So you want to be a media missionary and make a difference. If you are going to the foreign mission field, chances are there are organizations that will teach you and assist you in raising your support. Unfortunately, that’s not true for media missionaries.
Here at Media Missionary School, we have put together a list of ten guidelines to help get you started.
5. You only get one chance at a first impression. There’s never been a more true statement. Your first impression must be rock solid. Whether it’s through a letter, e-mail or phone call, have your game together. Know what you are going to say and how you are going to say it. Be clear and precise. Do you know your mission? Do you understand your purpose? What are you doing and how are you going to do it? When and where does your ministry take place? These are the things that you need to be on point and precise.
6. Try to get a face-to-face meeting. If there is a “holy grail of fundraising” for personal support, then it is the face-to-face meeting with a potential donor. It is so easy to say “no” over the phone or through an e-mail. Your mission is to avoid this. Sure, you have to make first contact. But your goal is to wet their appetite and get them interested. Don’t go for the “Ask”. Get a meeting. You’ll be surprised when you sit down with somebody eyeball-to-eyeball. Chances are you will walk out with a check. It requires more time and effort on your part, but the results are worth it.
7. Put it in Writing. Nothing will impress potential donors more than a well-written ministry plan. Never go to a meeting without one. It should contain your budget, how you are going to spend your time, and what type of results you expect. And, of course, no plan is complete without a well-written mission or purpose statement. So take some time, get your thoughts together, create a plan and put it on paper. It also helps to add graphics and design work to give it a polished finish.
8. Demonstrate your passion and enthusiasm. Nobody will support you or give you money if you are not passionate about your ministry. This has to come from the heart and, obviously, it must be sincere. Be enthusiastic that you have a plan for real change and you are going to make a difference. The key to passion is to have the right balance. Sometimes you can turn off donors if you have too much passion and enthusiasm. So find the right tempo.
9. Build relationships with your donors. It’s wonderful that they have decided to support you and that you have left their office with a check in hand. But this is only the beginning. Don’t expect them to continue to support you if they only hear from you when you need money. Your goal is to build a long-term relationship. In order to do that, you must stay in contact and let your donors know what you are doing and the results you are achieving. There are plenty of ways you can accomplish this—through e-mails, blogging, a website, newsletters and electronic newsletters. The point is stay in contact.
10. Stay positive. There are some stretches in raising personal support when nothing seems to be going right. No one will return your calls or answer your e-mails. Let me tell you by personal experience, it’s very easy to lose hope and convince yourself it’s not going to happen. You must stay positive and focus on the good things God is doing in your life and through your ministry. Often we don’t see what God is doing below the surface. Many times he is preparing the way and already creating opportunities that we have yet to see. Without question, raising personal support requires us to be patient and to wait for God to move. It can be a test of our obedience and willingness to trust God for our provision. Remember, it is not the donors who are providing your support. It is God. Your donors are only a vehicle that God uses to show his provision.
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