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Special Episode: Planned Giving

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My Guest:

Tony Martignetti: Planned Giving
What can you do for your Planned Giving donors in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic? Something very meaningful and appreciated. Tony is alone for this short episode.

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Transcript for 487a_tony_martignetti_nonprofit_radio_20200504.mp3

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[00:01:18.08] spk_2:
Hey, it’s tony. I hope you’re doing well in the Mid Stones, our Corona virus pandemic. I hope you’re you’re well, I hope you’re safe, I hope. Same thing for your family doing well on DSS. Staying safe. Please keep taking care of each other. That’s that’s the key. If you don’t have family, take care of friends. Know as best we can reach out like this. Seems like very, very good timeto be in touch with folks I’m using. It is a good time to reach out, and I hope you do the same. Whether it’s phone call Zoom uh, you know, even the messenger being touched. It’s It’s a great, great time to be in touch. And and that’s actually what I want to talk about. Planned giving. Being in touch with your donors, you know? What do you do now with those donors who have ah who have committed that you’re in their state plan? No, They’re your plan giving donors. They’re probably older in the vast majority of cases they are. So maybe you’re a little reluctant to reach out. Um, because they’re more susceptible to the virus, so they’re more shut in. Um, they’ve got Children and grandchildren. They even if they live across the street from each other, which this is the case in one woman I spoke to, they can’t see each other. It doesn’t matter how far or how close they can’t be, can’t be together. And ah, that hurts. That hurts as parents and grandparents. So how do you reach

[00:01:42.44] spk_0:
out? You reach out with your heart.

[00:02:06.15] spk_2:
You know, just ah, express your concern. Express that we’ll get through this, ask how they’re doing. Lots of open questions, you know. How are you? How are you? How are you getting meals? How do you keep in touch with your family? How is your family? Um how are you? How are you keeping safe? Do you have you have any helpers who come in? What are you

[00:02:16.07] spk_0:
doing for meals? Is there a service that’s delivering for you or you find yourself cooking more like a lot of us. What are you doing to keep busy watching more TV, listening to more music movies? You know, lots of open questions, you know?

[00:02:28.05] spk_2:
How are you? Just how are you doing? How are you coping? It’s time to keep in touch

[00:02:37.64] spk_0:
and e that I don’t know. I was going to say all the more for your plan giving donors because there they’re they’re older, But you need to be in touch with all your

[00:02:46.64] spk_2:
donors. So I’m not saying planned giving is any higher priority. But don’t ignore those folks. Certainly don’t be ignoring your plan. Giving donors don’t

[00:03:00.02] spk_0:
use this as a time of silence. And then what? In three or 45 months, whenever you know we’re past the worst part of this, then you’ll reach out. How did you do that comes across as insincere is it is. You know, you want to know now how people are doing so we’ll be in touch with your plan giving donors. So how to be in touch? I’ve been using the default

[00:03:12.75] spk_4:
as fun.

[00:03:23.42] spk_0:
If we have a phone number for someone, I’ve been picking up the phone and calling them, including folks that I don’t know very well and maybe never did talk to now. They did always hear from me. I’m thinking of ah, one client where I have donor

[00:03:29.37] spk_2:
relationships for them. I can’t

[00:03:53.37] spk_0:
use the client’s name without their permission, and I’m not sure that would be so he said to get now. So But I have a client where I have a lot of donor relationship, donor and prospect relationships for most clients. A more strategic. We’re helping them with their marketing, their planning, um, long term thinking, strategy, maybe events, things like that. But for this client, I do have donor relationships. And as I said, the default is if we have a phone number for them in

[00:04:02.09] spk_2:
our in our

[00:04:27.52] spk_0:
C. R. M database, I’m picking up the phone and I’m I’m having conversations. And some of those conversations go on for 1/2 hour, even 40 maybe 45 minutes. Thes folks have a lot to tell. You know, they lived through World War Two. The people I’m talking about, so they’ve got a great perspective, which, which actually gives them gives them hope, You know, they’re They’re not despondent. Most of the people I’m

[00:04:28.30] spk_2:
talking to you

[00:06:41.64] spk_0:
very very few are. They’re hopeful, you know, they’ve been through something. Uh, I can’t compare. What’s worse, so are the same. But World War, two minutes to World War two, and that was years. So that gives these folks a lot of hope. Um but they’ve got a lot to say, you know? So don’t be surprised if the conversations go 1/2 hour. And my advice is don’t be looking to cut it off after five or 10 minutes. I have just checking in guide. You Well, you know, take care of yourself. You know, so long that also comes across as insincere as it is. Be in touch with these folks from the heart. You know, You really want to know how they’re doing. I hope you do. I hope you really you know, I mean, this is a people business. Fundraising. Um, I presume you’re in it because you like people. You like relationships. This is a great time to either keep them going or get a little closer with one. Then, uh, then you have been. So the default is the phone. I pick it up, if I can. If we got a phone number. If not email, I haven’t been getting a lot of email responses. Ah, a couple. Not many. But again, the act of reaching out that’s sincerity comes across your genuineness comes across, do it from the heart. These aren’t for me. Emails. You can reach out by email on be very sincere. And then if we have neither of those, you know, we always have an address, handwritten notes, Um, and even in some cases, now I’m thinking about it. I’ve done some hand written notes to some folks who are no better instead of email. So, you know, you use your judgment up to the runner exercising. Very good. Outstanding. Outstanding. Keep loves a thumbs up. If you didn’t see, keep exercising. Um, I’m at the beach. It’s a beautiful place to run. Obviously. Look at this sentence setting. Um, but yes. So in some cases, I’ve actually done a handwritten note instead of, ah, an email. Even though way had we have an email address, I just You know, it felt right for that. That handful of folks, So you know, you do it. Do what you can do what feels right for you. But handwritten notes, you know, they could be short. You don’t have to, Philip. You know, you know, this is not a word letter, even in 8.5 by 11 piece of paper that your handwriting on

[00:06:48.64] spk_7:
and I happen like

[00:09:39.90] spk_0:
hand written notes over Ah, over something, you know, from word, um, again genuine, sincere. Ask how they’re doing. Uh, make sure they have your number. So, you know, maybe drop your car name if you’re not sure that they already have your contact info. Um, give folks a way to get back to you. Yeah, um, so reach out. Reach out to your plan. Giving donors. It’s important. And, ah, if it’s a phone call again, don’t look to cut it off. This calls have been genuine. I’ve shared my matter, not a sauce recipe, and I got a tip. Um, well, I shared a tip with our mint. My grandmother’s secret recipe was fresh mint. She grew mint in her backyard. So that was what I shared. Um, and well, the woman was just sharing with me. The idea of making a big pot of sauce and freezing a bunch of the future. I guess that’s obvious about I’ve never done that. I just always used it up. Uh, we’re giving it away, but yeah, you know, freeze. So, uh, so I gave a tip. I got a tip about modern outta. Um she has a beautiful Italian name. I wish I could share her name with you? Uh, beautiful Italian name. Um, so, yeah, reach out. Be close. You know, um, it’s a very, very good time to be in touch with your plan giving donors, and they will appreciate it. Everyone has, uh, has thanked me very graciously for reaching out. So, um, and in a couple of cases, they specifically mentioned that I was the only person from a non profit to do that, and they give to a lot of organizations. So maybe you can set yourself apart by doing it, but that’s that’s not the reason to do it. But if you can, you know, set your organization apart and all the better, right? But the main reason is humanity be in touch, be in touch with fellow humans. Um, donors, donors. I start with donors, and then, uh, then folks who are not donors, but prospects. I’m still working on the donor list plan giving donor list for this client, but yeah, you know, let’s not use our lose our humanity, be in touch. It’s a great time. It’s a great time to be in touch with with lots of people, including your plan giving donors if you have any advice? You have any good stories? Please share. Uh, tony at tony-martignetti dot com. Um, Twitter is a good way to reach me at tony-martignetti. Going to share some stories about being in touch. I’d love to hear them. Love too. Beings out. You take care of yourself to care of your family. You loved ones. Take care of your friends so long.