Ever hear about the pastor who wanted to move a piano from one side of the sanctuary to another? His proposal was met with indignation and near fury from a congregation that hated change. During the whole piano kerfuffle, a congregant happened to move away. When she returned for a visit years later, she was astonished to find the piano against the opposite wall. How had the pastor convinced his flock? No convincing was necessary, the pastor explained. Rather than arguing, he had solved the problem by moving the piano one inch every week until it was in its new position.
It might be good to follow my last post with one on the value of consistency and focus in fundraising. It’s not lost on me that based on the relative infrequency of my posts, I might not be the best candidate to be lecturing on either subject, but maintaining consistency and focus in your fundraising and communication efforts will endear your supporters to you, build name recognition and a broader constituency over time, reduce staff turnover and help you quantify the relative success of your efforts and help you measure the impact when you change up your routine in small increments.
Unfortunately, maintaining consistency and focus is where many nonprofits fail. Read More