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Steier Tips

Keeping the Excitement Alive

Get ready for the race! The final days of summer always feel like a mad dash. Every day tends to be filled with activities and events. As we sprint toward Labor Day, there never seems to be a shortage of excitement.

You can generate the same type of excitement and enthusiasm in your nonprofit organization. In fact, it's vital that you continually engage your leaders, volunteers and donors. Creating excitement will help you build emotion, which is a key element to attracting donations.

Building enthusiasm and energy just requires a little thought and planning. Take a look at some of these ideas that have worked well for us:

     ·  At one school we created a challenge among the alumni. Which class will         raise the most money? Which class has the highest rate of participation? These         are tools that can be used on a regular basis. Will the class of '87 hold on to its         title again this year?

     ·  We asked a large donor to create a "matching" challenge among his fellow         church members. Some of them were so enthused by the dollar-for-dollar         match that they increased their original pledges.

     ·  A community based organization now makes an effort to share one success         story every month. It keeps the donors excited about giving and the volunteers         excited about working. The nonprofit features articles about volunteers, major         gifts, planned gifts, etc.

     ·  At the end of a recent capital campaign, we held several phone-a-thons.         Volunteers won prizes and awards for achievements like "largest donation" and         "craziest call."

     ·  We also have found that just keeping everyone informed about the progress of         your organization or campaign will get them energized. Making sure that people         feel included or "in the loop" will lead to a sense of ownership.

It's good to have some fun and excitement while you work toward your goal. Achieving success is even sweeter when you have built some fond memories along the way. I know that when I cross that finish line into September, I'll look back at this month and smile. I hope you'll do the same.

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