by Jeff McLinden

Many nonprofit organizations are struggling to keep donors and partners engaged and giving. Let me say this as emphatically as I can… There is no such thing as partner “loyalty” without partner “delight.”
People are much more discriminating in this day and age — and some are simply fickle -- quick to be wooed by the power of intense feelings, memorable experiences and superior service. Business author and consultant Tom Peters devotes several chapters of his phenomenal book Re-Imagine to the intense power of the experience in defining superior product, services and companies. It is this power that creates continuing customers – and the same is true in the world of nonprofits and the donors who support them.

As much as you might wish that your donors have “personal and relational loyalties,” the truth is that many of them will turn away from you without much hesitation – UNLESS you move well beyond simply “satisfying” them and begin to concentrate on DELIGHTING them. Especially in times where financial support decisions are difficult because of the choices offered, you need to think long and hard about how to stand out among the many choices that “compete” for your donors’ support dollars. Otherwise, when hard decisions must be made, you may not make the cut!

Take a lesson from Walt Disney. Uncle Walt knew that people, by nature, are motivated by the experiential. And he set out to create lifetime customers by managing as many aspects of their experience with his products. Whether at the movies, or at his theme parks, Disney knew that focusing on “making people happy” would be a powerful motivator for repeat business. In fact, Disneyland was, for many years, advertised as “the happiest place on earth.”

I witnessed this a number of years ago on a visit to Disneyworld in Orlando. It was early in the day. Walking through the colorful entrance to the park, I couldn’t help but notice a young mother, already haggard, dragging her four-year-old daughter by the hand through the throng streaming into Main Street USA. The poor child was wailing uncontrollably. And very loudly. Finally the frustrated lady could take it no more. She knelt down on the hard pavement, drawing the little girl’s tear-streaked eyes to her own. Practically shouting, the exasperated mother looked earnestly into her daughter’s eyes and said, “This is the happiest place on earth! BE HAPPY!!”

It’s a similar message you should be repeating to your organization's friends and financial supporters … but you must make certain that it is true. Ultimately, your word alone that you are doing good work – and doing it well – is insufficient. A significant part of your work, after all, is about ensuring that your donors continue to be supportive. And I would contend this aspect of your work in development is just as important as the work actually accomplished by your organization.

The equation is simple: no partners = no organization.


         

By Jeff McLinden

If you are considering going on a missions trip or plan to work as a missionary, raising support to fund your ministry is a significant challenge. Trust me, I know.  I've been there!   That's why I suggest you visit Raising-Support.com.  My friend Barry McLeish and I just launched an online training program for missionaries and Christian workers who face the task of raising support for ministry work.  It's called "Partners for Life!"  And we've designed it to be a comprehensive training program with loads of video training as well as downloadable materials, special reports, podcasts and more.

Over 25 years working with ministries and missions of all sorts, Barry and I have seen an increasing problem:  Far too many missionaries are taking two, three or more years to get to their assignment.  It simply shouldn't be this way.  And it need not be -- with the proper training.  But many ministries are poorly equipped and trained to provide this type of specialized "partner development" training to their new recruits -- and even their longtime missionaries struggle to remain at their assignments with full support.

We want missionaries to learn how to create a partner team quickly -- and to maintain, and even delight, that team throughout the course of  their work together.  That's what our site is about.

If YOU are struggling -- or your organization needs help, or friends or missionaries you know are struggling -- may we suggest you visit Raising-Support.com.

         

By Jeff McLinden
The discussion among nonprofits about the value of social media and Internet marketing is raging...sort of.
We've found among certain clients that this issue has become a dominant part of the strategic conversation. WIth others, it registers as simply one of many "popguns" trying to command the attention of the executive team and board concerned about the broader concerns of challenged capacities to deliver client service while suffering from understaffing and underfunding.
Here's why branding, marketing and the role of Internet and social media strategies MUST become part of the strategic dialogue...
Nearly all consumers (97%) now use online media when researching products or services, according to BIA/ Kelsey’s ongoing consumer tracking study. The misconception is that only young people use these technologies for shopping but in fact, nearly all of the buying public now use them. Marketing has shifted from a one-way broadcast to a multi-point conversation. In the past, communications were “broadcast” exclusively through mass marketing channels like radio, TV, newspapers and even the door-to-door distribution of directories like the Yellow Pages.
Not only are consumers seeking product information to drive purchase, they are also seeking information -- period. That includes information about every cause imaginable -- including yours. The Internet has become the most dominant repository of information readily available to anyone anywhere. And that knowledge is influencing not only alignment decisions, but also investment decisions.

But the most significant change in the past several years has been the movement from the Internet as "information repository" to Internet as "catalyst for community and conversation." And social media is responsible for this dramatic change, dramatically changing the landscape for marketers by enabling continuing "conversations" with customers and donors in real time.

In the past, for-proft and nonprofit companies marketed online by building Web sites and sending emails to subscribers—both “broadcast” activities in the sense that communication was one-way. Banner ads, news items, emails and other tactics drove prospects to Web sites where companies tried to communicate their messages and influence behavior. With social media, however, much of the communication is controlled by the target audiences. Members can ask their community about a product, service or company and get multiple opinions, recommendations or referrals. Conversely, members freely discuss their experiences with their friends and followers. Online, the new “word-of-mouth” is social media like Facebook and Twitter, which have more than 700 million members combined.
Social Video Channels
YouTube is now the second largest search engine, according to comScore, with 50% more searches than Yahoo! And 180% more searches than Bing. YouTube has 300 million visitors every month who watch more than 12 billion videos.
As a social medium, YouTube features user generated content and facilitates video sharing, commenting, rating and the ability to create special interest channels that attract friends and subscribers who share interests and can interact with each other. Users look for videos to entertain and inform. Businesses participate by providing answers to users’ questions, how-to content, product reviews, instruction, expert opinions, etc. It is a forum for establishing “social authority” that businesses seek for the topical areas most related to their services or products. According to Dr. Pamela Rutledge, Director of the Media Psychology Research Center, “One of the tenets of social media is that you can’t control your message, you can only participate in the conversation.” By building social authority in a subject area, a business -- or a nonprofit or ministry organization -- can participate in the “conversation” and become a relevant influence in that conversation.
What are you doing to engage your donors in meaningful conversations?  Have you shifted YOUR marketing paradigm?  Or are you just grinding gears?
Your ability to engage donors and partners using THEIR media of choice may play a very significant role in your ability to not only KEEP the ones you currently have, but also to FIND AND KEEP new donors and partners. The implications are staggering for your organization's brand, for your ability to recruit staff, for your ability to acquire and retain donors, and ultimately for your ability to remain relevant in your area of service.
If you're not having serious strategic conversations -- not about WHETHER to enter this arena, but about WHEN and HOW -- you must begin now. If you are afraid of the costs, the staffing needs, the learning curve, etc., you needn't be.
You must enter the conversation. Let us show you how.
         

By Jeff McLinden

The first President Bush wasn't alone in not really getting the "vision thing." My observation is that far too many ministries and nonprofits tend to operate a bit on the "pinball" model of defining strategy.  Like the rolling, steel ball, their leaders "bounce" about from bumper to flipper to occasional desired target.  They have a tendency to be reactive to outside forces that determine their trajectory, moving toward opportunities that become available, rather than proactive in defining challenging opportunities or initiatives and crafting the strategic plans to achieve them. 
Yet, even for these organizations, it is quite common to deal daily in pursuits that are characterized by strong visionary elements:

• Formidable challenges...
• Challenging objectives...
• Significant obstacles...
• Aggressive action plans...
• Time sensitive achievements...

What many "don't get" is the language that helps define and clarify "vision" for their constituencies -- both internal and external.  Effective "packaging" of strategic directions is often the difference between defining a compelling vision and business as usual.  And this can make all the difference between a successful development effort and failure.

Take a moment to examine the goals you are striving to achieve.  Your immediate plans may not appear to be aggressive enough to thoroughly excite the uninitiated. But what is the ultimate outcome if you continue to move forward -- and to meet or exceed your goals?  Then what?  What can be achieved?  How long will it take to achieve it?  What will be the impact of accomplishing that "final step?"  When you begin to paint that picture in such a way that it stirs your soul, then you are beginning to understand how to "package" vision that will engage others.     

There are three qualities that define powerful visions: 
1. They should have SUBSTANCE.
2. They should have SCOPE.
3. They should have STRETCH.

Visions should have substance.  By this I mean they should deal with issues or concerns that truly matter, that are consequential in their impact -- both if they are achieved or are not.  Vague ideas or concepts are not visionary.  Neither are undefined targets.  If targets are uncertain, how will you know if you hit them?  Write your goals so they are clearly defined -- they have numbers, deadlines, and defined consequences (create an impact statement -- what happens if we achieve this; what happens if we don't?).

Compelling Visions have scope.  Compelling visions push beyond existing boundaries, existing conditions, or the capabilities of your organization.  They define a range of focus that is broader than we can presently see. 

Visions should have stretch.  We know there are always organizational limitations of capacity -- in terms of resources, of personnel, of reach or ability.  These realities are usually understood by rational people.  But real vision is, often, moving into the realm of what may seem irrational.  Operating within your capacity is one thing...and many nonprofits are very good at "maintaining" what they have.  But real vision may be about increasing your capacity that you may accomplish significantly more than your current resources allow!  A visionary objective recognizes the practical limitations of an organization -- and seeks to stretch beyond them. 

Steve Case wisely observed, "Vision without execution is merely hallucination."  You certainly don't want to position your nonprofit as "audacious bordering on asinine."  And I don't mean to imply a level of enthusiasm is needed for unrealistic achievement.  But what I DO mean is that, from top to bottom, the language of your organization must begin to reflect a "dare to dream" enthusiasm that is beyond "business as usual."  Your organization’s work is still amazing to the vast majority of those who appreciate and support your cause.  But, as insiders, we tend to treat it internally as casually as a dry cleaner who goes about his business every day.  

You and your organization must adopt (and support at all levels) a sense of amazement, enthusiasm, and gusto in your pursuit of visionary objectives and opportunities.  To package those in such a way that demonstrates your organization is both a vital enterprise and one that is worthy of people's interest, enthusiasm, and participation.  Vision is about destinations, yes.  But COMPELLING vision is about galvanizing the minds, hearts, resources and energies of people who are willing to engage in pursuing those destinations alongside you. 

What I hope you will realize is that HOW you approach the future is as important as THAT you approach it.  It is not only for the sake of the "troops" (your staff and volunteers) that your leaders should marshal the emotional energies that drive people to do hard things -- it is for the "supporters and partners" as well.  It is much easier to respond to the call to do hard things if organizational leaders are, themselves, challenged, committed, and enthusiastic.  George Barna wrote in his excellent book The Power of Vision, "Vision has no meaning, power or impact unless it is conveyed from the visionary to the visionless."  You simply cannot mount a strong and compelling campaign for any cause if the call to action is uncertain, weak or nonexistent. Packaging truly does matter.