Subscribe In A Reader
E-mail UsEngagement Strategy
February 22nd, 2010A fundraiser’s job isn’t to ask for money. It’s to build relationships. Engagement is the way an organization cultivates its relationships at the broadest level.
Most of us have probably used the term. My sister is engaged to be married this fall. Our military is currently engaged in Iraq and Afghanistan. And while we often use the term in fundraising, our strategy for promoting it is not always clearly defined.
Defining an engagement strategy requires input from across the entire advancement operation. Begin by asking your staff, volunteers, and donors how they define, promote, and measure engagement. Their answers will not only help determine your tactics, but they will reveal the best way to measure your progress.
There are many ways donors can engage with your organization. They can visit your campus or headquarters, volunteer their time, attend an event, or talk with another member of your community. But donors can also engage with your organization online. Visiting your Web site, following you on Twitter, or reading your e-mail newsletter, are all real (and easily measured) forms of engagement.
Philanthropy is also a form of engagement, one of most significant and lasting. More importantly, though, it’s a common result of consistent and thoughtful engagement.
Worry less about how to ask for money and more about how to engage your donors. When you do, the rest of your work will take care of itself.
Here at Clark U. we look at our programming and media outreach in terms of ‘positive ways we touch our constituents lives.” We must balance quantity with quality in these tight budgets of today but thinking about ROI in these ‘touches” helps us determine where to spend our $$.
This reminds me of a post by Charlie Melichar VP of Communication at Colgate U. You would enjoy his blog.
http://intermedia.typepad.com/intermedia/2008/01/measuring-alumn.html
Hi Dan –
Development is all about relationships. The Institute for School and Parish Development define “Development” as “The meaningful involvement of people in your mission.”
In my work with schools, I’ve developed the “Relatonship Likert Scale” to demonstrate, on a scale of 1 to 5, where they need to be. Here it is:
Interested
Participating
Involved
Engaged
Committed
I describe it as boy and girl who are “interested” in one another, then they take the next step to “participating” in a ritual we call dating. Then they become “involved” with each other by going steady. Eventually (after a period of time), they become “engaged,” since, engagement should lead to a more permanent relationship where they become committed to one another.
It goes along with another Likert scale, since, the higher the relationship level, the higher the emotional level as well.
Expectation
Need
Want
Desire
Passion
It’s easy to define the middle point – “Want” – since a small child (or grown up child) sees something and says, “I want that.” It’s a both side of the brain response. They are excited about it AND can think of an application as to how it can be used (even if that application is to make them happy). Then, the good parent says, “But do you really “NEED” that?” which allows the id to take over and “think” about the decision. The lowest end of the scale is pure logic to the point that logic is not necessary – it’s a no-brainer – it’s an expectation. (This is why when businesses ask, “Did we meet your expectation?” it’s really an insult to the customer.)
Take it to the other extreme, “want” becomes “desire” and logical reasons begin to go away in favor of fervor. The complete emotional response is when someone becomes “passionate” about what they’re doing. Some give up sleep, money, time, and energy to devote to something they are passionate about.
The interesting thing is that the two scales can be matched to one another. When a person we’re interested in doesn’t meet our expectations, the relationship is over. Yet, when we’re committed to them, we should be passionate about keeping that relationship at that level.
The same is true for organizations.