{"id":1821,"date":"2021-08-17T20:01:46","date_gmt":"2021-08-17T18:01:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.legacygiving.eu\/?p=1821"},"modified":"2022-01-31T20:45:55","modified_gmt":"2022-01-31T19:45:55","slug":"guestblog-sanita-guddu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.legacygiving.eu\/en\/guestblog-sanita-guddu\/","title":{"rendered":"5 mistakes that charities make in their legacy programme"},"content":{"rendered":"
Guest blog:\u00a0<\/strong> Sanita Guddu – fundraising consultant<\/strong><\/h5>\n

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Sanita has been round the legacy fundraising block a few times and back. Initially as a grass roots fundraiser then moving into management leading regional legacy teams and now as a legacy specialist to charities of all sizes. Sanita takes a hands on approach to consulting, as a trainer, coach and mentor to fundraisers and delivers legacy campaigns for charities. We decided to catch up with her on what she believes are the top five mistakes charities make in their legacy programme.<\/p>\n

5 mistakes that charities make in their legacy programme<\/strong><\/h4>\n

1. Not investing in their fundraisers. <\/strong>This can include anything from not up-skilling the team so they know how and when to have legacy conversations, how to create a legacy plan to having a mentor or coach. The support from someone that has been where you are and knows how to get to where you want to go, can be a game-changer.<\/p>\n

2. Expecting legacies to come in because they always have<\/strong>. Assuming that your donors will stay loyal because they always have is dangerous ground. With many local charities emerging and grabbing the attention of supporters through demonstrating their charity\u2019s impact and along with strong engagement plans, no charity can afford to be complacent.<\/p>\n

3. Promoting legacies in the wrong places.<\/strong> A clear example of this is thinking people that are not linked to the charity will leave legacies and therefore misdirecting their marketing, energy, time and resources. Focus should be first on warm and lapsed donors, volunteers (active and former) and where appropriate beneficiaries of your charity or their families.<\/p>\n

4. Not having a clear legacy proposition that is visionary and relevant to the cause<\/strong>. This in turn means that fundraisers are not able to demonstrate the impact of what legacies can do.\u00a0The best legacy stories are those where you can explain why a legator left a gift in their Will to your cause and even better if done from their family\u2019s perspective. Then show how that gift has made a difference.
\nFind out what inspires your legacy enquirers and pledgers to want to give in this way, meet them, understand them and cherish them.<\/span><\/p>\n

5. Trying to be a lone ranger legacy fundraiser.<\/strong> Thinking that promoting legacies is your sole responsibility (or your teams) and sits only within the fundraising department. With colleagues across the charity knowing and feeling that legacies are also their responsibility you have a greater chance of:<\/p>\n