These days, most of us have adjusted—some of us reluctantly—to working, learning, socializing, worshiping and visiting the doctor virtually. I’ve discovered you can even attend a wine tasting virtually!
Even for those of us taking responsibility to help control the spread of COVID-19 and immersing ourselves in a new virtual world, we still may be feeling isolated from friends, family and community. There is simply no way to replace the comfort of human interface with a video substitute.
This need became clear to me this past week. One of our beloved Sharpe Group traditions is a monthly birthday lunch. For the first time in five months, we celebrated with a few of our staff. We absolutely followed the CDC’s COVID-19 protocols: We wore masks, maintained six feet separation, etc. Lunch was takeout, and only one person at a time was allowed in the food line.
The warmth of the conversations in our large conference room was amazing. This was human-to-human interface, like being with family.
Our founder, Robert Sharpe Sr., writes in Planned Giving Simplified, “To be effective, charitable gift planners have to become specialists in human relations.” Bob Sr. taught when a donor puts a charity in their will, the charity has, in fact, become a member of the “family.” For fundraisers to be successful, they must create and maintain that same relationship with their donors. This is not a new idea.
The challenge for fundraisers going forward will be creating and maintaining relationships, albeit virtually. Listening to what your ultimate gift donor is really saying is more important than being a technician who knows the various gift vehicle details.
At Sharpe, we can help you assess your strengths and provide support in the form of coaching and mentoring while you hone your human-to-human skills.
Our gift planning consultants have the expertise to provide you with the technical support you need while strengthening those all-important relationships with your donors.
All the best,
Jim Ross
Chairman, CEO
