How many games are won and lost in the last two minutes? You remember the ones that your favorite team won and try to forget the ones that your team lost! Yet if you follow football, you know that often winning or losing comes down to who executes the best in the fourth quarter, and often who does the best in the last two minutes. NFL teams call it the two-minute drill, and they practice and practice how to run a winning drive in under two minutes. Are you ready for your two-minute drill?
We are in the fourth quarter of the year. Why is this significant? Consider that one-third of charitable giving occurs in the last quarter of the year. 24% of non-profit giving comes in from Thanksgiving to the end of the year! With dollars that large and so much riding on the fourth quarter, do you not think charities are well into planning for their fourth quarter strategy? Next Sunday’s sermon consumes most pastors! So, Pastor, my goal is to get you thinking and planning now for your end-of-year giving plan!
It begins with the “ask.” “Hey, we are behind budget, so give us more money so we can make the numbers add up.” That appeal will fail. Yet that is in essence what many churches will be saying in these last few weeks of the year. Your appeal or “ask” must, as always, be clear, concise, and most of all compelling.
Remember, while you are asking your members to give to your budget, charities are also inviting them to help change the world! So stop and think about your message. What will motivate your people to give you that extra gift instead of it going to some secular charity? If your message does not touch their heart, you will not get their dollar!
Early October is the time I advise clients to finalize and begin crafting the message of the “ask.” I can help you develop a plan of action to communicate your “ask.” You have to decide what you are going to ask for. I always counsel clients that when it comes to end-of-year giving, need drives ask. For instance, if your giving is strong but you need funds for a mission cause, or you are in a capital campaign, make that the “ask.” If your regular giving has fallen behind, then make the ask about closing the gap. However, whatever the “ask”, it must be compelling!
Tell the story of what giving will do, and people will step up to give you more money! The reason people push back against churches asking for money is that we typically don’t tell our story of how we are changing the world. So, what is your story? If you have not already determined that, do so THIS WEEK!
After you craft your message, you then need to put together your winning game plan. On the following pages, I will share with you an overview of the fourth-quarter planning that I sent to a client. As we work our way through the end of the year, I will flesh out this strategy for you.
Churches that have used this strategy HAVE raised significant funds to fuel their missions and ministry, and you can do the same! Yet, there is the thing: you can’t just read this, nod your head in agreement, and then do nothing. You must ACT on your game plan. Let’s get started on your Two Minute Drill!
Mark Brooks – The Stewardship Coach