People Raising
Support Raising: 11 Principles to Get Funded
Principle #3 People Raising
One of my friends recently asked me if I could have any car, and money wasn’t a barrier, what would I choose? My answer was quick. A Tesla Model X SUV — with the Falcon Wings (those doors are amazing). The clean look of the car is so sexy. It’s one of the best cars I’ve ever seen in my life! Not to mention, I love the company. They are new to the scene and are already worth $200 billion. They’re killing the game.
There are many things about Tesla that I love, but the thing I love the most is their marketing strategy. Have you ever seen a Tesla commercial or billboard? Probably not. That’s because they budget almost nothing for marketing and advertising strategies. All they are focused on is making a product that’s so good that their customers have to tell their friends and family about it.
Word of mouth is the most powerful tool when giving ideas to other people. Not to mention, when you refer your friends and family to what you’ve heard, you are inviting them to enjoy something with you. Tesla has an amazing strategy, and I learned this strategy early in my support raising process.
A few weeks into support raising, I was down to my last couple of contacts: my football coach, my high school principal, and my pastor. At each meeting, I was asked the one question we all dread... “Hey, Tony, why don’t you just get an actual job?” Needless to say, they all said NO to joining my support team. I was discouraged big time.
I remember sitting in my car and being so sad I was at the point of tears. I called one of my friends and I told him I was done with this ‘white man support raising process’. People who genuinely cared about me didn’t want to support me. How would I ever get fully funded? He encouraged and prayed for me, and he also recommended a book called, “People Raising: A Practical Guide to Raising Support” by William Dillon. This book was amazing! It changed my entire support raising process. I realized it wasn’t about me raising enough money, instead, the book emphasized that we’re all in the business of raising up people, not money. It wasn’t about a financial transaction, it was about inviting people into the journey to accomplish the mission together.
I had a few more contacts left, and I went completely different with my presentation. It wasn’t about me or what I was trying to go do; it was all about the mission and inviting people and who they knew to be a part of that mission. This strategy was a game changer!
I remember the first time I used this strategy; I got 10 referrals. In those 10 referrals, 9 out of 10 came on my support team. Remember that only 2 joined out of my original list of 25. I ended up with 60 supporters when I was done with the process. About 97% of my support came from referrals.
It was all because I changed my mindset of support-raising. It was no longer about the all mighty dollar, instead, it was about inviting and building a community of people that wanted to help me accomplish the mission. I also realized that my supporters were better fundraisers than I was, and the best part of meeting with a referral was that someone they trusted already endorsed me. The ball was on a tee for me to get them to join the team.
The crucial principle here is that we’re in the business of inviting people into the mission with us to be a part of the solution. We are not in the business of raising money.
I always say this in my presentations,
“First, God has already told you to pray for the world. I will not beg you to pray for me. Second, I would love for you to join my team financially, but you need to talk to God. You are sowing into His kingdom. I’m just asking you to use my ministry to be a means for you to accomplish what God has called you to do. So that’s between you and God. However, if I motivated and encouraged you just a little, I’m asking and begging you for three people right now that you’re willing to connect me to. I’m trying to build a tribe of people who are serious about making an impact in the world.”
People raising is really amazing, it’s a simple mindset change that helps you gain new friends, mentors, and a team of people to help reach the mission together.
Check out “People Raising: A Practical Guide to Raising Support” by William Dillon.
