You’ve just returned from vacation to discover you’ve been unanimously selected to chair the annual stewardship campaign in your church. Yikes! Your senior pastor expresses confidence in your ability to increase giving by 10% this year. After all, the church needs the additional resources. You review what the committee did last year and find the letter mailed to every member of your congregation. Not a bad letter, but still only 50% of the congregation is making a contribution.
One of the biggest mistakes made by churches during their annual campaign is to presume one message will actually reach every household. In order to reach every household, it is important to design appeals to meet people where they are.
Effective communication with your donors requires different messages based on specific giving patterns. How donors contribute through your annual campaign provides insight into how they think about giving. Giving behaviors are an indication of the donors’ understanding of biblical stewardship principles. How and how often donors give reveals the importance of generosity in their lives. As you prepare for your annual campaign, consider your donors' giving patterns and create targeted strategies for meeting each group where they are on the path toward generous living.
To learn more about how to create specific appeals based on giving behaviors, download Horizons' free ebook, "How to Reach Every Household in Your Annual Campaign."
Your ebook includes descriptions of each giving group including giving motivations and customizable letter templates. When you subscribe to Giving365, you also receive access to blogs (searchable by topic), ebooks, webinars, and other tools to grow giving in your church.
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