Managing Planned Giving

The move from loose plate to planned giving can be the the most important single step a giver can take on the journey to generous giving. However, don't assume that people know how to use envelopes properly. Some at least who miss church on Sunday fail to bring the missing envelopes the following week. In this way planned giving by envelopes reflects more the pattern of fringe giving than committed, regular planned giving. This solution is education right at the start. A core element of the follow up strategy is careful attention to handling requests for information.

• Requests for planned giving envelopes should always be met by a personal visit and use of a planned giving information brochure illustrated by this sample.
• This simple brochure explains to new planned givers how the scheme works and the advantages of giving in this way. It answers the key questions that people have abut planned giving.
• The brochure also touches on giving by standing order and Gift Aid which allows the giver to raise these issues for themselves. These important issues are not neglected but are not allowed to obscure the clarity of the request to give in a planned manner that is at the heart of the ask letter and response form to fringe givers.
• Most importantly the brochure can form the basis of a personal conversation and puts a premium on relationship building. This means that the centre of gravity of the follow up visit is not upon a financial transaction but upon relationship building and the identification of the giver with the life and witness of the local church. See The Value of Planned Giving for more on this.