There's a System for That!

In the late '90s, I was working as the development director in a small office, and occasionally we'd get credit card gifts. I hated those because I never remembered how to process them! It was such a pain because I had to get the little instruction manual out and find the right page. It drained my energy just thinking about doing it! Obviously we didn't get many credit card gifts. It finally occurred to me to write down the steps and save them for the next time I needed them. So, I did. And it worked! The next time I needed to run a credit card gift, I picked up my "cheat sheet" and whizzed right through the process! I was elated! After that, I started creating systems for other tasks that were difficult, time-consuming or heart-sinkers (things that when you think about doing, your heart sinks).

Creating a system

It's quite easy to create a system. I encourage you to create systems for just about everything you do. (If you do something more than once, you need a system.) Systems help you provide consistent service to your donors and the community. They help you streamline your work and save time because you aren't reinventing the wheel every time something happens. Systems help you feel calmer and more confident because you know exactly what needs to be done and how to do it. And once you have a system in place, you can easily teach someone else what to do to help you.

Start by noticing all your daily tasks. Maybe even keep a log to track everything you do. Here are some things I recommend you create written systems for: gift entry (entering donor gifts in your software); thank-you letters; creating a newsletter; updating your mailing list; writing a fundraising letter; preparing a grant proposal; building relationships with major donors; planning 
a special event; updating your website; recruiting 
volunteers; and evaluating success for your fundraising efforts.