Clearly Communicate the Impact

Clearly communicating the innumerable ways you plan and hope to impact others' lives can be hard, to say the least. You want to be clear, but without so much detail that your listeners get bored. And you want to be visionary, but practical because you're going to be working hard every day.

There are a couple of principles to clearly communicating your desire and plan (vision and mission) to impact other's lives for the good. 

1. COMMUNICATE THE PROBLEM YOU'RE SOLVING

It's really possible that the person you're meeting with has no idea this is actually an issue in the world today. Educate them without insulting them! 

Tell them about what's happening - the nitty gritty, ugly parts of the story. You can't logically present a solution if you don't first present a problem to be solved.

2. INVITE PARTNERSHIP AROUND THE IMPACT

Communicate how people's lives will change as a result of your ministry. Beyond that, share the ways the family's life will change, the community could be changed, and even the country. Be clear about what success in your ministry looks like. Is it number of fresh water sources? The number of new and growing churches planted? Know what measurement you will use to show the impact so you can passionately invite others to join you.

THE ULTIMATE TEST

Could one of your current donors explain your ministry to a friend? How would they say it? 

How a financial partner explains the ministry ultimately reveals how effectively you've explained it in the first place. You can use this checklist when thinking through your presentation, allowing these questions to pull out the clearest parts of your ministry.

• Is my message simple?

• Is my message clear?

• Is my message life-changing?

• Is my message transferable?

Use the answers to these questions to provide a working outline as you present the problem and the impact to every person you talk to.