I want to share with you how a Labor Day offering plan can help close your giving gap.  First, you might be surprised that I would contend you could actually see an increase in giving on Labor Day.  Three day weekends are typically tough on offerings.  Yet with a good plan of action you can meet and exceed budget on that weekend.  Here is how…

First, let’s talk about why you need a Labor Day offering plan.  

  1. Three day weekends are killers for offerings!  Why?  See point #2…
  2. Your people are at the lake, beach or ball game.  Why does that matter?  See point #3…
  3. When attendance is down giving is.  When giving is down it means you fall behind.  See point #4…
  4. Falling behind makes it difficult to catch up.  Since you don’t want to fall behind you need to do something.
  5. If you know you face a challenge get ahead of the curve!  Plan ahead of time to head off any decline in giving over the Labor Day weekend.

The most important thing you can do is build a compelling message of why people should give to your offering.  Let me break down for you the key points in…

How to build the message for your Labor Day offering…

  • Don’t make it about you. Make it about them.  Make it about fulfilling the vision God has given your church.
  • Be positive not negative.
  • It’s not about making budget, it is about changing lives!
  • So make the appeal about missions and ministry not making budget!
  • Focus on what you have done and what you have yet to do.

What the Labor Day plan looks like…

Step One:  Mail a snail mail letter Monday August 27th.  Include a self-addressed postage paid envelope for ease of use!  The easier you make it for people to give the more likely they will give.

Step Two:  Email your donors on Thursday August 30th reminding them of the importance of giving.  Include a hyper link direct to your giving page and ask them to give.

Step Three:  Email your donors Sunday September 2nd encouraging them to give while away.  Remember, include a link to your giving page making it easy for them to give.

Optional Step Four:  Consider one last follow up email blast on Labor Day September 3rd.  Circling back one more time might be the difference between making budget or not.

I have helped scores of churches utilize similar plans like this and they have seen thousands of dollars come in.  Don’t let a three day holiday weekend kill your offering.  Get ahead of the curve and build out a Labor Day offering plan.  It could keep you on track towards being fully funded.

Mark Brooks – The Stewardship Coach