If you are going to have a successful capital campaign you need to put your focus where it belongs. “Wouldn’t you love to see the other 80% do their part?” asked a salesman of the former stewardship company that I worked for. Everyone nodded their heads around the table. “That’s what our campaign will do,” the salesman boasted! There is only one thing wrong with that, it is wrong! Your capital campaign is the wrong time to focus on those that are not giving in hopes that they will give! Here the truth about any capital campaign no matter the size of the church,
The few will always give the majority of the dollars!
3.7% of a recent churches donor base gave 50% of what was given to their capital campaign! Last week I was making a presentation to a church and shared with them that in their last capital campaign that raised about two times their annual operating budget and shared the previous statistic with them. 90% was pledged by 14% of the congregation!
This is true of any size church in any location anywhere in America. I have studied this and written about this before. It is a factual reality. It will be the same for your church and your capital campaign despite what some salesman tells you.
If someone is struggling to give your money week in and week out why would they suddenly start giving to your capital campaign? I mean think about it. A capital campaign is to raise extra funds for capital projects or to pay off a project. You need people to give to both. Yet if your focus is upon getting those that don’t give or give infrequently to make a pledge to your capital campaign you might be simply robbing Peter to pay Paul.
To be successful in your capital campaign put your focus where it belongs, your leaders. Do you know how to identify those in your church that can make a difference in your next capital campaign? Do you know how to develop a strategy to talk to them in a way that is appropriate to your culture? We do!
At The Charis Group we operate on a two pronged approach. First, we work with you on your weekly offerings increasing giving and givers. We are just as interested that you make your operating budget as we are seeing your pledge total be high. We simply recognize that a capital campaign is about capital not budget giving. So, we put our focus in the right place. Then, we can effectively build out a plan to maximize your capital campaign.,
If your focus is off your results will be off! With our coaching and help you can have a successful capital campaign AND increase your budget giving. Call us today to get started on your plan!
Mark Brooks – The Stewardship Coach
If you need help increasing your giving try my Giving365 plan here, http://giving365.com/