

SOCIAL IMPACT Product MARKETING

Idea 1: Giveaways and Contests

My friend, Jen, just wrapped her first successful Kickstarter for her physical product called the Hope Deck. One of the strategies she used to get attention for her campaign was by doing free giveaways on influencer social media accounts.

She used both existing relationships and good ol' fashioned research to locate a handful Instagram accounts that fit her target market and were interested in doing a giveaway. Jen allowed them to give away a couple Hope Decks in exchange for pointing them to her account or campaign page. It was that easy.

This allowed her to easily expand her audience, and when she started promoting her campaign, she had a lot more eyes on it. And it made a difference! 

Idea 2: Giveaways for Reviews

I'm surprised at how little this strategy is used, so I thought I'd bring it up. I think most of us feel we need to bootstrap everything and get by on our own, but why? Getting help is often way better.

Now, I do know that people often launch in a rush or last minute and that may be a factor. (That is definitely one way to sabotage your launch!) 

But when you can get someone else to talk about your launch—you should!

Yes, sometimes you may have to pay or ethically bribe people to review your product, but again, use existing relationships and do your research for free or budget-friendly opportunities. There are so many blogs, magazines, newspapers, social media accounts, and YouTube Channels. A few of those leads are likely to respond and participate.

A client and I recently talked about this because she's releasing a very cool new product that creates culturally smarter kids. She thought that she would have to pay for people to review or talk about her product, but I named a handful of people in just a few minutes who would do it for free because of the product’s target market and social impact focus.

Put your thinking cap on, or ask around, and I bet you'll come up with your own list, too.

Tip: We often want to target the Oprah's of the world so we can make it to the top faster, but these folks are just plain hard to reach. Find people with a few thousand followers, or depending on your product, up to 100K followers. Often the "littler guys" (micro influencers) don’t get contacted as often, would love to participate, and have very engaged fans who would love to hear about your product.

nonprofit or social enterprise Course marketing

Idea 1: Facebook Groups

Facebook groups have become ALL. THE. RAGE. over the past couple of years. But course creators are cleverly using them to their advantage now as well.

Typically, they are meant to accompany an online course, or at least that's how I see a lot of them playing out. Especially when the courses are written or video-based, this allows the creator to interact with the students, and students to interact with each other. I am a member of a couple of these, and they're really fun.

But there are other ways to use them as well. Take the Myth of Balance, for example. Originally, it was released as a book. It's very short and practical, but the transformation isn’t in the information—it’s in the action.

So, the author created a Facebook Group to serve as the outlet for the course, which he calls a workshop series. He can release worksheets, conduct Facebook Lives, ask people about their progress, and coach them through obstacles right there in the group rather than having to build an online platform for the course (and pay those fees). Much easier and more DIY.

In the Myth of Balance launch, we used a lot of traditional marketing techniques to get the word out initially. Most other course creators do the same. But the difference in having a Facebook Group is that you don't have people going through the course on their own and then moving on with their lives.

Instead, you have people interacting with the course creator and other students, getting results due to the community and accountability, and afterward, you literally have a group of evangelists to help you promote when you're ready to relaunch!

Idea 2: Involve Others and Let Them Promote

Putting a course or curriculum together is no joke. I plan to do it in the future, but find it overwhelming to even think about. And then, when you have your shiny, new course, you still have to get the word out! It's a long process.

But the folks at Plywood were really smart. They have a lot of knowledge and know-how on their staff. However, they also know that one of their strengths is their ability to connect people and showcase others.

So, for their video-based curriculum course, they featured not only the founder, but individuals from their community. Each module features an interview with a different nonprofit or social enterprise leader putting that week's lesson into action.

Besides making content creation easier, Plywood now also has a group of people willing to help promote the course because they’re featured in it! The founders in the videos are well-known in the Atlanta area, with their own distinct audiences, which helped get the word out quickly about this curriculum.

By now you'll definitely notice a theme about recruiting others to help you spread the word. It's just one of those techniques that can look different each time, and is always effective.

What about you? What unique launch marketing ideas have you come across?

(PSST: This post is part of a series about launches. Read Part 1 and Part 2. Of if you’re ready to take it to the next level, check out my launch strategy guide, Promote With Purpose.)

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PIN THIS POST FOR LATER: 

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I'm Kristi Porter, and I started Signify to provide writing, consulting and strategy services to nonprofits and for-profit organizations with a social mission, primarily through copywriting, marketing and business communications. I believe that cause-focused organizations like yours are the future of business. You're proof that companies can both make money and do good. And I'm here to help you get noticed and grow. When you succeed, we all win.

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Ask the Experts: Personal Fundraising

Each month, I invite guest contributors to speak about timely, relevant, and sought-after topics that are important for cause-focused organizations like yours to be aware of as you grow. For October, I've invited Debbie Barron, a support-raising coach and trainer, to share about personal fundraising. Many of the small nonprofits I work with have one or more employees raising their own support, and I know they'll benefit from her advice, and hope you do too. And there are definitely lessons that small social enterprises should take note of as well!

Q. WHAT ARE THE LATEST TRENDS IN PERSONAL FUNDRAISING?

A. In this age of social media and high-tech everything, many are moving toward online communication in order to save money and time. While it’s wise to take advantage of social media, texting, etc., to try to reach people, never underestimate the value of the personal approach.

This is especially important with the face-to-face appointment. If you are looking for people to partner with you in your work, you must invest in the relationship by sitting down with those people and presenting your vision (even if it's a video chat). Nothing can replace the face-to-face appointment, for it builds the relationship and creates trust. If you want a financial partner who gives on an ongoing basis, this is crucial. Letter campaigns and group events produce one-time givers; face-to-face appointments produce partners who continue to give.

The personal approach also applies to thank you notes and newsletters. Think of the most personal approach instead of the most expedient. Hand-write notes to people, and send letters in the mail wherever possible. Your note or letter may be the only personal mail they receive this month, so it will stand out. And a few hundred dollars in mailing expenses is worth it to leverage thousands of dollars invested in your work.

Q. WHAT IS THE BIGGEST MISTAKE YOU SEE PEOPLE MAKING IN REGARDS TO RAISING THEIR OWN SUPPORT?

A. Many people make the mistake of not asking for referrals. If you want to find more people to invest in your work, you must ask for referrals. People often avoid it out of fear or lack of training, but it’s not as difficult as you may think.

Contrary to our negative thinking, most people are willing to help. I once heard a leader say, “Have you ever stopped to ask for directions and been rejected? Has somebody actually said, ‘No, I don’t want to help you.'? Of course not.” People usually want to help meet a need.

I recommend this type of script after you have cast vision for your work, and asked them to invest in it: “There’s another way that you can help. I am hoping to meet others who would be encouraged to hear about what I’m doing, and several people have helped by introducing me to their friends; I’m hoping you might help in the same way. I find it’s easier if you think about it from your perspective. If you were in my position, who are the first ten to twelve people you would talk to?”

Note that the magic word is “who.” It’s a purposely open-ended question, which assumes interest and catalyzes their thinking about who they would ask.

When you ask for referrals, you may fail more often than you succeed, but keep doing it. And keep practicing so that you get better. Who knows where the next big investor is? Think of it as a treasure hunt.

Q. WHAT IS YOUR BEST PIECE OF ADVICE TO THOSE WHO NEED TO RAISE SUPPORT?

A. Whether it’s in a newsletter or in casting vision for investing in your work, tell changed-life stories. People want to know that their dollars are helping to change the lives of real people. Tell what the person’s life was like before and after they encountered you/your work. Use a real name (with permission) and include details so that the reader or listener cares about the person. In doing that, you will engage the heart and increase the likelihood that the person on the other end will partner with you, and want to continue partnering with you.

Q. WHAT IS ONE THING READERS CAN DO THIS WEEK TO IMPROVE THEIR PERSONAL FUNDRAISING SKILLS?

A. Think of two people you can ask to invest in your work, and actually ask them. Just two. Asking two people per week can move you forward in significant ways.

Q. ANYTHING ELSE WE SHOULD KEEP IN MIND?

A. The people who are already investing in your work are usually your best resources—both for additional funds and for finding new investors. Spend some time thinking about how you can capitalize on that by thinking through a next step for each one of them.

For example, when is the last time you asked your current partners to increase? We conducted a survey of our partners several years ago and discovered that they felt it was reasonable to ask them to increase their giving every one or two years. I usually recommend asking them to increase from 50 to 100%.

And finally, invest in your relational capital by building into these current partners. Is it time to give them a call, just to catch up? When is the last time you gave them a small gift or sent a personal note? Remember: it is easier to keep your current investors than to find new ones.

Q. IF SOMEONE WANTS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS TOPIC, WHAT RESOURCES DO YOU RECOMMEND?

A. My favorite resources for ministries are the books The God Ask by Steve Shadrach, and Funding Your Ministry by Scott Morton. There is also a website called Support Raising Solutions that offers a monthly newsletter, training opportunities, and more. For people and groups without a religious affiliation, I recommend Asking: A 59-Minute Guide to Everything Board Members, Volunteers, and Staff Must Know To Secure the Gift by Jerold Panas, and Ask Without Fear! A Simple Guide to Connecting Donors with What Matters to Them Most by Marc Pitman.

Great information. Thanks, Debbie!

(Amazon links are affiliate links.)

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Debbie Barron is a coach, mentor, writer, and friend. She has served with Cru/Campus Crusade for Christ for nearly 25 years, mostly at their headquarters in Orlando, Fla. For 17 of those years, she has been a support-raising coach and trainer. She loves Disney World, Ireland, botanical gardens, and sports. She is currently passionate about football and her fantasy football team, “In the Red Barron Zone.” She is single, but there are two important men in her life—her nephews.

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I'm Kristi Porter, and I started Signify to provide writing, consulting and strategy services to nonprofits and for-profit organizations with a social mission, primarily through copywriting, marketing, and business communications. I believe that cause-focused organizations like yours are the future of business. You're proof that companies can both make money and do good. And I'm here to help you get noticed and grow. When you succeed, we all win.

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