///Tuesday Briefing///

Thursday, October 28, 2004

BOOSTER SHOT
10-28-04



When I was a child my brother and I went to the doctor for booster shots. They packed many good things into one shot. That is like what happened yesterday. God used that all day seminary to inspire and instruct me on many levels.

SUMMARY
· Recap of the day and night
· My Take Aways
· A simple system to stay on track
· Wish List for your prayer
· Next steps
· Repentance


RECAP
The hotel meeting room had 80 professional fundraisers. The speaker had been doing this for more then 25 years. Mostly he told fascinating stories of what had happen in real life situations where he went to ask for major donations. These were from a few days ago to many years ago. This painted a rich picture of what the real world is like in approaching those who can give hundreds of thousands and millions of dollars.

He interacted well with the audience. I took a legal pad full of notes. He referred to about half of his handouts. So after a full day learning I spent the whole night processing the notes and going over the handouts he did not touch. Plus there are a few good free downloads on his web site. http://www.panaslinzy.com/pages/free_material.html

In the small group that God put me with it was interesting to hear how those how have been involved in fund raising for secular and Christian organizations for years are now struggling to adjust to how the Internet is changing the dynamics.

Those who give funds today do not just let go of the gift and blindly trust the nonprofit. They want reports on how their investments I making a difference. That is parallel to the direction that the Holy Sprit has been leading me in harness communication technologies.
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TAKE AWAYS
Here are a few of my Take Aways.

Typically 90 percent of a capital campaign comes for 10 percent of the possible donors.

Many of those who have a large capacity to give have never been asked.

The case for the contribution needs to be stated very briefly in terms of relevance, emotional appeal and urgency.

People give primarily because they believe in the mission of the organization and secondly because they trust the leadership.

Setting the appointment with a well-qualified prospect is 85 percent to the goal.


SIMPLE SYSTEM
There is a simple point system to keep on track.
1 point for setting the appointment
2 points for having the face-to-face meeting
3 points for asking for the contribution
4 points for securing a commitment

4 points every 2 days or 12 points a week is a strong pace for a full time fund raiser.

I need to begin where I am and use this as a way to measure.
Then I have a SIMPLE way to report to intercessors and advisors.


WISH LIST
I have added Jerry Panas books to the Wish List.
Most of them are on Amazon

Other key Wish List items include
Member ship in the Association of Fundraising Professionals 125 dollars

Membership in the Center for Nonprofit Management 65 dollars

Ink cartridge for printer ... HP number 56 black HP number 57 tri-color

NEXT STEPS
In processing the notes I have come a long ways. There is still a little more to go. I will be creating a new blog with just the key points for those coming behind me that need to learn the essential principles of fund raising. This will be a vital service for those students and graduates that could never afford the time of money to attend such an all day seminary

From these many notes I need to complete the process of lining up the short terms action steps related to the emerging ministry. And what follows are a few of them.

Very soon I need to go over my long lists of contacts and prayerfully select a FEW that I focus on in the short term.

Then call them to set the appointment

Mean while craft a BRIEF presentation that have the simple summary graphics plus a printed piece that I like a business plan that I will leave behind

I will be SOON sharing the audio and print samples over the web of what I will be sharing in person. The Panas materials give great guidelines to get right to the heart of the matter.

Some of that could be published tonight for you to review tomorrow.

REPENTANCE
I need to repent of the habitual ways I have been using my time and energy. I have spent MANY hours each week preparing messages like this one for you and others. Often that I all I could do was report to you from the valley. But God has given me guidance from someone that has been down the path in front of me. I need t SHIFT the use of my time from this to that. I will still give updates. But they will hopefully be shorter and maybe audio instead written. For example it took almost 2 hours to write this message. I could record the essence of it just a few minutes.

By following the practical instructions and working with the mentors who are professional fund raisers then I will be able to get these plans for ministry into reality at last.

John 11:05 AM

Tuesday, October 26, 2004

Seminar prayer requests
10-27-04

On Wednesday October 27th I will be attending a fund raising seminar all day from 9 to 5 named The Art of Asking. The speaker is Jerald Panas.

I ask for prayers in order to get the most from this experience.

The bottom line is that this small piece has been a stumbling block to me for years. God can use this to fill in the blanks and give me a practical game plan that will lead to the funds needed to launch the ministry.

Here are some specifics
1 arrive on time
2 find a suitable seat
3 pay close attention the entire time
4 take good notes
5 participate as appropriate
6 meet key people
7 process notes afterward
8 line out short and long-term action steps
9 use this material again as needed in the future
10 teach others lessons from this material as appropriate

John 10:03 PM

FORWARD MOVEMENT
10-26-04

· God made a way for half price at the seminar
· New way to become connected with a needed mentor.
· Even before the seminar I know two ways to meet wealthy prospects

I have shared the vision and game plan for the emerging ministry named Ears to Hear with those at my home church and at the seminary where I work. All of them like the concept and wish me well. They want it to succeed for my sake and those it will benefit. Many have said that if they had extra many then they would donate it to this worthwhile cause. But most of those at school have huge student loans and my home church is in the early stages of raising money for a building fund.

HALF PRICE
So I know that the idea is good but I need to meet those who have the means to make a contribution without hurting their lifestyle. I have known for years that there are plenty of millionaires and billionaires living in the Dallas area. I did not know how to identify them and approach them. Then I was invited to a seminar that teaches those who raise funds for nonprofits to find and ask such people. The name of it is The Art of Asking http://afpdallas.org/Blank.html It will be held tomorrow. October 27th. When I asked if I can register on site I was told that is possible plus they will charge me the member price and that is half the nonmember price.

MENTOR
When I went to the web site to learn more. There I learned that the Association of Fundraising Professionals www.afpdallas.org also offer a mentor program for new people like me http://afpdallas.org/MembersAsMentors.html It will be good to receive some one-on-one coaching as I begin to develop these new skills.

TWO WAYS
As it turns out I have two meeting next Wednesday with key staff member of the seminary where I have worked for five years. I need to bring them up to speed as to the plans for the new nonprofit and how it can become mutually beneficial. Each of them has personal contact with the major donors for the school. They are on a first name basis with the ones who write the huge checks each year that are used to provide the scholarships for dozens of students. I do not know if they will introduce them to me. But with some research I could find the names of those who have been recognized for their generosity.

Also what will make this mutually beneficial is that I will network among business owners and the wealthy people that have inherited their fortune. According to several sources these people want to contribute more money but they feel overwhelmed wide range of needs and organizations. I have been developing an educational and informational web site that is generic. Some will find it useful in navigating the hundreds of possibilities. I invested dozens of hours into this last year. I have gone back to complete the project. It is close to launching. This will give me a reason to contact those with wealth. I have a service to offer them for free. And while I have their attention I can link to the web site for the emerging ministry named Ears to Hear.

My brother has been in Internet marketing from many years. And he says that what works on the web is to give away information or education on the front end. That will generate a community of people who will want to buy what you have on the back end. In my case they are not buying products but making donations.

John 11:03 AM

Sunday, October 24, 2004

Provision for Wednesday

10-24-04

THANKS again for ALL your prayers. God is doing very special things each day. He is guiding, comforting and strengthening me. I told a friend today that I feel joy, peace and clarity. Also I feel the opposites of these. But that just drives me back to earnest prayer and looking at those colored promise sheets. It is AMAZING how much truth and grace are waiting under the onion layers of the familiar verses.

Today the Holy Spirit pointed me to a jumbo post card that was mailed to me early this month. I did not throw it out because I felt that there was a slight chance that it would become useful. Then I recognized how timely this opportunity is for me.

All spiritual direction points to the target of raising the 40K seed capitol before the end of this year. That is easy to say but impossible to do humanly speaking. I may as well cross the Red Sea on dry land or the Jordan River at flood tide.

I know that I need to ask many qualified people for generous donations during the next few weeks. But I have never done that. And this is what has stood in my way for years. Then these words on the post card caught me eye. You are guided through a practical, step by step process of getting the gift. This seminar is designed especially for those who don't yet have the confidence necessary to make the call.

WOW that was written just for me now. And the seminar is on this Wednesday which is my off day. I can reschedule the two appointments that day. (It struck me add how the secretary that set one of the appointment said three times it is okay to reschedule. No one has told me that repeatedly.)

This is sponsored by the Association of Fundraising Professionals. There are proven methods for asking for major gifts. And clearly the person giving this seminar is an expert. http://afpdallas.org/Blank.html

That is the opportunity. Then comes the challenge. I need to raise the 200 dollars needed to attend. My cash flow is super tight. I need to raise all of that money. I will be on the job from most of the day and night on Monday. SO pray for God to guide me and to move on hearts. If you feel led to sponsor all or part of this fee let me know right away. I will call to find out if I can pay when I come on Wednesday.

If you feel led you can register me as a nonmember here.

http://afpdallas.org/scripts/calendar.asp?Date=October-27-2004

http://afpdallas.org/LuncheonRegistration.html

This exciting opportunity motivated me to make a list of more three dozen people I could call to sponsor all or part of this. Note that God could use the training of this seminar to provide the needed step by step training that will lead me out of the rut I have been in for years.

The Strong Start Capital Campaign will lead to the web platform that will give access to hundreds of new potential donors and customers.

I am moving forward in faith. May God confirm or correct this quickly. Standing still is not a safe option.

John 8:26 PM