It's A Dang Slow Burn

This is the fifth and final guide in a series of five to help major gift fundraisers build an online presence that’s clear, sacred, and truly results-driven. You can find the introduction and previous posts by visiting The Breakthru Blog.

‍Marcus Sheridan’s ears must have been burning as I’ve shared these posts over the last five weeks. Earlier this month (on June 4) he acknowledged just how challenging it is to consistently grow a LinkedIn following - even with an audience of 57,000!

He describes it as a "dang slow burn", highlighting the importance of consistency and patience. Despite posting weekly for the past six years, his follower growth has been gradual - often fewer than five new followers a day.  Here’s a link to the full post.

Since first reading Marcus Sheridan’s They Ask You Answer (TAYA) in 2023 (thanks again to my friend Bertie Laurens for the recommendation), my conviction has only deepened: charity leaders and major gift fundraisers who implement his approach will see a profound impact - both in their fundraising results and in their relationships with givers.

They Ask, You Answer wasn’t written with the nonprofit sector in mind. But when I suggested the concept is highly relevant, Marcus immediately got on board with the idea of creating an adapted version specifically for nonprofit organizations.  That’s now an active, ongoing project we’re collaborating on. In the meantime, I’m encouraging every ministry leader to try the initiatives outlined in the five TAYA guides I’ve posted - and I’m actively looking for stories and case studies to feature in the book!

Why I Want As Many Doing This As Possible

This system isn’t about shouting louder. It’s about building trust on purpose.
Here’s why:

1) It builds trust before face to face meetings.
The data shows that most givers are already checking you out online - or they’re forming impressions without ever talking to you. When your face, voice, and message are already familiar, every conversation demonstrates warmth and depth.

2) It shifts the narrative in your sector’s space.
If charity leaders aren’t telling the truth about impact, complexity, and cost… someone else will fill in the blanks. When you answer the real questions - clearly and kindly - you help shape public understanding.

3) It makes fundraising feel human again.
This system helps givers see your heart, not just your pitch. It reminds them there are real people behind the work - people who care, think, pray, and listen.

4) It multiplies your presence.
You can only meet with so many givers. But your content - especially video - can show up in hundreds of places while you’re at lunch, in a meeting, or enjoying a Sabbath. It keeps working when you’re not.

5) It encourages the rest of us.
When I see another fundraiser showing up with honesty and courage, it stirs me to stay faithful too. Your visibility isn’t just for your cause - it’s a gift to the whole nonprofit sector.

I would love to hear how it’s going for you! The more of us actively doing this, the more trust we build across the board. Growing generous givers requires a big dose of patience with some smart tactics sprinkled in along the way. This system helps you with the best of both.

What Givers Are Actually Noticing

You may not see it in clicks or shares. But when you show up consistently here’s what begins to happen:
➡️They recognize your face
➡️Trust your tone
➡️Feel like they already know you

So when the time comes to meet… or ask… or pray… you’re not starting from zero. You’ve already laid groundwork. You’ve already built familiarity.That’s much more than a content strategy. It’s a connection strategy.

Fruit You May Never See

Sometimes your post will be exactly what someone needed that day - and they won’t tell you. Sometimes your thank-you video will make someone cry - and you’ll never know.

But even in obscurity, the faithfulness of your rhythm is part of the invitation. That’s the long game. And it’s the only one worth playing.

You may be wondering: Do I really need to post every week?

No.

But you do need a rhythm you can keep. Maybe that’s:

• 1 short video per month
• 1 LinkedIn post every two weeks
• 1 “question of the quarter” series you send to key givers

Givers don’t need marketing. They need you - present, curious, and real.

‍What These Six Breakthru Guides Are Really About

‍This series on building an online presence with the help of the They Ask You Answer system hasn’t simply been about “getting good at content.” It’s been about remembering your role as a guide, not a closer. Because the best major gift fundraisers:

👩 Teach instead of pitch
🤝 Build trust instead of chasing attention

And now? You have some tools:
✅ The Big 5 questions givers are asking
✅ A framework to turn questions into content
✅ Ideas for video, storytelling, and consistency
✅ Tools and a tech stack that work
✅ Permission to go slow, small, and steady

The sacred work of fundraising isn’t just about asking - it’s about inviting. And invitations don’t always come with big applause. Sometimes they come through consistency. Through presence. Through a post no one ‘liked’ - but someone remembered.

So stay faithful.We need your voice.Want to keep going?

Schedule a no-strings-attached call with me. If we decide to continue in a coaching rhythm, 90-minute sessions are $300.

What’s one post you could write this week that builds trust with someone you haven’t met yet?

Let’s do it! I’m excited to work with you.

* * * * * * * * * *

‍If you haven't taken advantage of some of the resources I've created to help major gift fundraisers, take a look now!  Initial calls with me are free and "no strings attached".  Sometimes folks feel like they need to wait and not 'bother' me until they have a pressing issue.  No need for that...just make the call. 🕺

‍Here's where you can access a lot of content for free:

* (NEW) JappaFry Writer - A freely available AI tool that draws from over 175 pages of original teaching, storytelling, frameworks, and strategy from my 30 year career in major gift fundraising.

‍* Follow me on LinkedIn - You'll get short pro-tips and reflections on major gift fundraising every day between 5-7am pacific.

* Breakthru Newsletter - As you've seen here, these are longer weekly posts (audio and written) sent directly to your email.

* Breakthru Blog - the newsletter from the previous week gets posted here each week for everyone (so email subscribers get it a week early).

* Breakthru Podcast - Interviews with high net worth givers about how we as fundraisers can get better at inviting them to the party.  And audio readings of Breakthru Blog posts.

‍Before getting to the PAID stuff: My opinion is that no small ministry with a tight budget should be spending more than $3-5k (total) for major gift coaching/consulting.  Most of you will be good-to-go spending far less than that.  This was a major issue for me when I was a frontline fundraiser - major gift consultants were an expensive 'black-box-of-confusion' for me.  That stops now.

‍Here's the PAID stuff:

‍* Online Catalyst Course - This is a full brain dump of my 28+ years of experience - good, bad, ugly.  It's built around the fundamentals, the sacredness, and the fun, of major gift fundraising.  It's infused with Henri Nouwen reflections.  Many people can take this course and they will be 'cooking-with-gas' and not need any additional coaching from me on the core systems.  I'm grateful that this course has gotten *great* reviews.

* Live coaching with me - I refer to this as "brain rental".  The ROI on live coaching, as you might imagine, is extraordinary.

Finally, be sure to connect with my colleague Ivana Salloum.  She's super awesome and can help with scheduling and access to resources, etc.

I look forward to hearing about your good work!

Blessings,