I think the actual saying is “getting all of your ducks in a row,” but for me it’s chickens. For years I have wanted chickens.  It might be because I love deviled eggs a bit more than the average Southerner, but regardless I have wanted a few chicks to call my own.

I did my research! I compared different breeds. The Pinterest board was created. Oh, the beautiful chicken coops that are out there. You won’t believe how many different systems you can build to simply feed your chickens food and water. New friends were made and I was allowed to come to their houses to see their set-ups. I even read articles on entertaining your chickens. My father, who is a country boy at heart, rolled his eyes and laughed at me, not with me.

I was enamored with the parts and pieces but at the end of the day I just needed to keep it simple so I could get the eggs I wanted. More importantly was finding the right chickens for my family and nurturing them.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed with the process. You might delay or simply not start if you get distracted with extras that may or may not be helpful. The same thing happens with setting up or managing a healthy donor pipeline. My chickens have taught me that they don’t care what their coop looks like as long as I provide a clean home and food. I have also learned that it’s going to take 6 months before I get deviled eggs! Donors also take an investment of time and nurturing to get the most meaningful “eggs.” Managing your pipeline with an intentional process will allow you to track your work and make sure no one is left out.

Ask yourself these questions to get going:

• Do you have an active donor pipeline? When is the last time you added a new prospect?  Do you even have a donor list?  Start with your top 50 donors.  Look at it by category (corporate, foundation, individual, etc.).  Have you added recent donors? Who has encountered your organization lately that you should add?  Who should know about your mission?
• How often are you looking at your pipeline?  If it’s not already part of your monthly and weekly rhythm, put time on your calendar. Who has lapsed?  Who needs contact or additional information?
• How often are you having meaningful interaction with your donors? Are you integrating opportunities to connect across your organization? Opportunities probably already exist; you just need to extend an invitation.
• Are you working towards an ask? Make sure your efforts are moving people forward!

Go get your chickens in a row today and enjoy the eggs! Or if you need help getting started, Armstrong McGuire can help.

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