Designing Intention: Mapping the Donor Journey Before, During, and After Your Events

Transcript Recording:

Leya Simmons (00:05)
Hi everyone, welcome to today's 501c drop. I'm Leah Simmons. I am the CEO and co-founder of Better Unite. I am going to be joined in a little bit by Melissa DeClue of Amplify Missions. She had some technical difficulties with her computer, but will be joining me as I as we move through all of this. But I thought I'd go ahead and start today, as we always do, with the news.

So if you are joining me from the webinar and live, then welcome. And I'm so happy that you're here. You will see Melissa join us joining us in a moment. If you've joined from the podcast, this will not seem like anything to you because Spotify allows us to do all kinds of magic editing. So Melissa will seem to be here from right away. So let me go ahead and jump into what's happening in the sector this week. There is as always quite a bit going on.

First up, we've got some big news out of cancer research philanthropy. The American Cancer Society just announced a $5.45,450,000 gift from the Lisa Dean Mosley Foundation. And that is given to the ACS to establish a new post post-doctoral fellowship fund.

So ACS, American Cancer Society, is also kicking in another $1.7 million of its own capital, which brings the total fund to $7.1 million. Now, this one is specifically targeted at early career cancer research leaders, which I love because so much philanthropic capital, you know, kind of seems to chase down the quote unquote proven leader or proven researcher. And this is a kind of a bet.

On the next generation before they're famous. That's a stewardship story in and of itself, isn't it? Funding the pipeline and not just that final award acceptor or the final the final podium. No? Next up, Candid published new survey data that is worth taking a look at. The majority of corporations reduced direct giving totals heading into 2026.

And the analysis points to what we've been talking about for a minute, upcoming tax code revisions as a driver of CSR strategy, moving away from direct cash grants and towards skills-based volunteering and localized multi-year partnerships. If you are a nonprofit that has been leaning on corporate check writing, and I don't think there's too many of you because it is really difficult, has been historically difficult to

Garner and get those gifts in the first place. If you were getting them, it's now a signal to start building the relationship differently. And I think it will probably mean that it becomes even harder to secure those types of corporate gifts in the future. So we need to all be thinking partnership, not transaction, which funnily enough is basically what the theme of today's entire episode is about. I see Melissa has just joined me in the studio.

So

welcome, Melissa. I'm going through some news right now, but we will have you joining me here in just a second. One last thing, actually, there's two more things. The Union Home Foundation announced its Q1, Q2 grant distribution, $52,000 spread across 12 housing stability and financial literacy nonprofits in 10 different states. Small dollar but high distribution model. So that's worth watching if you're in the housing or financial literacy space.

Another really meaningful story that I don't think is getting as much traction as maybe it should, and it also partnered with the Rockefeller Archive Center to permanently archive and digitize Issue Lab's historical database. It's decades of social sector studies, social sector case studies, toolkits, and research reports. Our sector's memory matters, y'all. A lot of hard-won knowledge is in this space, and a lot of it lives in PDFs, on organizations, old servers.

And I think candid preserving that is its own kind of form of philanthropy. And on the innovation side, Clio's Legacy Foundation launched a new platform letting athletes, artists, and public figures monetize exclusive memorabilia memorabilia, memorabilia, that's how you say that word, and personal experiences directly into ongoing donor funds for verified 501c3. So that's basically turning celebrity access.

into a rec into a recurring revenue model or an instrument for causes. So I don't know how that's gonna play out. We're gonna see, but I think it's a clever model. And finally, the Foundation for Evangelism distributed $112,500 across 17 microgrants ranging from $5,000 to $10,000. These go these went to small community-based organizations doing local outreach and capacity building. It's a good reminder that not every meaningful check

is a huge seven figure one. Okay, Melissa has now joined me in the studio. Melissa, welcome. I'm trying to get you to jump in. Hang on. Let me let you on stage. I've got go on stage. There we go. Hi Melissa. How are you?

Melissa - Amplify Missions (05:26)
Yay.

Hey, Undo all. How are you? Can you

hear me okay? Okay, great.

Leya Simmons (05:29)
Good. We can hear you just fine. Sorry, I know

you're jumping right into the live broadcast, but I wanted to go ahead and get everything rolling since we had our 1:30 start time. Let me introduce you for just a moment. Melissa DeClue here is of Amplify Missions. Melissa works with nonprofits on donor journey design and event experience strategy. She helps organizations stop treating events as one-off logistical hurdles and start treating them as major gift.

Cultivation engines slash environments is what my piece of paper says here. I love this. We all know if you've listened to the 501c drop even one time before, you've likely heard me talk about this. So this is thrilling. Her session, and a lot of you guys are gonna see this live right now: designing intention, mapping the donor journey before, during, and after your event. The core challenge that she's gonna put in front of the sector is stop asking. How do we get more people in the room and start asking?

How do we leave them changed, charged, invested, and ready to advocate for the work we do? I just loved that intro, Melissa, so I really wanted to read what I had on my piece of paper, but I'm definitely gonna I

Melissa - Amplify Missions (06:37)
Yeah.

Leya Simmons (06:38)
want you to introduce yourself to. Welcome to the 501c drop.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (06:42)
Yes, thank you. I'm so happy to be here. introducing myself, Melissa,

Leya Simmons (06:46)
Please dear.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (06:47)
DeClue, all the things, Amfly Missions. I also have the DRX Collab, which is the where we were introduced, which is extremely,

Leya Simmons (06:54)
Where we met, yes.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (06:55)
you know, which is extremely exciting. and so basically through Ampfly Missions, I really support organizations in fully understanding donor engagement and making sure that

We're thinking through our cultivation strategies, the way we're engaging with our donors day in and day out, and just really having some more intention around those interactions. And so one of the ways that we do that, obviously, is through events. So extremely happy to share more about what I do.

Leya Simmons (07:24)
I love it. I love it. So I want to just start out our conversation kind of like 50,000 foot viewpoint. I I really do think that you're challenging a mindset here. It's not, it's not just one of those tactics that we a lot of times talk about in our fundraising or development space. So tell me about the transactional mindset around events that that typically lives here. What does that look like when you go in to consult for an organization?

Melissa - Amplify Missions (07:49)
Yeah, so really it looks like stepping into an organization and they're just focused on getting this people in the room. You know, just let's get the people in the room, sell the tickets, sell the tickets, sell the tickets, sell the tickets. And you're like, okay, well, yeah, I can get everybody in the room, but what are we actually trying to build here? What's the after effect that we're going for? Do we just want people in the room just to have people in the seats? Or do we yeah,

Leya Simmons (08:14)
Humans in the space, right?

Melissa - Amplify Missions (08:16)
or do we actually want to make a difference here and make sure that these are long.

long-lasting relationships. So that's when I say that we're taking things from a transactional mindset to really thinking, how can I transform these relationships? How can we build something deeper? And how can we find these organizations or these donors more connected to what we do mission-wise?

Leya Simmons (08:37)
Love that. Okay, so on that note, how do we create the like the run of show versus or well I guess how does the the typical run of show, which we talk about on this a lot as well, whenever we talk about events, if I talk to an auctioneer, if I talk to an event planner, we're going to end up talking about run of show. But like that does lend itself to that core kind of more transactional situation, I think, those words. So how do we we convert that?

from run of show into a cultivation or a stewardship moment. because I think a lot of folks in that are listening here today are running events, but maybe haven't ever parsed out or separated those two things.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (09:19)
Yeah, so when we're thinking about that run a show, it's a little bit deeper than the typical

I mean, and I would say like this is more of like my internal cringe program where it's, you know, show show up, you know, where it's show up and they're like, okay, we just wanna tell everybody more about the organization. And it's like, you can do that and that's great. But when we're really building out that run of show and really making sure that it's impactful, we're not just thinking about the program itself. We're like from the moment you check in.

From the moment you walk in and you're saying, Okay,

Leya Simmons (09:52)
Yeah.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (09:53)
this is what we're going to do. This is what we want you to feel from the moment you walk in, from when you're checking in to when you're having a cocktail hour, if that's part of your program.

To the live auction, style auction, all of those various pieces, it's really being intentional and building in multiple, multiple areas where people can connect with the organization. And so I feel like that's really the biggest difference between that transactional mindset and then also transforming the way you think through your run of show.

As and and then also like digging deeper into those themes because so many organizations now have a theme and it's like, okay, well, how can I just take that theme and say, okay, if I'm gonna be focused on, I don't know, we'll say, like, if it's a climate organization or something, you know, how can I introduce them to that climate organization from the moment you check in? What can I do that's different that educates you from the very beginning and then just really walks you through.

what it means to support that particular mission. And I think that just really makes a difference completely with that run to show.

Leya Simmons (11:02)
That's interesting. So taking really any theme, whatever your committee, your group, your event group or whatever has come up with, but finding ways that make sure that tie it to tie it to your actual mission. Okay, I love that.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (11:13)
Yes. Yeah.

Leya Simmons (11:15)
And we talked last week, or I talked last week, anybody who's listening was with me, to Kirby, who's on our team, but she she made this really, you know, kind of interesting points, which frankly, she's so tactical and hands-on that I was not really.

I don't know, expecting her to talk about this, but she but it was this great point of like the point of it all is the way that it makes you feel and that perhaps there are different folks in different relationships to your organization that kind of need to feel different ways. The example is, you know, you've got your recurring donor, somebody that comes year over year, and your first-time person. So how do you go about like designing with intentionality around those different for for people from different points of view?

Melissa - Amplify Missions (11:57)
Yeah, so from the, I would say from like the major gift side of things, there is just making sure they have that point of contact person, especially if it's someone who's existing to your organization, is making sure that you know exactly who's going to be in the room, where at all times. And that

Leya Simmons (12:13)
Right.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (12:14)
probably honestly still applies for the newer relationships, but the focus at that point in time from the newer relationships is all about educating, right? Because now you don't know exactly what you're going to be involved in in this organization.

or whether or not you're going to be a volunteer or just how you're going to navigate.

Leya Simmons (12:31)
Right.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (12:32)
So the the s the main goal with your first-time attendees is educating them. And so that's why we talk about ex you know making sure we design that experience a lot deeper. But as far as existing it's

Excuse me, as far as existing donors, it's making sure that, you know, we have someone in the room that knows that Jane Doe is is in her seat and this is where she's sitting and this is making sure that that's a very

Leya Simmons (12:56)
Yeah.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (12:56)
intentional seat for him or her, you know, to make sure like, hey.

We know where Jane Doe is sitting. We want to make sure that we have that interaction and that conversation because we may not sit and, you know, or the opportunity may not come up at that table to ask for a gift, you know, directly from a major gift standpoint. But, you know, we want to get the conversation going or keep the, you know, make sure we keep that conversation going and enter into, hey, it was so great to see you, but I'm looking forward to seeing you in a couple weeks. Let's have coffee.

Leya Simmons (13:32)
That's a good one. That's a great one. Okay, so this is your leading, you're like teeing up my next question perfectly. So

Melissa - Amplify Missions (13:36)
Yeah.

Leya Simmons (13:37)
if I'm a development director or or an or an advancement officer or major gifts officer and I'm looking at last year's event, trying to kind of audit it with an eye to this year's upcoming event, what what specifically should I look for or should I, you know, think about with my run of show versus stewardship moment distinction? Like what what pieces should I pay the most attention to?

Melissa - Amplify Missions (14:01)
In terms of you're speaking in terms of like the data side of people coming in. Yeah.

Leya Simmons (14:06)
no, I was talking more about the

the event like if I'm at my postmortem after the event, right? Like what should

Melissa - Amplify Missions (14:11)
Yeah.

Leya Simmons (14:12)
I what should I be thinking about for next year? So that I'm trying kind of starting us way back. so let's right

Melissa - Amplify Missions (14:18)
Yeah.

Leya Simmons (14:20)
after last year's event, what should we kind of look for if I want to say, okay, I feel like this year's event was was decently transactional. I want to convert it to Melissa DeClue's idea of the stewardship-based event. What what what pieces do I need to audit the most specifically?

Melissa - Amplify Missions (14:35)
Yeah, so really making sure like what gifts happen. I mean, realistically, you know, when we're talking about these large-scale galas, and even if it's just a recognition event, we want to

Leya Simmons (14:45)
Mm-hmm.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (14:46)
know, and this is probably just in my head because we're talking a lot in donor relations about metrics, and we're like, how do

Leya Simmons (14:52)
Sure.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (14:52)
I, if I'm having a recognition event and it's free and I'm just recognizing people, like how do I measure, how do I measure what happens? And honestly, it is paying attention to asking yourself that question, did this person give after?

afterwards,

yes or no. You know, and and if it's a gala obviously where there is an opportunity for them to give there, what happened and what did that look like?

And so from being able to take that information, that data from the previous year's gala, then or a previous year's event, you can sit there and say, okay, how do I want to walk away from these relate the walk away from this event and make sure that they feel something? And you know, to what your point what was just discussed, you know, the last one is, you know, we really do want people to feel something as that after

Leya Simmons (15:38)
I mean.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (15:39)
action. It's sitting there and saying, like, was everybody excited and energized for the next year?

everybody walk away and think like man well that was that was a good like chicken dinner you know great yay I got to eat again you know

Leya Simmons (15:50)
Sure, great. I know. Good. Check the box. Yeah.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (15:56)
so so you know we want to make sure that people really do feel something so it's stepping out of you know when I talk about like stewardship moments it's stepping out of just saying like okay all I want to do is give you know a thank you email and video and you know we'll do a follow up this

It's taking that and saying, like, what is something additional that I can do that really makes the impact? So something I did at a recent event in the spring is I said, hey, like what if we just left like a thank you card? And it was more of like a commitment card per se, but it was I had these the participants fill out what they wanted to say to their future self.

And so you have

Leya Simmons (16:41)
Ooh.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (16:42)
these donors sitting here in the present, you know, and they're excited about learning about the mission and all of the participants involved. And so here that at the final moment before they left,

Leya Simmons (16:53)
Yeah.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (16:53)
it's I'm reading about their future and where they want to be. And so you had these donors like cry, some of them are crying, some of them are like,

Leya Simmons (17:01)
can only imagine.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (17:03)
my goodness, like this sounds like me. So like even someone like at the end of the event was like, my gosh, I want to meet this person because this sounds

Leya Simmons (17:10)
Wow.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (17:10)
exactly

like me and I want to make sure that they have the same opportunities that I have. You know, so it's making sure that like we can create those kind of moments that are right then, you know, and not just that standard like thank you email. Here's a video, here's a thing. Like let's keep that like

Leya Simmons (17:28)
Well what was so brilliant

about that is like yes, it's happening in that moment, but you're but you're you've laid like a trail of breadcrumbs to engage with us later as well, which I love that. So cool. Yeah. Totally.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (17:37)
Yeah. Yeah. So that's like I think that's like the special sauce of like, you know, making sure that

we can always like keep the conversation going because something that I've always been very passionate about is like just saying, you know, no isn't always no. You know, it really it isn't. And sometimes no is just

you know, it's just like a not now. And we just really need

Leya Simmons (18:02)
Endpoint. Yep, there you go.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (18:04)
to see and determine what is the best way or what is what are you actually passionate about. And sometimes that's the exploration and the fun of it, right? Is to ha keep those conversations going, to introduce little breadcrumbs to see like what is it that you are really really excited about with the organization and the mission that's involved.

Leya Simmons (18:21)
Yeah.

that's very exciting to me. I just this is like my I mean, we all know this is my favorite topic, so it's like Melissa joins me in that. Okay, I want to go ahead and give you the opportunity to introduce your five guiding principles, which are receipts, thank you, access, impact, and invite. Please walk us through that.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (18:42)
Yeah. So when I built up the five guiding principles, it was really about saying, like, I something that I've always done in organizations is audit. So it's a great way to just realistically, it's a great way to look at your organization and say, like, hey, am I sending receipts? Am I sending acknowledgements? And I'm making sure that I'm providing access to my am I making sure that I'm providing access? Am I sharing impact? And am I inviting people to my organization in some way, shape, or form? So that's really

What it's about. It does like when I share the graphic, it's all cyclical, and so you'll think like, it has to be in a sequence, but it really doesn't because it's any point in time a donor can come in, and we learn this very often is that a donor can come in to your organization in various ways. So you could have sent out an invit, you know, generally, and somebody brought them along, and so now their starting cycle is invitation, is the invite.

You know, and you just have to make sure as I'm inviting people into the organization, am I providing that access? Am I making

Leya Simmons (19:45)
I see.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (19:46)
sure that I'm thanking them? You know, and in the can in the case and at the moment that they make a gift, am I providing that receipt? And not just like

Leya Simmons (19:55)
Mm-hmm.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (19:56)
generic receipts. I always tell people to go beyond the basics, right? Like you don't want to just send your five one C three email, you know, information. Like you just want you want to make sure that

you're also providing some sort of sense of gratitude at each and every single step. and then just further educating them o around the mission.

Leya Simmons (20:18)
I love that. So okay, so they're not particularly sequential. You can kind of enter into your flywheel wherever it is that works. How do you as an organization figure out w like if if you if you already have your event plan, let's say, and where like how would an organization go about figuring out within that where

they might kind of get cold where they where they're where they're losing traction or losing steam or where it does start to s feel more transactional than like a stewardship moment.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (20:52)
Yeah, so whenever we're at the point that we're going cold, usually that means we really do need to revisit what are we doing, you know, what are we actually doing with our program? You know, are

Leya Simmons (21:02)
Hmm.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (21:02)
we

Are people even and also like in general, what are we doing throughout the year? You know, something that I challenged an organization with is they were they were looking to schedule the next event and they were like, well, we have to wait for this event and that event and see when they have it. I was like, no, like go ahead and set your date, set your timeline, like set the moment that's going to be your moment because what you want to do is make sure that everybody is excited for that, that you then become or at least have the mindset that some

Someone's moving their calendar for me, you know? Someone's moving their calendar for my organization.

Leya Simmons (21:36)
That's a great point. Yeah.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (21:39)
and whether they are or they're not, like that's okay, but I have to go in with the mindset of my organization that like I'm gonna set the stage and set the president that like this is an important event. What I'm doing for my organization through my mission is important and you need to know.

Leya Simmons (21:54)
Value,

yeah.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (21:55)
Yeah, and it has value. So, you know, that's how we keep those relationships from being cold is because we're always sharing that value. You need to know like this is exciting or this is this is meaningful, this is powerful. you know, what who we're empowering, whatever the mission is, you know, that's what we want to make sure that people can always see the value.

And then also that just being transparent about that as well. So I was speaking, I was sitting down with the donor and they were mentioning they were kind of trailing off their donations over time. And I was like, gosh, like that's literally like the hardest thing for me to hear, even though like it had nothing to do with me. and I'm not even working with the

people that they're giving to and I'm like, that's so that's so sad. You know, but you know, the biggest thing was because they weren't transparent. They didn't know

what the organization was doing, the leader was doing things and wasn't communicating well with them. So she was like,

Leya Simmons (22:57)
Yeah.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (22:57)
I don't even know if I even want to give anymore because I don't I can't follow, you know? So

Leya Simmons (23:02)
Yeah.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (23:03)
it's just making sure that we're also, you know, sharing and being transparent and letting them know and increasing that loyalty over time. So we can't just wait to the event to be like, okay, this is our moment. You know, you have to and they're gonna, they're gonna give because I

Leya Simmons (23:18)
It's just one four hour block

and that's it.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (23:20)
Right. They're gonna give because

I made this event. I did all this powerful mission stuff. I did the run of show. Melissa said this thing on the podcast or on the s on the webinar. And so I'm here. Yeah.

Leya Simmons (23:29)
All all of the above. Yeah.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (23:31)
You know, but it really is like, okay, I need to make sure that before we even get to that point.

I am sharing updates, and that's where we come in with the five guiding principles. Like I'm receiving gifts. I'm set, I'm telling them thank you. I'm inviting them to micro moments that they can have with us and share. you know, I'm creating that access so then I'm building that trust over time. So then when we show up to that event, you are so warm and friendly and so excited that you're like, okay, yeah, like whatever you need, whatever you need.

Leya Simmons (24:02)
That's incredible. So that pump is primed. Okay, well, so I'm like loving all of this. I want to TS up, unless there's something else you need to cover here to move into more of the post-event phase. Is there more that we need to know about tr you know converting our events from transactional into stewardship moments and anything else about that going cold? Okay.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (24:24)
No, no, no. We can go ahead and

move into a post. That's great. Yeah.

Leya Simmons (24:26)
I love that reframe though. That's so helpful. So but I

do think, and the reason that I want to move over into this piece is because I honestly do believe this is the piece that most organizations or many organizations either skip entirely, don't even have in their in their frame of view around an event, or just don't don't you know feel for a variety of reasons that are all very good reasons that they don't have bandwidth support resource to make the kind of follow-up activities.

I would argue as important as the event itself. So you talk about a 72 hour plan versus a 30 day follow-up plan. So so talk us talk to us about that.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (25:08)
Yeah, so something that I've done, I start planning stewardship well ahead of well ahead of the the event date. So I think that is the biggest change that some organizations don't take into account of like, okay, who can I talk to from like a is it a PR is it a PR standpoint that I need to do to make sure that we have something lined up? so I even ask photographers, like, I need photos, I need your like first twenty-four, your fresh four.

48, whatever you call it. You know, I need that like right away, you know, right in the morning when everybody wakes up to say, like, hey, my gosh, like remember. Remember what we did, remember what happened

Leya Simmons (25:48)
Yeah.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (25:48)
yesterday. That was such a great time. And just you know, just becoming that like and I was because I was thinking about these this earlier today. I was like, I just love when you can just be your like that best friend in their pocket. Like you're you know that like I'm leaving this event and man, like I'm so excited.

pull out, you know, to just pull out and share about my best friend. You know,

Leya Simmons (26:11)
Yeah.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (26:12)
and that's what I think that's what I think is the difference with the 72 hours because it's saying like I'm going to leave this event, making sure when you wake up in the morning that I've reminded you about what happened last night or yesterday or whatever. And I'm saying, you know, it was very important what you did yesterday just by showing up.

And and then also making sure that you queue up for people who couldn't be there to say like hey, I know you missed it.

Leya Simmons (26:39)
Mm.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (26:40)
I know you missed it, but hey, we're looking forward, like just already have planned how you're gonna engage them next in case you missed it. And

Leya Simmons (26:47)
I that's this is my chill bump moment for today 'cause I have not thought

that piece through that yeah, the folks that didn't even come, they have they get their own series of emails and follow up touches and my gosh, that's brilliant. Yeah.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (27:01)
Yeah. And so just making sure that those first seventy-two hours is those are your t that's your time to say like this is, you know, dollars raised if it was a gala, you know, making sure those photos are ready, making sure that there's access of the next thing that's coming up.

You know, and it's not to say that the access of the next thing is another event because sometimes that can be exhausting depending on what you've already done throughout the year. But it's just saying, like, hey, it here's this another another opportunity for you to get involved, whether it's volunteering or it's because we always think about the money, right? Sometimes and we have with some we have to f remember that people can volunteer. That can be their next step, or that can be the

Leya Simmons (27:44)
Horse.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (27:45)
way that they want to be engaged. So did we make sure we presented that?

opportunity the multiple ways that people can get involved so the opportunities to volunteer and then also if there is an event or something like how do we follow

Leya Simmons (28:00)
Let them know.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (28:01)
up and make sure that they're there again

Leya Simmons (28:04)
So then what is the the 30-day plan look like? So you've said you've kind of described the 72 hours, like we wanna get images, we want their best we wanna be their best friend, we wanna do the, you know, next morning chat about the event that happened last night. But how do what does it look like over the following month?

Melissa - Amplify Missions (28:18)
Yeah, so social media, man, like if people aren't taking advantage of that, that's where the power is in the next 30 days is taking all of the footage that you had from the event and just reeling that out over the next 30 days, like a don't forget, man, remember, you know, remember that moment, you know, can't wait. Yeah, what

Leya Simmons (28:41)
what you missed. Now now my new favorites

are the people that didn't come.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (28:44)
Yeah, yeah. Like what it here's what you missed. Like, can't wait to do this

Leya Simmons (28:47)
Yeah.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (28:47)
again. And I mean, cause creating like those hashtags and all of those different those different easy pickup reels for people to just remember and say,

Leya Simmons (28:58)
Yeah.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (28:58)
yeah, that's right. Like I remember when they had the glow sticks or something like that. Like, you know, I want to do that again. Yeah. Or like, yeah, like I remember sitting there with my friend.

Leya Simmons (29:03)
Or look for themselves in the photos and stuff like that. Yeah, totally. Uhhuh.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (29:09)
but then off

Also, you know, making sure that you do something special for sponsors as well. Like if you had if you were engaged in sponsors, so that's always a really great next 30 days is like making sure that those individual stewardship touches do happen, the personalized one between sponsors, if there were major gift, you know, major gift cultivation moments or anybody that you wanted to see.

That's really the 30 days is like now it's personal outreach time. You know,

Leya Simmons (29:35)
Right.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (29:36)
we have the from a grandscape grand landscape you have you know, social media is happening, emails might might happen again as well. but we really want to make sure that in the next thirty days, personal outreach is happening.

Leya Simmons (29:50)
That's

great. Okay. So do you have a preference of the of what that follow-up I mean, even and whether it's 72 hours or you know, a week later or during that 30 days, you know, it sounded like that you you think that folks should offer volunteer opportunities or different ways for folks to engage. Is there anyone that you find works better, quote unquote, for any one particular group? Like

You know, we we know for sure that if you ask folks to volunteer, then we're going to see stickier recurring giving. Or if we ask them to make a recurring gift that, you know, that might w any any of those things that that hold true, or do you just kind of let people, let the organizations you work with pick from from whatever they think is

Melissa - Amplify Missions (30:32)
Yeah.

Leya Simmons (30:33)
is the correct follow up? I know.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (30:33)
Well, really, it's

I I always say that it's based on their behavior. And I think that's what we really have to pay attention

Leya Simmons (30:39)
Okay.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (30:40)
to. And that's why data is so important because, you know, you don't just do anything. These are all these all have to be built in with the strategy. So if you have a specific cadence with your donors, this is the time where we show out how much we know. You know? And that's why and that's why it's very important. So the I would say you

You know, you could say that like one particular method would work you know, better than the other, but really it comes down to do you know who's in your database?

Leya Simmons (31:10)
Just wish for that. Yeah.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (31:13)
and do you know their preferences and what are their current behaviors?

Leya Simmons (31:17)
Hmm.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (31:18)
so usually with first time donors, they might be those individuals to actually respond better to like volunteer or just kind of like what are those other ways that

Leya Simmons (31:26)
Sure. That's what I would guess. Right.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (31:28)
I can kind of like dip my toes in?

Leya Simmons (31:31)
Yep.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (31:31)
but for your

Leya Simmons (31:33)
We want a date before we get married.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (31:33)
for your long Yeah, yeah.

Like and then here's like your longer donors where, you know, they might have a different perception of like, you know, I'm expecting you to know where I sat, what I you know, where

Leya Simmons (31:46)
Right.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (31:46)
I sat.

you know, how I was planning on giving afterwards or anything like that. You know, so those are the more intimate conversations that you want to have because especially because we are talking about money, you know, and money is a very intimate form of sharing with one another. So, you know

Leya Simmons (32:04)
That's a great thing for

folks to remember, actually, that sentence. I think that that's a really key because b because because peop because the donors are are investing in you and your nonprofit. So it is a kind of it is a form of intimacy for sure.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (32:21)
Yeah.

Leya Simmons (32:22)
So I think that we're gonna see a decent number of people like create a timeline or a calendar based on this episode. Decently. So I

Melissa - Amplify Missions (32:29)
Ha ha ha.

Leya Simmons (32:30)
love about it. But I also am curious about like the like, you know, kind of you were describing the scaling of that personalization. Like how you know if you have four hundred guests, we have to figure out, okay, we're gonna do these things. And and essentially what I'm hearing you say is we're gonna look at our data, we're gonna look at what we know about the donors that have come in in the years past, and we're gonna make a plan of action.

according to these different segments based on that data. Does that sum it up decently well? Yeah. Okay. And so now

Melissa - Amplify Missions (32:52)
Yes. Mm-hmm. Exactly. Exactly. So I mean in

Leya Simmons (32:56)
go ahead.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (32:57)
no, I was gonna say, and so that's like that's the work that we have to do. That's why we have to start so early planning these events. We cannot, we cannot wait to the last minute because then you just really leave a lot of those spaces open and you're not able to create that additional follow-up. You were talking a little bit about capacity. And that's when we have to start thinking, okay, if I have a two person team, and even if you just happen to lose a team member along the way, the the which it happens, you know.

Leya Simmons (33:24)
It does. It happens more

often than you always Right.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (33:26)
A lot. Yeah. I mean, more than we're wanting to admit, right? So, but

I mean that's why it's like, okay, like the moment you get off, you know, the event, like within 30 days, like it's setting that next, you know, setting the stage for next

Leya Simmons (33:37)
Yeah.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (33:38)
year. What are we going to do? What are we gonna do to improve what we've already done? You know that everybody has like that big debrief moment. So,

Leya Simmons (33:45)
Mm-hmm.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (33:46)
and if you don't, you should. So, yeah, so

Leya Simmons (33:50)
Those post mortem audits are

key and essential and debrief

Melissa - Amplify Missions (33:54)
Yeah.

Leya Simmons (33:55)
is a probably a nicer way to say it. But okay, so I have heard you say, and I don't know, I can't remember if it's actually in any of the show notes that you sent us, but I've heard you call this operationalizing empathy, which I just I love that the you know, kind of like leveraging your data, leveraging your ability to segment. but

Doing all of these things in an effort to make the event actually feel far more personal. And I mean, we I talk about this ad nauseum with, you know, we've got moves management, we have all these things, but none of it means that a bunch of robots are doing everything. All of it, all of it like at the end result leads to more people talking to people. so what does that look like in

practice for an organization that may not have something like moves management or may not even have really good data that they can rely on, you know, a CRM that they're r that they're they're regularly using. How do you step into that scenario?

Melissa - Amplify Missions (34:51)
goodness. well

Leya Simmons (34:52)
I know definitely.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (34:54)
I would say that the first thing you have to do is you have to create operations. I I I I would

You cannot, I mean, you can try to survive without it and that's great. And there's plenty of people who might do it and they love the chaos and that's great. but if it's me and I'm coming into the organization and you know, I'm going to place some sort of operations or systems around what we're doing because that's

Leya Simmons (35:20)
Yeah.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (35:21)
something that we need as a foundation because you know, if I'm there or someone else is there, or we always talk about if somebody wins the lottery, you know, we have to make

Leya Simmons (35:29)
Right. As they're walking in.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (35:31)
sure

That there's this solid foundation because what we want people to be tied to is the organization and the mission. Because when we don't create those, when we don't create that solid foundation of like connecting you to the mission, connecting you to the organization, then if that person leaves, and we see this many times, where they we had that ownership and the ownership on the person who was at the organization. So then when that person leaves, guess what? Guess

Leya Simmons (35:58)
Well.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (35:59)
what happens?

everything's gone because you made the person the operation, you made the person

Leya Simmons (36:00)
Goodbye. All of the information. Yep.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (36:04)
the system, you made their n institutional knowledge in their head, you know, you made that the foundation for your organization. And that's, you know, and that leaves you on shaky ground. So you want to

Leya Simmons (36:16)
Sure.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (36:16)
make sure that, and that's just what I do when I come in, is creaking sure we have to have us, we have to have some some sort of CRM, you know, we have to have something.

Leya Simmons (36:25)
S some structure some structure based on a theorem, yep.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (36:28)
Yeah. So we have to have a CRM, we have to have foundation, we have to have a way to track because we need the data afterwards. I mean we can't run from it.

Leya Simmons (36:37)
Right. So yeah.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (36:38)
If we're going to be more personalized

and we're going to make sure we're talking to people in a way that makes them feel energized about the future with you, because this is a partnership. You know, you I don't think anybody goes into their budget and says, hey, we're just gonna we're just gonna do whatever. You have to look at where your spending was. What would you do? So then you can determine how to plan your future together or plan your own personal future. So

That's what we have to think about as these donors and everybody who's involved with your organization as partners. So how do we want to what do we need to pull together to make sure that the that it's the solid that it's solid?

Leya Simmons (37:16)
Yeah. And so that the partners feel connected and a part of it all. Okay, well, we are getting close on time, so I want to make sure that I get two final thoughts from you. this is my favorite question that I've got. So if a nonprofit does all of this right, what does the donor actually feel that's different? What how how do they leave feeling differently?

Melissa - Amplify Missions (37:36)
They are excited. Really. They they are

Leya Simmons (37:39)
Say more.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (37:41)
excited.

I was referring to the event I did the spring, and that's what people walked away with was excitement. And the excitement

Leya Simmons (37:51)
Yeah.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (37:51)
just kept going. And each week it was like more sharing of excitement. And that's what you want at the end of the, at the end of the event, it and also reunion. I I and I'm saying like single words because I these are words that like people have said after walking away from the event. It's like, man, that felt like one big reunion.

Leya Simmons (38:11)
That's awesome.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (38:12)
And

how exciting when you get people in a room that really, really are passionate about the organization, but then also are so interconnected that they felt like, man, this was our moment to spend time together and to be reminded while we're here. You know,

Leya Simmons (38:23)
I can't wait for next year. Yeah, right. That's awesome.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (38:26)
so you know, when they feel like it's a reunion, when they feel excited, and you know, though that's that's what we want people to walk away with. That that's a real that's a real feeling there.

Leya Simmons (38:36)
That's magic, for sure. Yeah.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (38:39)
And that should happen from donor recognition events to you know, all the way to your large scale galas, even to your festivals. So people coming to the festival and feeling like, man, that was a really great union. 'Cause I I did go to a f I did go to a food festival and that's what it felt like.

Leya Simmons (38:56)
Yeah.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (38:58)
And it was also great because they were clients. So it was like, man, like it was great to come in. And it just really felt like one big reunion. and so that's what we want to create. So even in a room of, I mean, that was outdoors with like thousands of people, you know, so to feel like a reunion across a bunch of people that you may or may not know, that's what we want to create, is that reunion, that excitement for the organization and the mission.

Leya Simmons (39:24)
That's great. That's when you know you've really built that collective. Okay, so we've got, I'm sure, somebody listening today or listening who has is staring down the barrel at their fall event barreling towards them. And what and maybe they've not thought about your words, but this is, you know, here you are and you're speaking to them. What would you say to that that person that what could they do now? Even though it's it's kind of getting near, we're we're edging up on, you know, month or two months away. What could they do?

to mitigate some of you know what they haven't already done, but also begin to design for more intentionality, design for more of the of the less transaction and much more of the stewardship piece that we're hoping for.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (40:09)
Yeah, I think it's going back to when I said that from each and every single point of your run of show or from your timeline of the evening or the day, the luncheon, whatever, really thinking about what do I want them to feel? So if you're going in and you're auditing for your upcoming event, you're like, Hey, all right, we have the donors coming in and they're checking in. What do we want them to feel? You know, right away. Do

Leya Simmons (40:33)
Yeah.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (40:33)
I want them to feel like they know that I know them? So if that's where you are and that's all you feel.

like you know after you've audited the different pieces you're like okay if I could do one thing different let me make sure I seem like I know who they are hi Jill you know hi John so glad you're

Leya Simmons (40:52)
Yeah.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (40:52)
here you know if that's the one piece of effort that you can put in but then really like I mentioned earlier from that stewardship piece also thinking about what do I want people to walk away with and do

And so what little stewardship can I just slide in that very evening to say, Hey, we're here and this is why we're here and this is also why you're here.

Leya Simmons (41:18)
Yeah. And why you should maybe think about us tomorrow. And then you can tell I just love this.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (41:22)
Exactly.

Leya Simmons (41:23)
That's so great. Yeah, your the trail of breadcrumbs that you're leaving is beautiful. Melissa, thank you so much. This was why I feel like I could meld last week's episode with your more tactical points this week about stewardship. And it would it would these two have dovetailed perfectly. Last week we were talking much more about like what happens at your check-in and things that you should avoid and you know, just these very super practical things. And then you've talked about how you can design for

you know, making sure that things that you're doing on site in that moment are leaving, you know, beginning the the the are the beginning point or the kicking off point or the tipping point for stewardship throughout the year. So anyway, it's it's been it's been a it's been an incredible conversation to to continue

Melissa - Amplify Missions (42:03)
Yeah.

Leya Simmons (42:03)
to talk about and think through all of these events.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (42:06)
Yes, this has been really great. And this is just something that I'm extremely passionate about and I love events. and and I know it takes a special kind of person to really want to do this. You

Leya Simmons (42:17)
Love events. Yes it does.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (42:20)
know, love events. But it really is.

Leya Simmons (42:22)
I have actually attended

events that Melissa has put on. We w I was at the DRX Collaborative last year and let me tell you, she knows what she's talking about. It was a wonderful, much you know, truly much more intimate kind of gathering. And this was was not a fundraising event. It was actually a a conference for people that are working and you you describe the DRX collaborative. How about you do that? 'cause I'm not gonna do it justice.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (42:43)
Yeah.

So yes, so we have the DRX collab and that's for anybody who's a fundraising professional, donor relations professional, even in if it's your specific

positions within events, but really we come together and we find ways to build solutions with one another and collaborate with those. So that's what the DRX Collab is. It's not just, you know, when we talk about designing things, you know, we're not just here to just talk about how we can, you know, or just listen to a talking head and feel like, how can I do this better? You know, it's actually saying like, okay, I'm sitting in the room with this other person. Let's build, let's see what we can do differently next time. So that's what I love with DRX Collab

Leya Simmons (43:22)
It was w it's a great

and very Yeah, it's a great and you do it it's every other year, isn't that right? Yes, so it was last year, not this year, next year.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (43:28)
Mm-hmm. Yes, we're we yes. It was annual

and we've given like shifting it every other year to make sure we can continue to be intentional.

Leya Simmons (43:36)
Yeah, I love

it. It it was I I attended last year and we will attend this year. It was just wonderful. Thank you again, Melissa. You are just such a treasure trove of information. And if you have questions for Melissa, Melissa at amplifymissions.com. If you're looking at your screen, you can see it up here. again, I'm her

Melissa and her services are worth every single penny and worth their weight in gold, in my opinion, my humble opinion. so I hope you all take advantage of her beautiful big brain listening and talking to us today. and if you've got questions for me about BetterUnite, you can always, you know, you this drill support at betterunite.com if you want to connect with me. I've got a QR code up there pointing to my LinkedIn. Melissa is quite active as well, I can say.

on LinkedIn and provides a lot of wonderful information there as well. So please go find Melissa DeClue on LinkedIn. I don't have your LinkedIn handle, do you know it off the top of your head, Melissa? So you could say it out loud for us.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (44:34)
It it's it's so it has my maiden name, so I I should probably be a bit better at changing it. But yes, you can find me. It's like Melissa Jones E D, but you can also really just type in Melissa DeClue and you'll find me. Yeah.

Leya Simmons (44:45)
You'll find her. Yeah. That's how I found you, I know. And if you're looking

at show notes, we're gonna have that listed. I don't have it to put in the chat right now, but it will be there in the show notes and definitely Melissa's a great follow. Let me just tell you quickly about next week. I'm super excited. I will be joined by Tim Sarantonio. Actually, I'm not going to be joined. I'm going to join Tim.

On his platform, it's actually going to be at 11. we have on here 1:30 central. That's actually not true. It's at 11 a.m. Central next week, and it's not on Riverside. So some of this is wrong. But I can tell you that if you scan the QR code that's on your screen, you will be taken to register. It is at 11. It is with Tim Sarantonio, who is the founder of the Generosity Spectrum. Tim is one of the brightest minds, in addition to Melissa.

In our sector, and he has developed a game actually. He has gamified the idea of connecting with other with donors, people and through generosity, how the donor donor mind works. so it is truly fascinating. So we will, it's called the generosity round table. We're going to play a game, so it's going to be super fun. I think we're going to be joined by Kelsey Kramer of Giving Tuesday as well.

I hope you'll join us. I apologize for some of the incorrect information here on my slide, but I pro I know the QR code is right, and it will be the correct information will be in your show notes if you're interested in joining us next week. I hope you do. thank you all so much for joining me. Melissa, thank you again for joining us here on the 501c drop. I so

Melissa - Amplify Missions (46:14)
Yes, of course.

Leya Simmons (46:15)
appreciate you and everything you do in DRX Collab and Melissa. Please go check them out. Otherwise, I hope everyone is enjoying these last few weeks of summer.

As we wind we're still not in the middle of August. We still have a lot my kids start school this week, so that's why I'm like, It's over, but it's not really over.

Melissa - Amplify Missions (46:30)
I I know.

I started s my kids started school last week, so my summer's been over for a long time, it feels like now, so

Leya Simmons (46:35)
my gosh. It creeps back up. I mean, sometimes that's kind of nice, if I'm not gonna lie. But kids

occupied again, it's nice. But anyway, we're here. so I hope everybody has an incredible rest of your day this Tuesday, regardless of what month it is. And keep tuning in to the 501c drop. But in the meantime, let's all go do some good. Have a great day. Bye-bye.