Seth Godin’s blog always gives me inspiration. Recently, he wrote about the words I hear so much when it comes to monthly giving: “That’s a great idea!”
Seth says: “…after every good idea, there are at least 100 steps of iteration, learning, adjustment, innovation and effort. But not committing to the 100 steps is a waste of a good idea. The effort and investment and evolution made the difference.”
In my experience working with nonprofits, helping them develop their monthly giving programs, it’s often the first step that’s the hardest. It’s not surprising to hear crickets after someone says: “That’s a great idea!”
My monthly donor roadmap consists of 18 steps. Start with step one: Take charge. Be willing to be the driver and the executor of this great idea.
I can share so many success stories of organizations that have taken that first important step, and then the next after that, and so on. These organizations have successfully generated more monthly donors and because they see the success, they keep taking those next steps.
Will some things work better than others? Absolutely! Will you make mistakes? Yes, of course. But you will learn from it, and you keep taking more steps.
Just think about it this way: Just because you fall down when you are learning to walk, it doesn’t make you stop walking, right?
So keep taking those next steps, and you’ll find that your commitment to the great idea of starting and growing your monthly donor program may be the best thing you ever did.
