From time to time, we’ll take a detour from our normal blog topics to focus on an exceptional company and product that we feel will benefit your ministry. This month, we’d like to introduce you to MortarStone.
MortarStone is all about data. They know how important giver data is to your ministry – it gets factored into every decision you make from the tone of your messages to the overall communication strategy. Being able to see exactly who your givers are, and everything that they’re interested in, ensures that your ministry programming is connecting with your givers effectively.
Why Should I Analyze Who My Givers Really Are?
Through your current giver management software, you’ve managed to accumulate giver contact information, giving totals, and a few minor demographic markers. But do you really know who your givers are? To effectively minister to your givers, here are a few key demographic markers at a household level to answer:
- What is the total gross income of your givers?
- What area of your city do they live in?
- Do they own a home or rent?
- What is their education level?
- What is their marital status?
- Are they a new giver, consistent giver or have they dropped off the radar?
- What ministries or areas of life interest them?
Check out this abbreviated sample household data report here.
This list seems extensive, but realistically these metrics are very important to truly knowing your giver. Some churches are reactionary when ministering to people – they are only aware of a need after someone has told them. But, by using key data analytics, you can ultimately better your ministry and connect with your givers on a personal level.
For example, take the following scenarios:
- You have a report that shows a longtime giver has suddenly stopped giving. You can now take a look at their income, home value, employer and interests to make a quick assessment about why they’ve suddenly changed their giving trends. Once you’ve analyzed the data, you can then take this information and contact the giver. Chances are, there is some area of their life that needs ministering.
- Your ministry needs to fundraise. By analyzing giver giving trends, demographics, and life interests you can now target which givers are most likely to consider giving to your ministry.
- After reading your giving trends report, you notice a significant amount of givers who are new to your organization, but longtime giver numbers have trailed off. This is an opportunity for you to closely evaluate the programs and systems in your ministry that are not working for retaining givers. You can begin to “close the backdoor” to your ministry by analyzing the giver giving trends.
How Do I Analyze My Data?
You’ve been successfully collecting data through giver management software but HOW do you collect more detailed information on your givers and then analyze the information?
That’s where MortarStone comes into play! MortarStone’s proprietary software surfaces the deficiencies and strengths of your church with data analytics. There software compliments your current giver management system and gives you reporting tools that help effectively grow and retain your givers.
MortarStone uses advanced (but easy to use) reporting that segments your giver base into groups based upon giving trends, demographics, life interests, and financial capacity.
So, What’s the Next Step?
MortarStone has created an excellent Leadership Assessment Tool that provides you with a letter grade analysis of how your ministry is performing. It’s basically a “lite” version of their extensive software matrix.
- You can visit MortarStone and start a free demo of their software.
- if you’re in the San Diego area, join us for a FREE Lunch & Learn on Thursday, March 10 at 11:45 on the North Coast Church, Vista Campus – Register Here
- Located on the east coast? MortarStone will be attending Sticky Teams in Lancaster, PA, April 18-19 – Register Here
Don’t take our word for it – check out what these churches are saying!
“At The Rock, we use Fellowship One to manage our church and MortarStone to manage our givers. Their software provides great insights into our givers helping us manage and understand our trends like never before and in real time.” Chuck L. – The Rock Church ~ San Diego, CA
“As a stewardship pastor responsible for cultivating generosity, I find the analysis provided by MortarStone to be extremely valuable in understanding the trends with my financial leaders.” Scott S. – Bayside Church, CA
“Understanding how to look at our giving data has been critical for driving growth. Seeing new faces in the hall is great, but to learn who has slipped out the back is just as important. Giver churn is the silent killer of any ministry and understanding churn has lead to process management and improvement. Nikelle D. – Lives Changed by Christ, PA
