Diary and Confessions of a Donor Ministry Trip---Summary

Sep 25

WAS IT WORTH SEVEN DAYS AND $2300?

Made it home safely last night about 7 p.m. On the airplane I recorded these “metrics” (international readers, please don’t be overwhelmed by the USD amounts because economic scales are much different around the world):·

Appointments: 13 appointments over 7 days in 4 states plus a funeral (interacted with 27 individuals—staff, giving partners, future donors)

Types of appointments:

2 staff couples directed-training for 28 hours, 2 staff couple visits (one new staff joined and asked a ton of questions about continuing in MPD, another staff joined also—6 staff units total)
1 Nav alumni I hadn’t seen in 20 years
8 giving partners (units)

Measureable Results:

$5000 gift—an increase of $4000 over previous years
2 new friends of giving partners added to mailing list
2 partners said they would increase year-end giving
1 monthly partner who couldn’t meet agreed to increase support by $10 per month
Cultivation of 3 future potential donors
2 staff secured 7 MPD appointments while I conducted a phoning exercise with them
3 friends wanted to receive my evangelism booklet for their non-believing friends

Non-measureable results:

Informed, encouraged, listened to 11 current and future giving partner (units), 6 staff—27 individuals total,
One partner said, “Scott, it is of the Lord that you came to visit us this weekend.”
Staff thanked me for helping them in their FR with appointments and rejuvenation (wives too)
Much “bonding” with all
I came back encouraged!

Cost: $2300 (airfare, rental car, meals and meals for others, 3 hotel rooms, tolls, Almond Joy candy bar)

Question: You spent $2300 on giving partners who gave a total of $15,100 last year. Isn’t that too much—$2300 to “manage” $15,100—15.8% of what they gave?

Answer: With the two increases it is now $19,220, but think long term. If these partners give for the next 10 years, then I spent $2300 to manage a potential $192,200—1.2%! Most will give for 10 years. At 5 years that is $2300 to manage $96,100.

This is the metrics rationale for donor ministry.

Question: Won’t donors continue to give anyway if they get newsletters without expensive time-consuming donor visits?

Answer: That is a dangerous assumption! If a few do continue, they will not likely increase. Also, they constantly receive appeals from other friends, and they can easily switch giving to a new ministry if the bond is weak with you. One partner told me on this trip that he now gives more to fewer ministries. Thankfully, I made the cut!

Summary: Thanks to the Lord for keeping me safe while traveling 1800 miles by rental car. And for His grace in enabling me to stay energized with a listening ear to 27 individuals over seven days.

Tips for others:
1.     Plan well. Set up appointments ahead of time. Don’t just “go!”

2.     Send thank yous to all with whom you stayed overnight, or who provided you with a meal or $5000!

3.     Take notes as needed. And it is needed!

4.     Be prepared to listen, but have a few photos ready to describe your ministry.

5.     Take “leave-behinds.” I took a bunch of books and came home with an empty box.