The single most important thing you can do to increase giving at your church is to know how to elevator pitch your offerings.
The elevator pitch arrives from the idea that you are riding in an elevator when a big shot company executive enters in. You have maybe thirty seconds of time with him or her. What you say in those thirty seconds of riding the elevator will mean the difference of whether you get a full hearing later or are simply forgotten. The idea is to comprise the key information about you into a thirty second burst of energy that will “sell” your idea or you.
So, pretending I am on the elevator with you I might say, “Ah, Pastor Smith, you might have heard that giving to churches is off. In fact your church might be experiencing a decline in giving. When giving declines, ministry initiatives are threatened. Lives are impacted. Yet the churches we are partnering with have seen their giving go UP. We work with good churches and make them better. I would love to talk to you about how we can increase your giving.” That is better than simply, “Hi, my name is Mark and I would really like to talk to you about my company.”
Every Sunday you have an elevator moment – we call it the offering. Most pastors say something at that point in the service. Some explain away how people are not required to give; we don’t want to offend the guests. Some almost beg for money to be given. Some use guilt or some other tactic. All pastors have some approach to the offering even if they have no stated approach – I call it the Lack of an Approach.
So, if you could boil down in an elevator pitch why people should put their hard earned money in the offering plate what would you say? I once read a book called, The Influential Fundraiser that stated, “Every elevator pitch should have three elements: think, feel and do.”
The book states that in crafting your elevator pitch you need to prepare it in reverse order; by starting with what action you want your speech to ensure. In the case of the offering you want their gift. Next, you imagine the emotion or feeling in those people that will likely move them to give their offering. Finally, you select and then shape the information or data you feel will likely create that emotion and thus their response.
When your elevator moment arrives what will you say? Guess what? Every Sunday you have an elevator moment, the offering. What you say could make the difference between making budget this year or laying off staff members and canceling ministry. You better get your elevator pitch on!
Make the offering time a thought-out part of the service; much the same as the sermon and other aspects of worship. A well planned offering appeal will result in maximized donations. Spend some time weekly thinking about new and creative ways to elevator pitch your offering times. Work hard to make the offering special and I think you will find your offering plates will be fuller!
Does elevator pitching your offering work? Here is a real life testimony from one of my clients…
“Giving at our church can be summed up with one word: phenomenal! Giving is up 30%+ this year. We connect the dots every week, often using your ‘Elevator pitch’ from the Stewardship Coach. This has been life changing for our church as we no longer scrape around for money every week.” Brian Hughes Sr. Pastor PCC Church
Mark Brooks – The Stewardship Coach