Why Your Fundraiser Didn't Raise the Funds

Some of us in Christmas media are heading into Thanksgiving and Christmas with the peace of knowing that the financial need has been met for another season. Whew! Sharathon went well, the goal was met, and things are on track.

Then, there's the rest of us. And we've all been there at some point. This article is for you.

What went wrong? Why didn't we hit the financial goal? Most importantly, what needs to be done right now to ensure a better fundraiser next time around?

It's easy to blame the usual suspects. The hosts, the timing of your competition's fundraiser, the weather, a big news event, technical issues, etc. And sure, these things can be a challenge for your event, and more than one of them happening simultaneously may keep you from hitting 100%. But they usually won't be enough to truly wreck an event and cause you to wrap up dramatically short.

Let's start with the first suspect – the hosts. Maybe your on-air team really doesn't feel comfortable fundraising, because they feel like it's so different from what they do the rest of the year. So, maybe they should be trained that effective fundraising is simply telling the story of the impact of your ministry in such a compelling way that your listeners see themselves in the center of the action, and respond appropriately. This is something your hosts should be doing every day, essentially.

Which brings me to the main reason fundraisers fall short. It's almost universally the same for all of us.

Fundraisers fall short because your listeners are not convinced that your ministry is active, growing and irreplaceable. “But we hit our goal last year! Shouldn't they still be convinced?" Nope. That was then, this is now. Your job now is to make a 2019 plan that communicates your ministry activity, your growth, and how unique your ministry truly is.

All of this is storytelling. And not just around Sharathon – this is year-round storytelling.

As you plan your next big ministry campaign, make sure you're intentional in creating a post-promotion strategy. How are you going to tell this story after the campaign is over? Not just the week after…but how will you tell the story six months from now? A year from now? If you think about this stuff in the initial planning phase, it will strengthen your overall strategy. You'll say "No' to opportunities that simply don't make compelling stories. And for the ones you say "Yes' to, you'll have a few more cameras on-hand to capture it. Shoot video, even if you don't plan on using it right away. Invite the local TV News crew. Schedule a few more interviews than you really need, so you have fresh content at Sharathon time.

Envision the ripple effect of your campaign, so you can highlight the benefits your listeners didn't consider. Help them see the big picture.

Don't just think about your promotion as lasting a week or two. If you think about it being a story that you'll tell over and over again, you'll get better at MAKING it a story WORTH telling over and over again.

Communicate your growth. Donors don't like throwing their money onto a sinking ship. They like investing in something bigger and stronger than themselves. But please, PLEASE don't start talking about the new computers or software you bought. BORING. If this really is a vital part of your messaging, make it more about how it impacts the listener's experience. You didn't buy a new automation system – you made your station more reliable for them. Talk about how you're expanding your team, and some of the positions you hope to hire in the future. Talk about how their addition to the team would enhance the listener's experience and bolster the mission of the ministry. Talk about how the new app you want to design will connect your listener to a unique community of believers. Talk about how their support in the past has created the ministry that now exists. Let your listeners be "founders' of a new season of ministry. Let them know that you're saving them a seat on the rocket ship, and this thing is ready to launch! You ain't seen nothin' yet!

One of the biggest challenges in an increasingly outsourced talent-pool is communicating uniqueness. To be worth supporting, your ministry needs to be irreplaceable. Syndicated shows that are easy to find elsewhere will not help you build an irreplaceable ministry. Your own local talent will.

It's vital to communicate uniqueness in your promotions and outreaches. We often find opportunities to "jump in front of the parade' and help out other ministries with their efforts. “Hey, we were at 10 different Walk for Life events this year!" This is a valuable role for a Christian media group, but this can't be your only mode of ministry. You need to develop your own style of outreach, and make it happen frequently and consistently. At SOS Radio, for example, they rarely do studio interviews with artists, because their style is to take artists out to serve the community when they stop by. That's why you'll see The Afters serving meals at a soup kitchen, or Switchfoot building a downtown community garden. At this point, the labels know that when you take an artist to SOS, don't dress up too nice; they're bound to roll up their sleeves and get dirty at some point.

Life 96.5 asks their listeners to donate broken-down vehicles. They enlist the help of a local mechanic who fixes them up, and then Life 96.5 works with a local ministry to give these vehicles to single moms. It's awesome! And nobody else in their market had done it before. It made them irreplaceable in the minds and hearts of their audience.

The key in all of this is to tell the story of your ministry with your listener AT THE CENTER of it. Your ministry is active because of their prayers and support. Your ministry is growing because of their prayers and support. Your ministry is irreplaceable because your listeners are irreplaceable. Everything that happens is a partnership between them and God, and that's what makes your radio ministry what it is. It's not, "Look what we did!' It's "Look what you and God are doing!'

When your listeners know that your ministry is active, growing and irreplaceable, they respond differently to your Sharathon. Even if you DO have bad weather, a big news event, technical issues or any mix of mishaps, they forgive and support you anyway. You can follow up with them next week (or in a month or two) and explain.

Let them know about the challenges, and ask them to make a gift, even though Sharathon is over. If you've done a great job as a storyteller all year long, they'll be on your side, and they'll WANT to see your ministry fully funded. Your fundraiser is the strongest indication you have of how your ministry exists in the minds and hearts of your listeners. And the really exciting aspect is that this perception is not permanently fixed.

You can change it, shape it, and grow it. It's all a matter of storytelling.