Dont Waste the Summer-Ten things to do before the Fall!

1.) Review all donor activity over the past six months. What is your average gift? Are the number of gifts you are receiving increasing or decreasing, are you missing any key givers from prior years? Now is the time to do some "data mining" in an attempt to spot any trends or to pull out a few key names for personal attention over the quieter summer months.

2.) Select five key donors and schedule a casual meeting with them to discuss their ideas for your organization, some of your goals, the challenges that you will face once the fall begins. Consider doing something you couldn't otherwise do during the fall or winter-attend a local sporting event, afternoon cocktails on the patio, boating-something informal and different.

3.) Launch a blog, create a facebook presence for your organization, start twittering. Embrace all of the fancy new technology. The summer tends to be a bit slower, take the time to learn, read, experiment with the many new ways available to you to spread the word about what your organization does! I read an article yesterday that some churches are encouraging members to twitter while in church and are broadcasting those messages on a screen during services! A bit nutty-but it's different and perhaps it will draw folks in? Learn them now-they are not going away!

4.) Throw away all of those winter and spring "to do lists" and make new lists! No sense mourning the unaccomplished. Priorities change, the economy is improving! If you didn't do it in January or March it probably didn't need to get done. Make a new list for the Fall!

5.) Pick the largest pile of manila folders on your desk, file rack or file cabinet and obliterate it! Throw out, re-file, give to somebody else. I have discovered that 75% of the things contained in manila folders in my office are outdated and useless. Make them go away.

6.) Draft the first appeal or solicitation letter that you intend to use this fall. Write it, put it in your desk and let it sit for a month or two. Re-visit and edit late in the summer. How often do we have this luxury? I can't tell you how many letters I have created and mailed that a bit of time and reflection wouldn't have dramatically improved.

7.) Read a book on planned giving! (This has been on my summer list for five years!)

8.) End your list at eight! Call it a day and go home early! It's the Summer-enjoy it!