Several years ago, I visited a friend in my home town that I hadn’t seen in several years. We caught up on family and friends, and then he quickly took me out to his barn to show me his latest prize possession, his 1975 Pontiac Trans Am Firebird. This was the car so many of us dreamed of driving when we were in elementary school!

What struck me the most about his purchase was that he bought the car on Ebay from a guy half way across the country. I’ve bought books and plates and what-not on Ebay, but never have I dreamed of making such a huge purchase online! But, my friend assured me, he had many, many conversations on the phone with the seller before purchasing the car.

My point is – people just don’t hand over their hard-earned money very easily. The most effective way for a not-for-profit to ask for money is face-to-face, with two people going together to visit the person being asked. A phone call is less effective than that. A letter in the mail is even less effective. And an appeal in the church bulletin on Sunday morning even less so.

The ladder of effectiveness is more and more personal as you move up the ladder, less and less personal as you move down. Next week, I’ll be more specific.