I See Hidden Metrics 👀

Seth Godin posted something a few months back which has stuck with me - The Pinocchio Protocol.  Here’s my brief summary:  Pinocchio had a significant competitive advantage in the race to stop lying because his nose grew every time he did.

What if I knew my nose would grow five inches every week that I didn’t express gratitude to at least ten folks in my portfolio and pursue five networking opportunities?  No doubt, these tasks would rise to the top of my priority list every single week.  But alas, my nose doesn’t actually grow every time I fail to prioritize this critical work.  Therefore, the “invisible metric” remains unnoticed.

Seth suggests we make the invisible metric visible - “when we do this consistently over time, it creates a signal that brings the future into the present.”

How does this apply to major gift fundraising?  Here are four thoughts

🔆#1 - Shine a Light on Connections
Networking is hard work. You know it’s crucial, yet often can feel like a time-consuming chore. The truth is, your ability to build and maintain relationships is the backbone of your fundraising success. Ask yourself, “How often do I really measure and reflect on my networking efforts?”

Create visibility by tracking every interaction you have with potential connectors or givers.  We all have a ❤️love-hate😡 relationship with donor relationship management systems, so this can be exhausting.  However, in recent years improved DRMs can now be notified automatically when you make a call or send an email.  This will continue to become more seamless.

Once you start this habit, you’ll begin to see patterns emerge over time - who you’re engaging with most, which relationships are deepening, and the ones that might need more attention.  By making your networking activity visible, you can transform it from an invisible metric  into a tangible, meaningful metric.

Here’s my game-changing hidden indicator for this metric:  How many connectors have I activated?  See this one page Connecting Worksheet for more guidance.

🔆#2 - Planned Asks
The timing of the ask is super important, yet how often do we scramble to prepare for an ask at the last minute? The problem isn't likely that you're unprepared; it's probably that the ask itself wasn't visibly on your radar until the deadline was looming.

You can change that last minute scramble by making your planned asks visible well in advance of your deadline.  Bring the future into the present!  For every person in your portfolio, determine the following:

• Am I going to ask this year and, if so, is the goal to retain, increase, recover, or start their giving?
• How much do I plan to ask for?
• When do I plan to ask?

Consistent visibility of planned asks means you will approach your prospects and givers more strategically.

Here’s my game-changing hidden indicator for this metric: How much am I anticipating in gifts from the asks I have planned?

🔆#3 - SToR Scores
The Strength of Relationship (SToR) score is one of the most critical metrics in major gift fundraising, yet it’s often hidden in the background, overshadowed by more immediate concerns. What if you made SToR scores as visible and integral to your daily work as the balance in your bank account?

Here’s my game-changing hidden indicator for this metric:  How many prospects in my portfolio have a score of 4 or 5?

🔆#4 - Key Geographic Markets
Geography may matter more than you acknowledge. Certain regions hold untapped potential.  When you actively track and visualize this data, those opportunities will highlight unrealized possibilities.

Create a visual map that highlights your key geographic markets. Throw an old school map of the region you’re responsible for on the wall and color-code it based on factors like giving potential, existing relationships, and strategic importance.  You might discover that a region you’ve overlooked is ripe for a visit or that a market where you’ve been spending a lot of time is already saturated.

Here’s my game-changing hidden indicator for this metric:  What are the top five markets where I have two or more anchor relationships?

Making the invisible visible is more than a productivity hack - it’s a fundamental shift in how we approach our work, turning vague concepts into clear, actionable plans.

When networking activity, planned asks, SToR scores, and key geographic markets are all made visible, they become powerful tools in major gift fundraising to guide your strategy and decision-making.

What hidden metrics do you pay attention to?  Let’s commit to making the invisible visible in our work. Not just for our benefit, but for the causes we serve, the givers we partner with, and the missions we’re so passionate about advancing.

Have a great week!

NOTE:  If you have further questions about any of these game-changing hidden metrics, just reach out and schedule a free call to talk further.

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If you haven't taken advantage of some of the resources I've created to help major gift fundraisers, take a look now!  Initial calls with me are free and "no strings attached".  Sometimes folks feel like they need to wait and not 'bother' me until they have a pressing issue.  No need for that...just make the call. 🕺

‍Here's where you can access a lot of content for free:

‍* Follow me on LinkedIn - You'll get short pro-tips and reflections on major gift fundraising every day between 5-7am pacific.

* Breakthru Newsletter - As you've seen here, these are longer weekly posts (audio and written) sent directly to your email.

* Breakthru Blog - the newsletter from the previous week gets posted here each week for everyone (so email subscribers get it a week early).

* Breakthru Podcast - Interviews with high net worth givers about how we as fundraisers can get better at inviting them to the party.  And audio readings of Breakthru Blog posts.

‍Before getting to the PAID stuff: My opinion is that no small ministry with a tight budget should be spending more than $3-5k (total) for major gift coaching/consulting.  Most of you will be good-to-go spending far less than that.  This was a major issue for me when I was a frontline fundraiser - major gift consultants were an expensive 'black-box-of-confusion' for me.  That stops now.

‍Here's the PAID stuff:

‍* Online Catalyst Course - This is a full brain dump of my 28+ years of experience - good, bad, ugly.  It's built around the fundamentals, the sacredness, and the fun, of major gift fundraising.  It's infused with Henri Nouwen reflections.  Many people can take this course and they will be 'cooking-with-gas' and not need any additional coaching from me on the core systems.  I'm grateful that this course has gotten *great* reviews.

* Live coaching with me - I refer to this as "brain rental".  The ROI on live coaching, as you might imagine, is extraordinary.

Finally, be sure to connect with my colleague Ivana Salloum.  She's super awesome and can help with scheduling and access to resources, etc.

I look forward to hearing about your good work!

Blessings,