Lets make lots of money!

Continuing in Ferrazzi’s Never Eat Alone book…

This book is primarily about networking. I don’t know about you, but networking brings several images to mind, and not all of them are positive! I imagine the guy handing out business cards as fast as he can, hoping to get a paycheck out of the deal. Or the woman working the room, making sure that everyone knows that she is there, and in a not so discrete way, letting you know she is expecting you to support her latest project.

Ferrazzi does a great job in challenging these concepts. For him, networking is about building relationships with people BEFORE they can help you, and in reality, even though they may not ever be able to help you.

I have watched a similar thing happen in the non-profit sector. Unfortunately, I am referring more to the first example than the latter. Many non-profit seek to build relationships with those who can help them. The board meets, and comes up with a list of people that can move the organization or project ahead politically, socially, or financially.

A non-profit is, by definition, created for public good. Networking should be done in a way that invests in people, not looks for investments from people. These organizations will benefit in significant ways, simply by being seen a generous (with attention) and caring. The way that people feel about a no-profit is vital to it’s ability to survive. If you only get an invitation from a friend when they need money, you are actually being treated like something other than a friend. Organizations that feel compelled to throw hugely expensive events to attract “substantial givers” and large sums of money are often prostituting themselves and their cause. A $1000 a head dinner to build a homeless shelter? Obviously, that would beÂ crazy, but many groups don’t see the disconnect they are creating. After subtracting all the costs associated with such an event, a much more community focused (and priced) event would have been the better move.

Organizations do this because it is quick and easy. Building real relationships with a community takes time, and most board members have too many other commitments to take that time.

A new position needs to be added to those boards, and it is the Community Partnership position. The purpose will be to develop a long term approach to being in the community, meeting people where they are, and even assisting other non-profits in any way you can. The goal is to make this world a better place for everyone, not just to have your non-profit get the big donation.

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Emerg_n_ Church Movement

In reading Mark Driscoll’s book Confessions of a Reformission Rev. he jumps into the conversation about the difference between Emerging and Emergent church movements. I have to admit that it has been rather confusing for me over the past couple of years to get a handle on this. Even Wikipedia uses them interchangeably.

During a course I recently finished on Modern Theology, we looked at these as the same concept. They are both based in the primary concept that in a post modern world (btw, I like Rob Bell’s comment that anyone who uses the word “post modern” –isn’t..) that the role of the church is to get outside of it’s walls (both literal and figurative) and meet people where they are. In that concept, many old line church systems are challenged. Established churches believe that they can continue to provide worship and programs based on their success in the past. they may or may not be right. This is part of what Barna talks about in Revolution. So the question is…what does the future of the Church look like. Is it micro churches like Barna suggests, or the Mega church, like Driscoll claims? Is it outside the walls, or just a better version of what is working now?
In my view, they are all correct. Hmmmm…..

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Can You Deliver

In a recent article on MSNBC, there is a story about a car dealer that hired a company to create and mail 50,000 “You may have won” cards to local residents. Somewhere, the process got messed up and EVERYONE got the winning card. They caught the problem after the first 20,000 went out. If they honored the awards, that would be 30,000 times $1000 each = 30 MILLION! Pretty expensive error.

Of course the dealer isn’t expecting to pay out - and is blaming the direct mail company. The interesting part to me is the quote by the dealer rep…” Kohn said the dealership is “making a full-faith effort” to investigate the mistake, which he said is “not how we portray ourselves or our community.” Huh??

The irony in this is that most marketing is built on the idea that if people buy your product or service that they will be happier, healthier, wealthier or in some other magical state of being. A new car really cannot deliver a better life - but isn’t that what is promised? The mailing sent out was simply a micro-view of what most marketing has become. They offer people something they really cannot deliver (better life) in the form of a product (car) or service.

The church can learn a lesson here. I have seen so many direct mail pieces that hype a sermon series that promises to help you have a better (marriage, family, financial peace, etc), but in all honesty, have very little chance of doing so. People do not really change by hearing a sermon series on what they should or should not do. True change comes from a much deeper place. It comes from real conviction and often, pain.
We need to be sure that we are not offering a “scratch to win” answer to people’s issues.

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If You Give A Moose A Muffin

When my first child was about 5 years old, a friend of ours gave us the book, If You Give A Moose a Muffin. You may know the story, or the first book in the series, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. The basic theme is that if you give the moose a muffin, then he will want some jam to go with it, and then he will want you to make more muffins, so you will have to go to the store, and he will want to go too, but the store is too cold, so he will want to borrow a sweater, and he will notice the sweater has a loose button, and want to fix it, and pretty soon…well you get the idea - it is a huge mess! The first time I read that book, I laughed till I cried! It was the perfect description of life with my son (playing the part of the moose of course). I was honestly afraid to let him start anything for fear of where it would end up! We have had some incredible times chasing ideas and “rabbit trails” with him. We have feed many “mooses” over the years, and grown to love it.

Now, as I read the book, I actually see more commonalities with churches than I do with my son. Except instead of actually giving the moose a muffin, churches have long meetings to talk about what will happen if they do. Throughout the conversation, the hungry “moose” is just outside the door, smelling the fresh baked muffins (blueberry!). The possibilities that the good church members explore are far and away, the most creative work done in that church in the last 30 years! Unfortunately, they almost always focus on the bad things that could happen. Phrases like, “sound judgment”, “good stewardship”, “I just don’t think it’s right” dominate the final decision.In the end, the “moose” sits outside hoping for a muffin, wondering why those inside won’t share one from their many.

He just doesn’t realize that it is not about what they have, but about what they fear - and they fear him. He’s a moose, and they don’t know what a moose might do. Everything could change for them…and that would be terrible. Right?

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Why Are You Doing It?

I am rereading Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi. He makes a ton of great points in the book, and several of them are worth having a serious conversation about. Early on, Ferrazzi writes about the importance of doing things for others without expecting anything in return. Most churches will agree that this principle is very significant. I have seen this play out many times as church leaders have asked members to serve and give to the church, and to do so without the “consumer” mindset that often accompanies such activities. Most Americans will give to something as long as they see and experience the benefit of having done so. In theory, the Church exist to meet people’s most significant needs, so there is a bit of the “consumer” concept built in. Ferrazzi got me wondering, does this work the other way too? Is the Church able to provide for people and not expect anything in return? Honestly, if no one connected to your youth ministry served or gave a dime, would you continue to offer a youth ministry?

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What do you think?

Over on Brand Autopsy

While prepping for a presentation on Word-of-Mouth Marketing, I followed-up on Pizza Patron Pesos por Pizza promotion that began earlier this year (Q1 of 2007). The promotion is simple: Pizza Patron, a regional pizza chain focused on the Hispanic customer base, will accept Mexican Pesos or American Dollars.Following on the Word-of-Mouth Marketing maxim of Remarkable Things Get Remarked About, word spread about the “Pesos por Pizza” promotion. Some loved the marketing idea, while others loathed it. Either way, one can’t argue with the results. Sales spiked.

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What’s Wrong With This Statement?

As one (denominational leader) near Atlanta said, “If we don’t put a new church here, with a mind to grow, the Baptists will.” If (our denomination) does not, someone will. Lets be the one.

The (parenthesis) are placed to protect the soon to be embarrassed!

Read the entire article here

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New Website

Well, here we are again. It has been a long project to find a way to effectively integrate our websites to have the ability to quickly inform and interact with our clients (and friends!) in the process, we have lost many of the archives, but hope to be able to rebuild them over the next few months. If you have topics that you want to see revisited, let us know!

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