Creating Momentum with Your Small Group Strategy
When it comes to development, small groups give new meaning to the familiar saying “strength in numbers!” More growth in giving, less time-intensive work.
Effectively working with small groups adds to your ministry’s capacity to grow giving, with a high return on investment for time and energy poured into it.
A meaningful small groups approach is creating a safe place for people to experience your vision, rather than experience an uncomfortable fundraising moment. Small group events provide opportunities for you to remain in an authentic teaching mode, rather than an awkward fundraising version of yourself. Small group events encourage and allow you to be genuine and effective.
We suggest two events in a small group setting: vision events and leadership briefings.
Vision Events
Purpose: To recruit.
Vision events are about creating experiences that allow you to recruit new givers and secure long-term commitments.
Leadership Briefings
Purpose: To retain and regain.
Leadership briefings are designed to thank and report back to givers. Leadership briefings stretch people toward a longer term vision or bring them back into the giving fold by showing them their giving still has an impact.
Connect the dots for your donors.
Systems in Place
The hard part is getting people to your event. Design and implement a process that is as repeatable as possible!
- Invites should be designed and able to be utilized along with a repeatable presentation for the giving year.
- Preplan your system for following up on invitations. Will you email? Call? You must overcome objections and continue reaching out. Create a culture where people recognize by the fact you’re inviting them, you are going to continue to do so until they come.
Your presentation should also be repeatable, at least for the calendar year. Always the same. Work smarter, not harder.
It’s important to remember quality [time] over quantity.
It’s not about getting twenty people at every single event. Small numbered groups are always a win. Look at the events of three, four, or seven people as the chance to have a greater impact in terms of talking one on one with attendees.
They get your time and attention. Your ministry grows its capacity.
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