Muscle Walk Best Practices 101 2015-2016 Training designed for District staff – facilitated by DD

Agenda Program Strategy & Goals Best Practice Focus Areas Staff Relationship Active Fundraising Recognition Implementing Best Practices Overview of training Friday, November 30, 2018

Program Goals & Strategies Grow to be the largest muscle disease/ALS walk program, with annual $2M dollar increases ($9.8M 2016) Develop a series of volunteer committee Muscle Walks Utilize efficiencies to maximize outcomes   Muscle Walk Standards 60% family walkers; 20% community walkers; 20% sponsorship Revenue Ratio Use of Business Planning tool to identify to ensure event success/7% direct and 5% indirect expenses Execute Top 15 Teams recognition and retention strategy Day of Event Standards = 3k to 5k route and alternate shorter route; ADA accessible; Mission and Tribute activities; staging; sound; experience execution; no registration fee; day of event volunteers $25K net minimum size 100% CRM Standards = all participants and donors in Convio for tracking and cultivations; $800+ gala/golf donors entered into MaestroSoft for Mid-Level Gift Program. Review of 2016 strategies and MW Standards - why best practices exist is to support these Discuss what these strategies mean to local market if needed Friday, November 30, 2018

Muscle Walk Income Profile This is the healthy way to build a program/event that will grow year-after-year. The key is that building the foundation through family engagement is what makes the pyramid at each level stronger. The leads build from each level below. Friday, November 30, 2018

Best Practices: Staff Relationship & Cultivation Active Fundraising Recognition Transition slide Friday, November 30, 2018

Best Practices: Staff Executive Director Muscle Walk Lead Health Care Staff Fundraising Staff Administrative Staff DD to review the responsibilities for each of these roles as it relates to the local office Friday, November 30, 2018

Staff: Planning for Success Utilize business planning tool (Google Docs) Identify strengths and areas of opportunity for event Understand goals for: Family and community team recruitment Family team, community team and sponsorship income # of fundraising walkers needed # of fundraising teams needed Focus on Top 15 Teams and Top 15 Participants Utilize event timeline tool (MWRC) Identify benchmarks for recruitment and income progress based on prior year trends that accounts for current year growth too Create “visual” in office to support key timeline benchmarks DD share how they look at planning tool and expectations of district staff in using Why top 15 teams and participants? Friday, November 30, 2018

Staff: Planning for Success Gap/Stop-Start Meetings ½ Day Meetings with all staff working on Muscle Walk Discuss current progress and identify gaps to goal and action steps required to reach goals Should hold minimum of 1 of these meetings at least 6 weeks out from event. Ideally, hold 2 or 3 of these meetings at the 6, 10 and 14 week out from event mark Weekly/Bi-Weekly/Monthly Muscle Walk Meetings Consistent 30-60 minute meetings between ED and MW Lead to review progress towards goals, initiatives and communications upcoming and overall event review Have monthly status meetings with DD Weekly Communications MW Lead should email weekly update to all staff with goals, results and spotlight on areas of focus needed in coming week Gap meetings: Friday, November 30, 2018

Recruitment Best Practices Clinical & Family Service Opportunities Email Schedule disease specific recruitment emails through Convio utilizing the registered families information from STARS. Begin sending when websites launch Phone Outreach “Call Nights” Year-Round, once a month During active recruitment for event, minimum 2-3 times per month Strategic approach (disease specific, camp families, etc) Snail Mail Save the date postcards should be sent to all registered families Team Captain kits should be mailed to all teams that register My Wish postcards from summer camp should be sent to camp families Clinic opportunities: Year-round recruitment at clinic, support groups and educational seminars utilizing printed materials on MWRC Ex: Fight Back 1-pager, Team Captain Kits, Save the Dates and Posters Talking points are available on MWRC for how to talk about Muscle Walk to families, community members and those that have lost a loved one Clinic, Support Groups & Educational Seminars If possible, have laptop with event website available for registration while at clinic Should return to office with overview of leads, those that said yes and follow-up steps needed Friday, November 30, 2018

Team Captain Cultivation Best Practices 1:1 Meetings Top 15 Teams from prior year event should have minimum of one in-person meeting starting at least 20 weeks out from event Emails Follow national email guidelines for sending recruitment & engagement emails through Convio Personal emails should be sent based on relationship and need Snail Mail Utilize hand-written notecards for acknowledgement (send timely as actions are achieved) Utilize postcards on MWRC for acknowledgement (send timely as actions are achieved) New Team Captains Have 1:1 meetings with all new team captains, as they register. The key to a strong relationship is rooted in the foundation of how the relationship starts. Follow above email and snail mail recommendations Friday, November 30, 2018

Cultivation Best Practices Friday, November 30, 2018

Coaching Methods Calls Emails 1:1 In-Person Workshops & Kick-Offs Set benchmarks & expectations Consider the experience Emails Concise Action oriented Tells the story 1:1 In-Person Support Learn their story & Help them share it Identify opportunities & set clear expectations RELATIONSHIPS Workshops & Kick-Offs Group effort with individual approach Their experience Sense of community Karen: Use the coaching checklists available Use the segmented emails and research info on Wired website to help customize the experience – team kickoffs to discuss research specific info

Coaching Methods Calls Emails 1:1 In-Person Workshops & Kick-Offs Set benchmarks & expectations Consider the experience Emails Concise Action oriented Tells the story 1:1 In-Person Support Learn their story & Help them share it Identify opportunities & set clear expectations RELATIONSHIPS Workshops & Kick-Offs Group effort with individual approach Their experience Sense of community These four methods are the best practices of coaching to create active fundraising. Questions to ask/discuss: What advantages does 1:1 coaching give us? What advantages does emails give us? What advantages does calls give us? What advantages do workshops/kickoffs give us? The key is that all 4 methods are necessary with each event in order to have success. Events that see growth each year and reach goal use all 4 methods with each team/participants based on what is best for the team/participant. Friday, November 30, 2018

Best Practices: Active Fundraising Online Fundraising Coach team captains and participants to follow online fundraising best practices: Personalize fundraising page with their personal story of why they participate Personalize fundraising page with a photo Send donation emails to contacts. Encourage participant to start small and ask the first 5 people they think are most likely to give. This helps them build confidence in asking for donations. Offline Fundraising When coaching Team Captains, discuss offline team fundraising plans. Use Fundraising in 90 Seconds activity to help brainstorm ideas that are meaningful to the team captain. (find what is of interest to them and their team and how can be a fundraiser. Ideas that are easy to execute = success) Friday, November 30, 2018

Best Practices: Active Fundraising Circle of Strength Fundraising participants is key to future growth. Participants who are part of COS ($500) are important and need to be supported, actively coached and recognized Incentives National incentive program is designed to encourage participant fundraising and move them up the levels of fundraising. Connect their goals to the incentive levels When participants register utilize incentive flyer in coaching meetings and mailings to promote opportunities to fundraise and earn incentives T-Shirts Every individual who raises $100 earns the MW t-shirt Opportunity to coach to minimum fundraising level with each participant Frequency of when we should coach… Friday, November 30, 2018

Best Practice: Recognition When asked, the #1 thing Muscle Walk participants said would encourage them to fundraise MORE… RECOGNITION (through personal touches, website, email, social media and day-of event) Friday, November 30, 2018

Best Practices: Recognition Personal Touches Send handwritten notes/postcards to team captains and/or participants for actions like: registering online, securing registered walkers on team, reaching 50% of goal, reaching 100% of goal, making self-donation, getting first donation, reaching Circle of Strength/earning T-shirt/earning incentive, etc Circle of Strength Call all PY Circle of Strength members to say thank you at the launch of coming year Call current year Circle of Strength members to say thank you and congratulate as they reach the $500 and $1000 COS levels Mail the “We’re So Grateful” postcard to all current year Circle of Strength members (send minimum 2-3 times leading up to event to capture all members) Friday, November 30, 2018

Best Practices: Recognition Social Media Give shout-outs to return and new teams, recommit and new sponsors Share Why I Walk stories Always include the link to register for event in social media posts Day-of Event Signage recognizing Circle of Strength members Shout-outs during program to top fundraising teams and top fundraising individuals Shout-outs to teams for lifetime fundraising benchmarks (i.e. 5 years of participation and raised $10,000, etc) Friday, November 30, 2018

Best Practices: Recognition Email Share success stories in coaching emails. Shout-outs for reaching 50% of 100% of goals along with the “how” getting to goals Website Use the News and Announcements section of website to acknowledge return teams, teams or individuals who have reached goals, return teams who have come back for their 5th year, new teams, etc. Update this section once every other week throughout active cycle of event. Staff Recognize staff who are progressing weekly Celebrate as individual staff reach benchmarks and/or goals Celebrate as staff team reaches benchmarks/goals Recognize staff who personally reach the Circle of Strength club Friday, November 30, 2018

Implementing Best Practices Friday, November 30, 2018

Implementing Best Practices Create outreach plan Assign specific roles to staff Review plan often & ensure completion. Make adjustments as needed Stay focused on relationships Relationships = Results Friday, November 30, 2018

Friday, November 30, 2018