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“Good
Morning Sir. . . Oatmeal?” As I
pull into the parking lot, I can’t help but think about
As I wait to be seated, I’m confirming that I’ve returned to the place where octogenarians gather to eat and socialize – but I’m not going to fit in because I’m not as old as my kids think I am (not yet anyway). You see, I only come here because of an experience I had several months ago that keeps repeating itself. My wife and I determined that with all the meetings I’m in and sitting on airplanes, I simply had to change some things about my eating habits before I reached retirement age in the shape of the Pillsbury Dough Boy and couldn’t enjoy the rewards of the work. So, most mornings, breakfast is a bowl of oatmeal. I’m ushered to my table where I’m comforted by seeing her, a friendly waitress who, herself, can’t be far from retirement. Within seconds of my arrival, she warmly smiles and greets me with, “Good Morning sir . . . Oatmeal?” Now that would be normal if the restaurant were running a special on oatmeal – but they are not. Here’s the interesting part. She remembers my order from seven months ago and knows the smallest detail of how I like my breakfast. That would be special enough except for the fact that I only come in once a month, and sometimes I’m not in for two months. Amazing! Now, with that as a back drop, what kind of tip do you think she gets from me? Having been an executive in the restaurant industry, I’m probably more attuned to this type of service than most – but I really don’t think so. She isn’t going to make a fortune on the hourly wage the restaurant pays her. She is depending on the graciousness of the people she serves for the ultimate income she receives. (Does that sound familiar?) I’m convinced that when people are treated exceptionally well, they know it, and return for another dose as often as possible. Last month, I wrote about how to know what you know about your donors. This lady knows me even when I don’t show up regularly. Shouldn’t we be thinking along these lines when it comes to the donors we interact with? (The answer is “Yes” by the way) So let’s connect this experience with the experience your donor has with you. Assuming you are responsible for cultivating donors, what is the “take-away” that you are giving the donor? Is it possible to know their interests and bring them back to the good feelings they have about your ministry through how you remember them? I can’t think of a more worthwhile skill to develop than the one of learning how to put a great experience back into the mind of the donor with each interaction. So, how do you to this? First, by spending more time listening than talking when you first meet the donor. Getting a clear picture of how they got connected to the ministry and knowing what their giving is focused on is like offering them oatmeal after a long absence. It makes them feel like they were paid attention to the last time you talked. Again, that will position you ahead of the other ministries and charitable organizations they support. Second, be confident that God is the ultimate funder of your ministry. He is the one who will motivate the donor when it is time. Yes, you will ask, but it will come when the donor’s excitement for the impact they can have on your program has reached a point where they feel the need to accomplish something more for the people you serve. At that point, you will only be asking them to do something they already want to do. It can’t get more fun than that! Finally, remember the lengths I went too to get treated well. Most people are seeking repeatable experiences that make them feel good. Research shows that the act of giving is more “intrinsically pleasant” for people, triggering more endorphins then buying a new car or receiving a diamond ring. Perhaps God planned it that way.
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how
old the patrons of this restaurant are. I’m at the end of a long week of
travel, away from familiar surroundings, but I keep coming back here on my
monthly visit with a ministry client.