UGH . . . ANOTHER NONPROFIT ZOOM MEETING BUT . . .
If you are like countless of other people, using video conferencing again, and again, and again, and again . . . fatigue has probably started to set in. With hopes of a vaccine "around the corner", seemingly overnight everyone was ready to get back to normal. Then reality set in. We found out that "around the corner" was a VERY subjective phrase, which put getting back to normal anywhere from the middle of 2021 to the end of 2022, depending on what outlet you get your news from.
Just like a child on Sunday night, realizing they go back to school on Monday (Well, those who don't go to school remotely that is) . . . we sadly realized that video conferencing is going to be the norm again. No matter what platform you use for your meetings, just know that meeting on video is not all that bad. Take a moment to think of the positives:
1) Your donors are starting to get used to it. During Spring you were nervous to randomly ask one of your donors to visit on Zoom but now it's pretty normal. It's not as awkward as you might think and it's fun to catch up with your "peeps".
2) Have fun. At first people said they loved Zoom because you could just "get right down to business" and not have to do small talk. Well, small talk is what builds relationships. Don't be bashful to share some stories, ask how the family is doing, tell a few jokes, or even make a crack about your home office set up. I don't know about you but a bland conversation that is all about business, I can't imagine your donors wanting to sign up for that again. So do it right the first time, and have fun.
3) Set a goal for how many meetings you can do a week with your donors and then reward yourself for reaching that goal. Rent yourself a movie Friday night. Buy yourself lunch the next week. Lease yourself a new Camaro. We don't care what you do BUT setting yourself goals and rewarding yourself is a fun way to remind you that keeping in contact with your donors on Zoom is important.
4) The power of positive thinking. Yup . . . that cheesy phrase actually has some merit to it. Studies show that when you think positive about something, the outcomes from your effort tend to be . . . well . . . more positive. So if you are the type saying to yourself "Ugh, not another Zoom meeting", then change your attitude. Put a positive spin on it and say to yourself "Today is awesome. I get the opportunity to catch up with . . . ".
So there you have it folks. Zoom and Teams meetings might not have the same feel as in person meetings. However with the world being more and more understanding to our new normal, you can enjoy your time with the people you are talking with and dare we say it . . . even have fun while doing so. More on this topic later.
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For more information on how Midwest Studies Group can help grow your resource development, be sure to visit us at www.midweststudiesgroup.com.