Don’t Sleep on Your Message

This time of year can feel like everything has gone dormant, not just the trees and flowers. The big year-end development deadlines have passed, the blast of donations slows to a trickle, and the thank yous have all been sent.  

But those trees aren’t just sleeping. They are preparing for the future. They have mechanisms that kick into gear to keep the trees vibrant and prevent them from freezing. This allows them to wait out the cold spell and spring back into action when the time is right. 

While it might feel as thought the development office is in hibernation mode in the middle of the winter, this is a great time to prepare for the future. Keep legacy giving on the minds of your donors so that they are inspired to include generosity in their estate planning when they are ready to take action.  Here’s how you do it: 

• Inspire. Don’t overload your donors with technical information about planned giving. Instead, help them think about what kind of legacy they want to leave behind. 
• Increase affinity. Remind donors why your organization matters to them—they are able to be part of changing the world through your work. 
• Engage. Start a conversation with donors rather than an ask. Find out what matters to them, and communicate things that you think will be helpful for them. Keep in relational, not transactional. 

We would like to help get you started. We’ve designed a free messaging piece for you to use as you wish; click here to download it. Mail it to your donors with a response card asking if they would like more information on building a legacy, put it out at events, repurpose it for website or newsletter content.  

Don’t let the quiet season slip away—make the most of it by inspiring future giving.