Newsletters

July 11, 2022July 11, 2022 ~ Jenn Fortner ~ Leave a comment

There are so many great blog posts out there on newsletters. A couple of my favorite posts are actually found on the same blog, Support Raising Solutions. One post is by Phil Sineath from 2020 that takes care to emphasize important layout and design notes as well as language and content to include (you should check it out!), and another goodie waaaay back in 2006 from Steve Shadrach that shares what good newsletters and bad newsletters look like. I also love this one from Scott Morton on Two Things Your Giving Partners Want to Know. I’ve also talked about newsletters here on the blog, but it’s been a minute, so I’d like to share a post dedicated to the mammoth standard of Christian worker support raising communication.

First, I’d like to briefly share some things I believe are important NOT to do in a newsletter.

What Not to Do Newsletters:

Do not write super long paragraphs / pages about what you are learning. It sounds harsh…but short ones = AWESOME. Long ones = NO DICE. And always share what GOD is doing.
Do not forget your contact information, giving link / giving information, QR code (if you have one) — or any needed additional information. Make sure your contact information is up to date, and also is what you will be using if you are going abroad. Lastly, make sure your contact information is also easy to read (as in not teeny tiny font or in colors hard to read or notice). ***Bonus — QR codes including your Linktree or other online places to share additional information are a nice touch and easy for the reader to use. ***Bonus Bonus — always use your branding and/or your organizations branding.
Do not add everyone to your newsletter list before asking them personally to be a part of your team. If you do that, the buy in / engagement will likely be low and you may end up with general feelings of non-relationship from your potential partners. Wait until you’ve asked them to be a part of your team, or they have heard from you at a church service and signed up personally for your newsletter (see connect cards).
Do not use vacation-like photos, keep photos as ministry active as possible.
Do not make it boring. Consider doing something different (but still accessible) for your newsletter. Video newsletters are awesome (if you do one, don’t make it long). If you go for a video newsletter: (1) know what you are going to say in advance, (2) pick an interesting background that represents what you are doing, (3) don’t make the background of your video a noisy street where hearing the audio is going to be a challenge.
Do not stick to newsletters as your only form of communication. In this day and age where we have easy global access, merely emailing your team once a quarter with a generalized email newsletter is not going to cut it as your only form of communication. Get beyond the newsletter. I love this quote and I believe it’s so true: “Relational connection is now a STANDARD measurable of worker effectiveness.” – Randy Jumper of First NLR. That being said, here are 10 easy things you can do to stay in touch and show you care in micro ways.
Do not share every budget detail number. I’d stick to percentages.
Do not make your newsletter an attachment in an email. NOPE. Use programs like Mailchimp or Constant Contact (just give it a google if you are looking for more options – there are a lot) to make the newsletter more accessible as well as personalized (“Thank you Jenn” vs “Thank you support team”)
Do not assume your newsletter won’t go into their spam folder. Check with your supporters to make sure they are getting your newsletter, or when you are signing them up for it send them a text and tell them to be on the lookout for it and check their spam folder. Perhaps post in your hidden Facebook group or other communication that you have recently sent one out – and to let you know if they did not receive it.
Do not write a boring subject line. “Summer Newsletter” is not as effective as “Hey Jenn, how’s your summer going so far?” (yes, you can customize subject lines in many newsletter programs)

Second, a couple of notes on newsletters I think are important to highlight:

Newsletter Tips

Use your newsletter to communicate your passion for your ministry, not as a woe-as-me-fest. Stay positive, not negative. Every newsletter should convey what God is doing and has done.
Say thank you a lot and often. Thank your team for being a part of what God is doing. Remind them how thankful you are for them.
Stay consistent. If you say your going to do a newsletter every other month – stick to it. Newsletters truly don’t have to be long to be effective.
Do short e-blast newsletters from time to time (beyond your usual newsletter cycle). I love to hear successes from workers just because. Maybe a building finally got built and you share a thank you and a picture, or a person whom you care about and have been walking with came to Christ. Or maybe you reached 75% raised and you’re pumped — so share it briefly with your team. Quick videos of thanks and praise reports are generally a good idea.
In your newsletter – use “we” language instead of “I” language. Your team is alongside of you and you are doing this work TOGETHER. You could not be doing it without them, and you are in many ways representing the churches and individuals that support the work – by being the boots on the ground they are not / can’t be / don’t know they should be yet – so cut out any “I” language and replace it with inclusive “we” language.

Lastly, below is an example of a good, but regular newsletter (in that it’s not overly fancy or hard to accomplish) that I recently got and thought I would share. *names and faces are blocked out for sensitivity. It’s also a bit chopped up but you get the idea) Here are a few things that I like about it:

The video! We can’t see the actual here on the blog, so to sum up the content of it: it gives many more details on their ministry but does so quickly – it clocks in at 2:42. In the video the couple shares about one specific ministry win that recently happened. They also share that things are going well in their support raising season.They also announce in the video (while holding their adorable child!) that they will soon be doing a Facebook Campaign coming up to get them from 75% to 100% raised.
They share with joy and passion!
It’s a great example of a newsletter while support raising – It isn’t needy, communicates enthusiasm, is informative, and thanks the team.
They mix up sharing with the video and some brief reading – which is such a nice way to engage with a newsletter.

*** I left off the end of their signature because of sensitivity and I also ran out of room 🙂 But it does capture their contact information.

This list of tips and do not’s is not comprehensive – just some of the things I believe are important to nail. I hope these thoughts on newsletters are helpful! Share your thoughts or tips in the comments! – JF

Support Raising Stand Out: Try Video Messaging

April 5, 2022July 9, 2022 ~ Jenn Fortner ~ 5 Comments

Standing out amongst a crowd is a good thing when it comes to support raising. Many ministry workers I talk to are continually looking for impactful ways to make themselves memorable. One great way to stand out is by making a strong first impression with well written and branded communication pieces. However, many ministry workers become frustrated with the lack of response they receive from their carefully crafted communication pieces, wondering where they might have gone wrong with only fractions of pastors and individuals responding to written pieces such as newsletters, emails, and texts.

I think I have a fun suggestion to solve for X.

Recently I got into a conversation with a worker that I coach (let’s call her Kate), and she mentioned she started video messaging pastors and individuals instead of using standard emails (she also substitutes video messages for texts, and some phone calls).

After she mentioned this I did what any good coach would do, and reverted to a classic coaching phrase “Say more about that“, (…honestly I was a little worried she was going way too far off the beaten path in her communication) and she began to explain how she had been using video messaging instead of using boring ole emails. To quote Kate:

“I’m a X (omitted for security purposes) district ministry worker with Assemblies, and no one really knows who I am because I’ve never been in full time ministry before. My hope is that sending a video first to pastors puts a face to the name. Having something outside of the box helps and shows that, hey! I’m a human!”

To get specific, Kate is using a video messaging service called Bombbomb.com. BombBomb’s tagline boasts “Get more replies, save valuable time, and add a human touch with BombBomb video email and video messages.” Think about it: Have you have sent correspondence to a pastor/church or individual only to hear nothing back? Have you felt bombarded by emails and quickly skim or don’t even read many of your emails? Have you sent text messages out that read like books (tl;dr = too long don’t read) that haven’t gotten desired responses?

So why does video messaging work? Well, the thing that makes BombBomb so effective is that it embeds the video message with a gif-like link in the body of the email (you can also send these out as text messages!). It moves and shakes and gets readers attention instead of just having bland words in an email. The other thing that makes it so effective is that the video is personalized to the person. For instance, in Kate’s video to me there was a banner of Valentine’s Day (I got this in early February, they rotate the banners based on holidays, seasons, and preferences) and Kate brilliantly held up a personalize sign of my name that became the thumbnail / gif of the video. It made me instantly want to watch it and find out what she had to say TO ME. Not only that, I knew immediately from the banner that it was a 43 second video (you never want to make videos long!) so I knew it was going to be taking too much of my time. Here’s a screen shot of the email (some details omitted for security purposes):

So how did this experiment in video messaging work out for Kate’s support raising? Well, as Kate began sending this videos out to pastors that she had never met before, she started getting instant responses. With BombBomb, you can ask the recipient to record their own video back or respond to the email – which gives them a fun and/or a quick easy way to respond.

Interested? Here are creative some ways you could use a video messaging service such as BombBomb to stand out in your support raising:

Emailing pastors / churches / missions boards instead of sending emails for an introduction
Texting individuals and groups reminders for events
Texting individuals, groups, pastors, or businesses for personalized communication
Newsletters
Follow up from a connect card
As a thank you for someone beginning their support
Quick prayer updates to supporters
Saying a personalized “hi” to supporters while on the field
There are probably a lot more that you can think of!

** Just a quick side-bar here: I don’t believe texting or emailing for face to face appointments with individuals should replace the phone call and this post is not about condoning that. However, if you are reaching out to individuals and numerous churches or businesses this idea could be perfect for you to help communicate in some of the ways above.

Kate has decided after trying BombBomb.com for free that she is gladly going to pay for the BombBomb Plus program (FYI there is a free option for Non-Profits!). She is going to switch her actual newsletters over from e-newsletters on Mailchimp to video newsletters via BombBomb (with BombBomb Plus you can send videos out to multiple people at a time). What a fresh take on a newsletter! Kate is also using BombBomb to follow up with groups.

Here’s Kate sharing some details on follow up with groups:

“I shared at a (church) service yesterday! I’m putting all those individuals I talked with or gave me back connect cards in a group on BombBomb. Today or tomorrow, I’ll send that group a BombBomb campaign video email and say thank you, welcome to the journey, here’s what to expect now, and here’s monthly giving info, etc. I’m trying to find new ways to incorporate BombBomb in follow up tasks.”

What do you think? I think it’s BRILLIANT. Thinking outside of the box and standing out is becoming more and more important to the workers I coach, and I love that this is a unique and easy way to do that. Also, side note = bombbomb.com services are free for non-profits!

Have you tried video messaging? What are some ways you are thinking outside the box? What are some ways you are utilizing technology? Post it in the comments! I hope this idea sparks ideas that encourage you to stand out!

Click the link below to watch the full video that Kate sent me!

https://bbemaildelivery.com/bbext/?p=vidEmbed&id=E2AB08DB-821E-48E5-BC99-C7263989E2B5&ar=0

Great Idea: Use LinkTree For Support Raising

February 10, 2022 ~ Jenn Fortner ~ 1 Comment

Do you ever wonder which link to use when directing people online to find out more about you and your ministry? Do you direct them straight to your giving site? Social media? Or perhaps to a website you maintain or your organization maintains? If you have multiple platforms and have a hard time deciding what is best — what if you didn’t have to choose?

Enter Linktree! And as their tagline boasts: it’s the only link you’ll ever need!

I’m not completely new to Linktree. It’s likely you are not either, and like me you have seen it utilized a few places. I’ve noticed them in a few of my friend’s Instagram bios, in some businesses, or even on various influencers pages who maintain multiple websites. I’ve also seen it used as a QR code link for large events. But I’ve never thought of it as a support raising tool until last week, when I heard a ministry couple (here I will call them the Meritt family) share their strategy using Linktree when speaking at various church services. So no… this isn’t a sponsored post in case you’re wondering! I just thought it was a really great idea worth sharing.

For those of you who aren’t aware of it, let me share what Linktree is. Essentially it’s a website you create that the user can click on whatever content/link you see fit – creating a simple hub of information. In this instance, it’s a landing page you can send someone to learn more about you and your ministry. Here’s an screen shot of the Meritt’s Linktree landing page:

Meritt family’s Linktree main page. Including (listed in order) their personalized organizational website, a sample missions message on You Tube, their giving site, another way someone can set up a monthly partnership, a newsletter sign up page, their personal website, and ways to contact them.

The Meritt’s Linktree has some very valuable information all in one simple hub. Examples of what else could be included on this Linktree or others like it would be social media pages, organizational information, various helpful websites, and a well maintained blog (there are likely a lot more I’m not thinking of!).

For the Meritt’s Linktree — I’d love to draw attention to what a great idea it is to have a sample missions message on YouTube; particularly as they often travel to speak at churches within our denomination.

*Meritt family’s Linktree homepage, but the “Missions Message” button clicked on to give a 47 minute message on missions.*

Here is a list of a few ways you may consider using Linktree in your support raising strategy:

As a QR code link on all printed materials that you send out / give out. (Prayer Cards, Case Documents, Pastor Packets, etc.)

*Back of the Meritt family’s prayer card, that includes branding, email address, phone number, and QR code for their Linktree.*

As your link in the signature of your emails.
For QR codes / printed materials on display tables at church services, events, etc.
As your link for a text message or email to individuals after a fundraising event, small group event, or face to face appointment (or during!).

I hope this idea of using Linktree for your QR codes and links is helpful! Do you have any other ideas for ways to utilize Linktree? Put it in the comments!

TEXT SAMPLES FOR FACE TO FACE APPOINTMENTS

December 15, 2020 ~ Jenn Fortner ~ 8 Comments

TEXTING STILL ISN’T THE BEST WAY TO ASK FOR AN APPOINTMENT…BUT

I’m writing this post for a specific person. It may not be you, and that’s a-okay. This document is not for you if you are having success asking for face to face appointments via phone. I will always maintain that asking for an appointment via phone is far greater than asking via text message as it promotes relationship, and any time the word “finances” is read in a text it comes across like a billboard, generally drawing people away from responding. I stand by that thought and still agree with it. (read the link for more info!) Thus, if you are calling on the phone – pat yourself on the back and let me give you a high five from the internet. You don’t necessarily need to read any further.

This post is for you if you are the person who is probably going to go ahead and text asking for an appointment anyway, even though your support raising coach and training has said it is 100% best to phone call and ask for face to face appointments. It is for you too if you are texting someone as a one off and don’t want to botch it, which I completely get.

That being said, I want to be clear that this post is not to condone texting for an appointment as the normal go-to, but knowing it will happen, at least if you text first you have examples of how to best word it. Okay! All that being said, let’s get into some samples. Well, in a minute.

WARNING LABEL TO THE SAMPLE TEXTS FIRST

First off, an important distinction to be made here – THESE ARE TEXT MESSAGES…NOT social media direct messages (DMs). Yes, there is a difference and yes, it does matter.

DMs are never going to be as warm as a text message and 1,000% less warm than a phone call. (Pause here and think back to any times you have had people solicit you on FB Messenger en mass for donations. If you have ever had that done to you, you know it’s definitely not relational.) If you don’t have someone’s phone number, DM and ask them for their contact info, but don’t DM any of these samples below.

***Here’s a sample asking for number and contact information on DM:

“Hi Christy! Hey, how is Adam doing?? Heard he had a tough fall and have been keeping him in my prayers. I hope he is on the mend. Wanted to ask — could I get your contact info? Phone number, Email address, and mailing address? Zach and I are about to embark on a ministry journey and grabbing contact information. Thanks Christy.”

Don’t give too much information when sending a text message asking for a face to face appointment. Try to be as brief as possible while still giving needed information. Remember, you are asking for a face to face appointment (or in times of Coronavirus a Zoom appointment), not for them to join your team. You do not want to make an ask in written form or have your face to face meeting over text. Save the details for the appointment. It’s easy to make this mistake and not realize you are doing it, and then all of the sudden you are asking someone for financial partnership in a text. OOOPS. (that’s not a good thing)

It’s important to realize that there is a hierarchy of relationship when it comes to asking for appointments. Doing so over the phone or even in person is much warmer and relational than in a text. If you’re struggling with how to ask for an appointment – move down this list and start as high as you can!
- Hierarchy of warmth and relationship in asking for Face to Face Appointments:
  1. In person
  2. Phone call / Phone call + invitation letter first == these options are always best!
  3. Invitation letter + Text message
  4. Text message
  5. Email
  6. DM

TEXT SAMPLES

TEXT SAMPLE 1:

“Hey Pete! Do you have time for a quick 2-3 minute phone call?”

(**Always my preferred option for a text message. Use the text to lead to the phone call. If they don’t answer you in a text, you still have the ability to call them later that evening or even the next day – just don’t wait too long. You can also try texting again.)

TEXT SAMPLE 2: (*No invitation letter prior)

“Hey Taylor. Beau turned 1 years old?!?! WWHUUTT? The nerve of babies to grow. UGH. And how does time fly? Please answer life’s mysteries for me Taylor. I believe in you. 🙃

I don’t know if you’ve heard, but Zach and I are heading to Estonia to be workers with Assemblies of God World Missions. We are pumped. If you have no idea what I’m talking about: HA! 🤗 I would like to fill you in!!

I’m reaching out because you recently came to mind. We are working on building up our financial and prayer partnership team and have to get to 100% before we can go to Estonia. I know you have been a major influence in my life and would love to connect about joining some aspect of our partnership team.

Could we A. Zoom this week or next? (I’ll order us some Panera treats or Grub Hub while we meet if it works!) B. Grab coffee outside this week or next? C. Masks and coffee inside this week?

Let me know what you think one way or another. Importantly, I want you to know that there’s no pressure. Except for you to solve life’s mysteries Tay. That I EXPECT. Love you, your friendship, and that darling 1 YEAR OLD.

TEXT SAMPLE 3: (*Invitation letter prior)

“Hi Rosie! I have been praying for you & Fred as you are recovering. My mom said you texted yesterday that you guys are on the mend- praise the Lord!💓 When you are feeling better, Zach and I would love to safely meet and share with you guys about our burden for Estonia, as well as invite you to partner with us, whether that be through prayer or finances. We are here until January 4th, so you just let me know when would be best. Much love to you guys!!❤️❤️”

TEXT SAMPLE 4: (*Invitation letter prior)

“Hey Ron and Kathie. This is Jenn Fortner. How are you all? Been thinking of you and of course Dustin recovering from COVID. I’ve been saying prayers since last time we spoke — How has he been since recovery?

Would you be able to schedule a time to safely meet this week or next? Let me know if you are available and what works best for you, we are pretty flexible. We would love to connect, hear about how you all are doing, and share a bit more about what we are doing in ministry and see if it fits for you to join some aspect of our partnership team.

Thanks guys. Most important note: Just want you to know we love you, your friendship, and praying that Dustin is well.”

NOTES

*some of these samples are written during COVID, so take “safely meet” etc out of equation once things go back to normal.

**One of these sample texts mentions “no pressure”. I left this phrase in because that can be helpful in some circumstances. I personally wouldn’t over-use anything that completely gets them out of considering financial support as an important option. I hear phrases from workers all the time like “prayer is more important” or saying during an appointment “consider support and pray about it” or “if you don’t want to it’s no big deal” — which are misleading statements and not always helpful. True, prayer is important but the best prayer partner is typically the one who is giving (Matthew 6:21). True you want someone to consider partnering but don’t throw that phrase into an appointment when now is the time to make the big ask, and they have been prompted to consider prior to your appointment. And finally, plainly said it’s not true that if they don’t want to support it’s not a big deal — even though we should hold yeses and no’s loosely in our hearts — it is a big deal if they join your team! Think through these phrases giving people outs carefully, and don’t overuse them.

I hope this post and samples are helpful! – JF

How To Make Your Own Prayer Card on Vistaprint

November 6, 2020November 6, 2020 ~ Jenn Fortner ~ 2 Comments

I’m excited to share this wonderful tutorial on How to Make Prayer Cards on Vistaprint. I didn’t make it, a friend of mine in ministry at a sensitive location did. I’d tell you her name, but I can’t, so we will just call her “Designer Debbie”. What I can say is please use this link if you end up using Vistaprint to make your Prayer Card. By using it you will give Designer Debbie discounted materials for future use! WIN WIN http://reward.vistaprint.com/go.axd?ref=TBNJM5

My girl DD is also a really great designer and makes Prayer Cards along with other promotional materials (case documents, connect cards, etc.), so if you want to skip the DIY – contact me and I can get you in touch with her.

So what is a Prayer Card? Think of it as a business card for ministry. Typically they are small, display your tagline, picture, ministry, and contact information. They are helpful for giving out at events, face to face meetings, short conversations, etc. and provide the recipient a quick glance at your ministry and way to keep your contact information. Often these go on refrigerators as prayer reminders, go in invitation letters, thank you cards, pastor packets, and the like. Read along to find out more on how to make your own! Thanks Designer Debbie!

Click to access prayercardtutorial1.pdf

prayercardtutorial1-2 Download

Ghosting! When It’s Time to Make The Final Contact

October 14, 2020 ~ Jenn Fortner ~ 1 Comment

Ghosting! It’s October so let’s talk about it now for obvious reasons.

You all know the scenario, chances are you’ve been there…

You reach out to a friend via phone and try to set up an appointment. No answer. You text them and ask if they have time for a quick phone call. Nope, nothing. Then you call again and leave a voicemail. Crickets. Then the process gets a little weird because you call again a couple of days later and still: NADA. Maybe you send another text several weeks after beginning the process, but you don’t know what to say. So you send something but don’t love it, bite your nails and then…na that wasn’t them that texted back…it was just MORE CRICKETS. And you’re wondering…did I just damage a relationship? What if I see them at Target? Do they shop at that one? Maybe I’ll drive to the one on the other side of town that’s farther away from their house. AWKWARD.

So what do we do with this whole ghosting MONSTER lurking under the bed? How do we appropriately handle the FEAR that rejection is happening before our eyes? I’ve got some ideas to combat the SCARY scenarios. Don’t SCREAM, let’s dive in (and okay, I’ll stop using the puns). There are 3 main things to keep in mind when you think you are being ghosted – let’s talk about them.

1. Don’t Jump to Conclusions

When you feel you are being ghosted don’t jump to conclusions. People are busy with their own lives, and your top priority is almost always NOT their top priority. They’ve got their own world swirling around them, so recognize that we have to meet people where they are at and contacting you back may not be at the top of their list. Don’t jump to the conclusion that if they aren’t Johny-On-The-Spot with getting back to you it doesn’t mean they aren’t interested. It could mean a variety of things such as one or some of the following:

they are bad with returning phone calls / messages / insert media you used
they are busy
it’s a hard week
it’s a hard year. ahem… it is 2020.
they are out of town / country
they intend to but just haven’t gotten there yet
they are distracted
their phone broke?
they have a new number
they are potty training their toddler and are laser focused unto getting rid of cloth diapers for ever and ever amen (wait… just me?!)

Thus before making the conclusion you are being ghosted, here are ask some important questions of yourself. If you answer “no” to any of these things – then try that thing before jumping to conclusions:

Am I using the right contact method to reach them? Have I tried multiple ways to get in touch?
Are they actually receiving my phone call / message?
Have I tried enough times over a period of time, and given them long enough to respond?
Have they already expressed interest in giving but have had trouble responding recently?

2. The Final Contact

If you have have sufficiently tried to reach out to someone but are getting no response (see list above) then you may consider making The Final Contact. The Final Contact essentially is communication that attempts to honor the relationship when someone isn’t responding, and lets that person know you will not be contacting them again about support. Now, that being said I have some pretty strong thoughts about The Final Contact and how it works / doesn’t work that I need to share before proceeding further:

Consider all of the questions above carefully before doing The Final Contact.
You should NOT be doing The Final Contact if you’ve only tried calling a person twice or even 3 times. It should be after you’ve made several attempts, tried several communication methods, and given them time to respond. Many people make the mistake of believing someone’s silence is rejection and give up too quickly due to fear. Be confident, and remember you don’t have to apologize for inviting someone to be a part of the Great Commission.
If a Final Contact is given too early you run the risk of offending cherished relationships.
If you move to the Final Contact too early you also run the risk of no support from them.
It’s likely that after you make The Final Contact, you will hear from the person who has ghosted you. It happens often.
In wording your Final Contact, keep the door open a smidge that you may have a future assignment / time you raise support, and perhaps you will reach out again in the future (see example below – this doesn’t need to be emphasized, just accommodated for).
You don’t make The Final Contact if someone has answered your calls and methods of communication, only if they don’t (unless it’s a nuanced situation). Don’t make The Final Contact you’re out for any circumstance that gets awkward that you don’t want to follow up on. No no.

So HUGE WARNING HERE: Don’t do it too early. However, well timed Final Contacts can help in putting the relationship in good standing. So what does a good Final Contact look like? This example of a Final Contact is written by my friend Grant Hoel who is a support raising coach and in full time ministry with Chi Alpha.

“Hi [Name], I hope everything is going well for you. I’ve been trying to get in touch with you recently to share about my upcoming ministry assignment to [City or Country] but I have been having trouble. It is possible that this is not the best method of communication for you or that you’ve been extremely busy and unable to get back to me. Or maybe you’re just not interested, and that’s okay. In any case, I wanted to let you know that this will be my last attempt to reach you in regards to this assignment. Also know that I really value your friendship and would love to catch up or hear how I can be praying for you at any time. If you are interested in talking about the ministry and how you could be involved, feel free to give me a call: (555) 555-5555. Either way, I look forward to catching up the next time I see you. Have a great week and God Bless.“

Some thoughts straight from Grant on what a well-crafted Final Contact does:

It provides the person the most charitable excuse for not returning your call.
- “I know you’re probably super busy…”
- “I understand that now may not be the best time for you…”
- “You may not be able to give right now…” “And that’s OK!”
Let’s them know that you will not be contacting them regarding support/financial partnership for this assignment. You won’t bring it up unless they initiate it.
- “So I just want to let you know that I won’t be contacting you again about this unless you bring it up. If I’m wrong and you just haven’t been able to get back to me, just give me a call and we’ll pick up the conversation from there.”
Affirms your relationship with them.
- “I just want you to know that I absolutely appreciate your friendship…”
- “Let me know if there is anything I can do for you or any way to pray for you…”
- “I look forward to the next time we get to see each other…”

3. Don’t be Timid: Its The Great Commission (See Rejection post)

I get it, it can be SCARY to reach out to friends and family for support, and when that friend ghosts you in the process, it doesn’t feel good. But I think alongside having the Final Contact in our pocket, remembering that we are all called to the Great Commission as either goers or senders is one of the most important things to remember in the midst of asking for finances. Asking someone for financial support is okay and it’s even biblical. (If you doubt that to be true, here are some verses to check out) Also, what you are doing is downright cool and inspiring. Seriously. You don’t have to be ashamed about telling people about Jesus and you certainly aren’t the only one since the days of Moses who raised finances to do it. You can be bold. You can be confident (and it actually helps). You don’t have to apologize for following God’s path, and you actually get to be an inspiration for those you connect with to follow their own paths with God! He’s actually the one that set it up for the christian worker to live off of support. If someone doesn’t join maybe someone else is supposed to. I can be as simple as that, if you let it be.

It’s hard to know what to do when a person isn’t responding to you, I hope some of these thoughts help in the process. Below is a song to help inspire you. As Grant put it to me when explaining his process on The Final Contact “Now may you confidently and effectively raise the funds you need to do the work in which God has called you. May you have even deeper and more meaningful relationships as a result of your support raising efforts.” – JF

Appointment Kits and Pastor Packets

August 3, 2020 ~ Jenn Fortner ~ 4 Comments

Do you want to set yourself apart from the crowd? (Shake your head and say yeeeesss) One great way to stand out is by creating quality appointment kits and pastor packets.

What’s the difference between the two? Let me explain briefly. Typically appointment kits are given out to an individual during a face to face appointment, though the use of them is not limited to that. The kit should be designed to give that financial partner what they need to start giving and further information on your ministry. Pastor’s packets are great for meetings with pastors, mailing prior to contacting a pastor/church, dropping off to a pastor/church, or made available for events and gatherings.

For the most part appointment kits and pastor packets have the same materials in them with a few exceptions (see below). Quality should be what you shoot for when creating the packets, whether those materials are made by professionals, yourself, or someone with a design background that wants to help.

During more normal, non-pandemic support raising times, having a great appointment kit and pastor packet is helpful in standing out and looking uber professional. During a pandemic I would almost call it crucial. Why? Well, several reasons, but particularly many in-person meetings and gatherings are being taken away as opportunities to connect with pastors and individuals. Situations pre-pandemic in which a worker would connect with pastors now may be happening virtually only or not happening at all. Pre-pandemic, a worker may have met with individuals at a church small group, and now that small group is happens virtually. Thus we need to be creative creating opportunities to share our stories.

For instance, take a denominational district gathering that happen virtually. What if you mailed out pastor packets to all of the pastors who “attended” the virtual gathering or sent it to a portion of the pastors whom you really enjoyed interacting with (depending on protocol within your organization for reaching out of course)? And the church small group that is now virtual: what if you mailed appointment kits out after (or prior) to meeting virtually?

PASTOR PACKETS

So let’s start with pastor packets — here are some items I recommend to have in yours:

A nice envelope / folder to put everything into – something like these or these are just some examples
Case Document
Prayer Card
Pastor Recommendation letter (see below)
Any ministry pamphlets or print materials that are helpful from your specific organization / ministry
Your organization’s commitment or pledge / commitment forms (may not be needed in all circumstances)
**connect cards, Special note — you probably would not put these physically in the envelope / folder, but have ready to show the pastor if you plan on asking him/her if connect cards would be appropriate to use in his/her congregation
***videos of 1, 2, or 3 minute windows available for pastors who are doing online services only due to COVID-19, maybe on a thumb drive or not included in the actual packet — but given prior to giving pastor packet. here’s a link to further explanation see point #3b

APPOINTMENT KITS

For appointment kits, I recommend gathering some of the following components:

A nice envelope / folder to put everything into – something like these or these are just some examples
Case Document (***special note, it’s helpful to create a version of this for individuals that DOES NOT outline your specific budget numbers but provides percentages reached instead — yes you’ll have to update them regularly – here’s why not to include budget details to individuals)
Prayer Card
Any ministry pamphlets or print materials that are helpful from your specific organization / ministry
Giving Instructions: easily understood step by step instructions on how to give within your organization
Your organization’s commitment or pledge / commitment forms
Optional: Some type of visual/infographic on how much support you need to get to 100% – I call these LOG (Levels of Giving) charts (ie. 50 people at 50$, 15 people at 100$, 10 people at $150, 5 people at $200, etc.) Make it pretty!
Optional but nice: A small gift or token for those who commit to support and/or pray
Optional: fridge magnet so they can remember to pray for you.

Did you notice there are some items in the appointment kit that are not included in the pastor packet? Some reasoning for that is my preference for giving pastors less to sift through due to the lack of time they have. That being said, you may have something additional in your pastors packet because you’re likely brilliant and have thought of something genius I haven’t (if so tell me in the comments! I’m here for it!) — and I believe in most circumstances that is fine.

I hope this helps! If you have questions comment below. Lastly, see below for a pastor recommendation letter template to help create your own. You all are awesome! Keep going. – JF

Pastor Recommendation Letter:

Case Documents

May 1, 2019June 12, 2019 ~ Jenn Fortner ~ 9 Comments

Okay everyone, let’s learn about a tool that can be very helpful in communicating your ministry assignment. Enter: the wonderful Case Document! There are a variety of situations in which creating your own Case Document can come in handy as you raise your support, so below I’ll describe what a Case Document is, situations in which Case Documents can be helpful, and provide you with some awesome examples. Let’s get to it.

What is a Case Document?

Think of Case Documents as a 1 to 2 page resume. It is a paper snapshot of you and your ministry. Case Documents should include:

A short introduction of who you are and your desire / passion to serve in your ministry. Consider sharing your calling to ministry.
A brief statement about where you are going and facts about the place you are serving.
What you’ll be doing and your ministry goals. Include your organization of course!
What your financial need is / budget information.
- *It may be a good idea to have two versions of the Case Document. One version has your budget information and is good for pastors and churches. Having budget information for pastors is a good idea. Then create another version and take off the budget information. That one is better for individuals that may not need to know your exact budget information.
- *For the version without budget details, include instead percentages of how far along you are percentage wise raising your budget and update it frequently.
Explain how the reader can help financially and pray (and even go if interested)! Include needed account numbers and contact information for anyone interested in giving.
Consider including an endorsement from prominent people in your ministry. (team leaders, pastors, etc.)

Case Documents should also include these vital elements:

A high quality photo (include family if married)
First and last name(s)
Needed logo(s) and branding from organization
Contact information
Giving information
Recommended: social media links
Recommended: your tagline
Recommended: photos of country or population / people in country or population you’ll be serving
Recommended: printed on quality paper!

How Can Case Documents Be Helpful?

Case Documents can be helpful for churches, district and sectional councils (pastor or ministry organization network events), emails or snail mail to pastors, back display tables at events or churches, fundraisers, events, etc. Think of them as a great way to show a level of professionalism, to share a quick summary of your ministry, and to provide a way for you to stand out among the crowd.

You may consider mailing out Case Documents or emailing them before contacting a pastor / church for a potential service or appeal. You can also carry them around with you for anyone you meet interested in hearing more about your ministry or use them as a information sheet on a back table of an event.

You can create your own Case Document using programs such as Pages or Publisher. If you have the room in your budget, consider getting them professionally made. I highly recommend that route if you don’t know your way around design. The better they look, the more you stand out! Some places I like to send people for case documents:

BHDesign

Commission Creative

5DCreative

Faith House Design Group

Examples of Case Documents

(all examples have had names, contact info, and location taken out for security purposes – so read between the lines!)

Connect Cards

April 1, 2019March 26, 2019 ~ Jenn Fortner ~ 7 Comments

After a wonderful conversation with an individual about your ministry assignment, have you ever given someone a prayer card PRAYING that they will remember to contact you? Have you ever spoken at your home church, small group, or fundraising event and gotten stuck at your back table talking to a particularly chatty individual? All the other people scurry to lunch before your conversation ends and you feel the wave of missed opportunities that just passed? Whomp.

Insert a wonderful tool to help combat: connect cards!

What’s a connect card you ask? It’s a stack of individual cards you put on your display table, chairs of an event, and/or attach to Sunday morning’s bulletin. Connect cards give you the ability to follow up with interested people after a service or event is over, and is an effective tool all about facilitating more face-to-face appointments and building relationships with the body of Christ. Connect cards can serve as a way to “keep the ball in your court” by grabbing interested people’s contact information instead of just giving them a prayer card and hoping they remember to contact you.

Below there are some examples of connect cards from various workers I coach. (thanks guys!)

Now, don’t go off quite yet and make your own. I want to explain something important first: keep in mind that connect cards are only appropriate in certain circumstances.

“Connect cards are only meant for events, services, and small groups where you have gotten permission to connect personally with individuals about giving.”

Connect cards should only be used when they fall in accordance with a pastor / leader’s protocol on giving. Don’t assume that these cards can be placed on chairs of a congregation without communication or sneakily stuck into bulletins on a Sunday morning without communication / permission prior. Connect cards are only meant for events, services, and small groups where you have gotten permission to connect personally with individuals about giving (or if you are hosting a fundraising event that you are hosting on your own).

Why is this so important? A lot of churches do their missions / ministry giving by collecting offerings and disbursing where the church leadership collectively decides. That means if you were to come into that congregation and ask all the people inside to give to you personally, it may mess up what the pastor, board, and leadership of the congregation has decided to give to. You DO NOT want to be that person. #boo

Thus, connect cards are preferably only when you ask the pastor / leader “how does your congregation do missions / ministry giving?” If they say you may connect with individuals inside of the congregation on your own, connect cards come into play.

Connect cards are ideal when speaking to your home church (after you’ve figured out the protocol with your pastor on giving), small groups, fundraising events, and the like. If you do use connect cards, make sure to explain them from the platform in which you are speaking from – letting everyone know how to fill them out and what they are for.

I hope these help you as you seek to build out new relationships as you interact with the body of Christ! See the examples below and have fun building yours! I do have a contact who makes connect cards for workers, if your interested in getting one made – contact me and I’ll get you in touch! -JF