Accidentally met a 90s superstar š¶
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ā Hold on, you canāt just chase people! But I see friends! My 4-year-old breathlessly retorts. She runs off and introduces herself to a set of twins and their dad. Later, both of their dads sit at the table next to me in the courtyard. We wave and sit quietly for a while, taking shifts following our kids around. I begin chatting with the dads. We hit it off immediately and talked and laughed for nearly an hour. Iām Michael, by the way. One of the dads reaches for my hand. And Iām Lance! The other says, flashing his bright smile. I notice the highlights in his ruffled hair, but I canāt see his eyes behind his dark Prada sunglasses. I pause almost long enough to make it awkward. Thereās no way Iām meeting Lance Bass at the airport Marriott on a weekdayā¦ I think to myself. We keep chatting, and I keep denying that Iām talking to a celebrity. At least until I notice the name on their luggage tagā¦ Iād been talking to a member of one of the greatest boy bands of all time, his husband, and my daughter had been playing with their twins for OVER AN HOUR before I realized who they were. It took every bit of self-control for this '90s girl not to lose my mind entirely. Before I tell you how this interaction ended, letās simulate this situation. Pretend that youāre me, an average woman who does her best and loves her work. And your donors are Lance, a generational pop icon with a big personality and bank account to match (stick with me)... Weāre in giving season, and what matters most right now is how youāre communicating with potential and returning donors, at any level. With this in mind, letās walk through 2 scenarios: Scenario 1: You realize youāve been talking to Lance Bass, squeal, then ramble on about how big a fan you are, and recount all the times you danced to NSYNC and kissed their poster on your wall. You pester him for a picture (gift) and talk about how other people arenāt going to believe it. You thank him profusely and talk about how much it means to you. A bit annoyed, he packs up and walks into his hotel. He doesnāt feel like he wants to take any more pictures (donate) with you. Heās ready to tell you āBye, bye, bye!ā (I had to š) Scenario 2: You keep chatting because youāve been having a great conversation and donāt want it to go south - heās just a person, and you want to respect his time and space. You respectfully ask him for a photo (donation) once the conversation naturally leads there. You thank him and tell him how much you appreciate his time. He stays seated at the table with you. He doesnāt feel overwhelmed - he knows your gratitude is genuine. Which scenario do you think Lance (your donor) is more likely to respond to? Exactly, 2. Because his status, identity, or bank account is not the focus, if you want to build lasting relationships with supporters who become eager champions of your mission. How you communicate with donors is a key factor in how long they stick around.If youāre still gearing up for a campaign, communicate with your donors before you launch. Send a check-in with prospects and one-time donors. Re-engage lapsed donors. Reach out to major donors, if you havenāt already. Show them how their gifts have been used this year, and thank them for being a part of your work. Your donors are people. Yeah, some of them might have high status with fat bank accounts, but they can be such an integral part of making your work possible when you take the time to develop a genuine relationship with them instead of a transactional one. Your mission is made for more than surface-level engagement. Demonstrate that in the way you communicate with your donors. You never know where their connection will lead! And to my sisterās dismay, I didnāt actually ask Lance for a picture. Iāve lived in Nashville long enough and met too many stars to know that theyāre just people who want their space when theyāre out and about. (Though I did send him a message on IG later. Weāll see if he ever responds, and maybe weāll become besties. Hey, a 90s girl can dream š ) Check in with your supporters this week, Reader. Weāve only got time for genuine donor relationships this year-end! Stay kind, -Amanda PS: Hannah and I only have 2 spots left for the Year-End Intensive, a VIP week to get your year-end campaign written and designed in 5 days. Secure one of the last spots here!ā |