$49500
www.PlannedGiving.Com • (800) 873-9203 • [email protected]
Gayle Union, CFRE • Matt Hugg • Viken Mikaelian
Content
s and O
Bequest
Toolkit
This is
not the
actual
v
erview
to
Two toolkits in one:
1 Marketing
2 Stewardship
This kit contains everything you’ll ever need.
“You can’t afford not to own it.”
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olkit.
www.PlannedGiving.Com • (800) 873-9203 • [email protected]
It’s Two Toolkits In One
First, this is a marketing toolkit — how do you get more of your prospects to buy in to your future — by including you in their estates?
Second, it’s a stewardship and maintenance toolkit. Now that you’ve
got ‘em, what’s next?
This Toolkit has everything you’ll need to boost your bequest program, including (but not
limited to):
• Sample copy/content that you customize for your organization
• Timeline
• Instructions, and
• Suggestions
We’ve included every document that will make launching and maintaining your bequest program
easier and more profitable. It goes from starting your bequest program—getting your bequest message out there—to the follow up with your confirmed bequest donors and those who are interested
but haven’t gotten it done… yet.
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Quick Overview and Description
First, the good news: Our current financial crisis is just, well, “current”. It will blow over soon —
historically, they always have. The bad news is that it will change fundraising dramatically over the
next few years.
Why? Because it will change how your prospects think about and perceive their future. For how
many years? No one knows and our crystal ball is a little cloudy. But, they will all be more careful
with their cash, stocks and real estate. They will be a lot more concerned about giving it away. Their
attitude is perfectly sensible—many of us feel it too. On the flip side, it could be great for planned
giving. Why? A gift annuity can lock in a fixed, predictable return in these volatile times; and, a
bequest doesn’t cost anything during lifetime. Gift annuities and bequests can be good gifts in these
times, and with this toolkit we’ll focus on bequests.
Bequests are easy to promote because:
• Assets remain in the donor’s control during lifetime;
• They can be modified to address changing circumstances;
• They can be directed to a particular cause or purpose; and,
• Under current tax law, there is no upper limit on the estate tax deduction for
charitable bequests.
What’s Included
Includes these materials and a timeline, in this suggested sequence:
Marketing
What is marketing anyway? It’s the catalyst that closes the gap—the series of actions that make
the producer [your organization] and consumers [your prospects] connect. This connection will
encourage them to take action, i.e., create a bequest. This marketing toolkit for bequests is all about
getting the message to your consumers so they take action.
Internal Marketing
Do the folks in your organization understand why a bequest program is important and the benefits
it will bring to your organization? If not, the people you need to focus on first include: CEO, CFO,
Chief Development Officer [if it’s not you], major gift officers [if not you]; volunteer leadership
[Board of Directors]. These individuals can help you and you want and need them on your team.
As an additional resource, you can purchase a powerful board presentation (in Power Point) to
educate these individuals. It’s called Get Your Board on Board:
PlannedGiving.Com/board
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Marketing Plan
Once leadership is on board, this plan will help you lay out your marketing activities on a month-tomonth basis. In addition to mapping out these activities, you should track expenses for each initiative
and the results, so you can demonstrate return on investment (ROI), something your CFO will no
doubt be interested in. Plus, you need to track the results from each marketing activity—what’s working, what’s not, so you can make appropriate and timely corrections before making costly errors.
Opening Letter
From the fundraiser, telling prospects about the bequest program, emphasizing the important role
bequests have played for your organization’s financial health and encouraging them to visit your
planned giving website or contact you.
Follow up postcard #1
What will your legacy be? Includes sample bequest language.
Letter from VIP who’s already created a bequest
When asking a prospect to consider a gift, it’s important that the person asking is someone who has
already made a gift. This letter takes the approach of the volunteer who “didn’t think about a bequest
either, until someone asked him/her to consider it, and then made a gift.”
Follow up postcard #2
Includes a famous philanthropy quote, again to inspire and encourage action.
Article/column in organization’s newsletter or other publication.
This is a basic bequest article that discusses the types of bequests and suggested assets to fund a
bequest; bequest language is included. It encourages the reader to contact you or your organization
for more information.
Display ad
An ad template for your bequest program—you can drop in different donor stories or testimonials,
but the ad will help create branding for your program.
Follow up postcard #3
“If you’ve created a gift, let us know. If you haven’t, it isn’t too late.” But, too often when we learn
about a gift, it’s too late to say ‘thank you.’ If it’s not too late, and you’re not in the habit of saying
‘thank you’ then you should read You Had Me at Bequest [The Care and Feeding of Donors].
Buck slip
A versatile two-sided promotional piece that fits into a #9 envelope so it can be slipped into every
acknowledgement or used in lots of other creative ways.
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Now That You Have ‘em, What’s Next?
OK, so you’ve got donors who have told you about their bequests and others who are asking for
information:
• What do you send them?
• How do you thank them?
• How do you continue stewarding them?
Remember, stewardship is just cultivation for the next gift (and it may be an outright gift or increased annual support). Below are the sample documents we’ve included in this stewardship/
maintenance toolkit. We’ve included suggestions about where you can customize the copy for your
organization.
In this section, you’ll see we’re big on the ‘one-pager’ — which we define as concise informational
pieces that you can mail or email as needed. Yes, we know that a lot of this information will also be
on your web site. But, some folks aren’t web savvy or just need a more personal touch from you.
Bequest language
A one-pager that describes the different types of bequests, defines codicil, provides sample bequest
language. Great for including in packets, especially to your loyal volunteers.
Bequest designation language—for naming a you as a beneficiary of an IRA, insurance policy, etc.
Sample bequest thank you packet
When you learn about a new bequest, this packet can make the donor feel appreciated but not
overwhelmed. It includes:
• VIP thank you/welcome to the recognition society letter
• One-pager [there we go again!] on your recognition society
• Reply mechanism—prospects can tell you they’ve made a gift or ask for other gift information—it’s a ‘two-fer’
• Reply envelope—business reply mailer (BRM) or not, your choice
• One-pager [oh, not again!] on your organization. Something like, ‘year at a glance’, organization
at a glance, this is your mission piece and your chance to toot your horn. Always have some mission information in your communications to donors. We haven’t included this mission piece,
but you probably have something you can use.
Contact info & FAQs
Yes, a one-pager, how did you guess? Ask them to keep this with their will because it provides contact
information for your organization and will be useful for whoever is administering their estate. Confirms your organization’s non-profit status and has the TIN (Tax ID #). It’s a nice, ‘feel good’ piece.
Bequest interest follow up letters
How do you gently remind your best prospects to get off the dime and finalize their bequests to
your organization? Just because you’ve followed up and sent the prospect some bequest informaPage 5
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tion doesn’t mean you can forget about that prospect. Timely follow up is important. These sample
letters also include suggestion about when to send them.
Bequest donor testimonial
Sample copy you can customize immediately plus ideas on how to create others. Remember, donor
stories create second time gifts and motivate others to give. Testimonials are also great for stewardship. Featured donors feel like stars!
Codicil form
Sometimes prospects think that they need a whole new will to include your organization, when
they only need a form to amend a portion of their will. This form is for prospects in that situation.
Bequest Tricks and Tidbits
A compilation of miscellaneous bequest ideas to remind you how to: identify your best prospects;
get your bequest message out widely; brand your recognition society; and other useful ideas.
Bequest Q & A’s
Not a one-pager, but useful information about bequests and wills for prospects who: may not be up
to speed on this topic; need a refresher; or just want the facts.
Suggested timeline
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Table of Contents
Marketing Contents
Includes these materials and a timeline, ordered in the following sequence:
1. Bequest Program Launch Letter
From fundraiser, to inform prospects of bequest program
2. Follow up postcard # 1
What will your legacy be?
3. Bequest Letter from Organization VIP
Asking prospects to join VIP and make a bequest
4. Follow up postcard # 2
Inspirational philanthropy quote to encourage prospects to take action
5. Bequest Article #1
Explains types of bequests, includes bequest language
6. Display ad/template
A donor testimonial ad template you can use
7. Follow up postcard # 3
If you’ve created a bequest, please let us know; If you haven’t, it is not too late
8. Bequest Article #2
A second bequest article for your publication
9. Buck slip, sides 1 & 2
A versatile two-sided promotional piece that fits into a #9 envelope, an easy addition
to each acknowledgement letter
Cultivation/Stewardship Materials
10.Bequest language
To ensure that prospects name your organization correctly
11.Bequest Designation Language
For use with beneficiary designation forms, IRAs, insurance, brokerage accounts, etc.
12.Would You Consider a Bequest Letter
Follow up to bequest inquiries
13.Bequest Interest Letter
Follow up to conversation with prospect, in which a strong interest in creating a bequest is
expressed
14.Bequest Interest 2nd Tickler Letter
To further spur prospect to take action
15.Bequest Interest 3rd Tickler Letter
To inquire about status of gift
16.Bequest Interest 4th Tickler Letter
To inquire about status of gift
17.Welcome to Recognition Society and Gift Thank You letter
Thank donor for confirmed gift and welcome donor to recognition society
18.Reply Card
Can be used for prospects to request information OR tell you that they’ve made a gift
19.Bequest Confirmation Letter
To prospects who indicated they’ve made a gift but you’ve been unable to reach the prospect to confirm
[Sometimes donors inadvertently check boxes on reply forms but in fact they haven’t made the gifts.]
20.Codicil Language
For donor who only needs to amend the will, not create a new will, to include your organization
21.Bequest Intention Form
Include in a separate mailing to confirmed bequests donors, to ascertain and document information about
the gift
22.Bequest Fact Sheet
Can be used as insert with letter to prospects, insert in packet, or in publication
23.Recognition Society One-pager
To include with the ‘welcome to recognition society letter’
24.FAQs about Bequests to your organization
To include with ‘welcome to recognition society letter’ – purpose is for donor to keep this with the will to
help facilitate the bequest to your organization
25.Bequest Tricks and Tidbits
Miscellaneous bequest ideas
26.Bequest Q&A’s
Useful information about bequests and wills.
www.PlannedGiving.Com • (800) 873-9203 • [email protected]
Don’t forget to purchase...
Important. Please read:
Copyright © 2013, PlannedGiving.Com, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
The
Planned Giving
Marketing Toolkit:
Building Your
Endowment!
Purchaser of this marketing toolkit is granted two-time usage rights to the contents.
The information in this Toolkit cannot be placed online on your website.
A lot of effort went into the preparation of this material, and it’s our bread and butter.
Please respect our work by not transferring, loaning, or reselling our materials. Besides,
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Disclaimer: The material presented in this toolkit is not offered as legal or tax advice. Your prospect
is urged to seek the advice of a tax advisor, attorney, and/or financial planner to make certain a
contemplated gift fits well into their overall circumstances and planning. All material should be
presented solely as educational information and not as a solicitation or offer.
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