Giving goals: 3 ways to give members a ‘gentle nudge’ during the Christmas season

By Matt Crane

I am a generous person. Well… sometimes. 

I know I’m always supposed to be a generous giver, but I’m just not. No excuses.

giftIt’s not because I don’t want to be generous and give back; it’s just that sometimes I get in a rut. I guess you could call me a “Sometimes Generous Giver.” During those times when I’m in a rut, it doesn’t take much to get me out; I just need a bit of encouragement to get back on track. It can be a simple reminder from those around me, whether it’s my pastor, my church, or my friends and family.

This time of year is one of the most important times to give folks like me a little ‘nudge.’ On average, more than 20% of all giving to a church comes through in these last two months of the year.

Here are a few ways you can gently nudge members of your church and remind them of their giving goals:

#1: Send an email reminder of their giving goals: A quick note where they are year-to-date (YTD) on their general giving is always helpful, especially if you show how they’re doing YTD versus the same time last year. Also, if you have a pledge campaign, highlight how they’re doing against their original promised pledge.

#2: Provide website visuals on their accounts: Enable your members to login to their account on your website and visually see how they’re doing on their giving to date. At Vision2, we even enable members to download their own statements from the current year, or previous years if the church chooses to provide it.

graphic1

#3: Send a ‘snail mail’ statement: Show members how they are doing YTD.  I have talked with several church financial leaders and they agree, these reminders tend to help raise overall giving. Some don’t even wait for the giving season; they send quarterly.

Sometimes, a gentle reminder is all we need

And as a church member, I can tell you I always appreciate the encouragement!

Check out this sample statement, which you can use as a starting point for your members. Or, if you would like this to be automated you can always contact us directly.

Matt Crane has spent the last 13 years working on technology initiatives for the church and is currently the Relationship Manager for Vision2 Systems, a leading provider of giving software for the church. You can find more about Vision2 at Vision2systems.com.

Share

Leave a Reply

HTML Snippets Powered By : XYZScripts.com