How to Leverage Your Giving Societies for Planned Giving Conversations

Whether you call them giving circles, giving societies, or giving groups, these groups of consistent donors are committed to your organization.  They show their commitment through giving, volunteering, and being ambassadors in your community.

Kudos to your organization for bringing this group together as a way to continually steward them.  This stewardship goes a long way to further their commitment and giving to move your mission forward.

This group is one the of the key demographics to approach for a planned gift. Their combination of consistent giving and higher-level commitment makes this group likely to want to ensure that your mission moves forward no matter what.

A few ways to engage this group in the planned giving journey:

1.  Schedule regular times for this group to gather:  Have this group in a room, if possible, and share impact stories. The more they hear about how you are making an impact, the more likely they are to continue to give in multiple ways.  Also, Include information about planned giving at these events, including stories about planned gifts from members of this group.
2. Have specific communication about planned giving: This group doesn’t need beginning education about your work that they already know.  Give them a closer look at how a planned gift cements their legacy and furthers the impact of your organization. Create social media posts, emails, and impact reports directed to this group.  Seeing this communication encourages others to be a part of it as well!
3. Have the planned giving conversations with the leaders first:  Official or unofficial, there are leaders to any group.  Spend intentional time having planned giving conversations with these leaders.  They will become your ambassadors to the rest of the group and lend credence to engaging in the planned giving process.  

The more you engage this group, the better off you will be! It is already in their DNA to give your organization.  By scheduling regular time for them to meet, communicating with them specifically, and having the planned giving conversation with key leaders, you can set the stage for the planned giving conversation.  And those conversations move your mission forward!