If we agree that we should develop messaging that resonates with our donors, what should we do when that messaging might be offensive to others? Take the case of donors who make substantial gifts to charities rather than leaving assets to their “good for nothing” adult children. I presented a “Storytelling for Fundraisers” workshop in…
Putting aside for a moment whether we should call them “target audiences” or not, it’s always good to remember that, as a nonprofit communicator or fundraiser, you are very rarely the kind of person that you are trying to communicate with. Even if you match the demographics, the fact that you are employed by your…
If you’ve been reading my blog for awhile, you’ll remember the “thank you” note experiment I did in 2008 and 2009. More recently, Marta Lindsey’s experiment on keeping all of the nonprofit direct mail she received for a year was also a big hit. So, I started thinking, what if a bunch of us picked…
Here’s a little holiday surprise for you, courtesy of my friend, movie buff, and fundraiser extraordinaire, Rob Blizard. I suspect many of us will be watching some old movies on the holiday break, and Rob gives you his take on a few of them with fundraising at the core of their plots. Given the active…
I’ve just re-released my popular e-book on how to write a nonprofit annual report. If you are struggling with how to produce one, this guide will answer your questions. This new edition covers the five essentials of a good annual report, as well as what I consider to be the best “new and improved” formats.…
Network for Good just released a new online giving study that provides all kinds of good ideas for increasing the amount of money you can raise online. It’s not about coming up with gimmicks; it’s about creating connections and building relationships with your donors. Here’s one of the central lessons from this study of over…
When Marta Lindsey, the communications and development director at TransForm, told me about her experiment to see what she could learn about fundraising from all the charity solicitations that arrived in her mailbox over one year, I immediately asked if she would share the story with you. Here’s Marta’s account of what she learned. A…
In the e-newsletter I sent out last week to our Learning Center members and others, I said that printed annual reports that are more than four pages long are a waste of time and money. I also said that you might not need to print one at all. I could hear the cries of Hallelujah! and…
You don’t want to let the end-of-year giving season pass you by. Several of the vendors who process online donations for nonprofits (e.g. Blackbaud, Convio, Network for Good) report that 45% – 50% of the online donations they process by total dollar amount take place between October and December. Network for Good says that a…
Next week on Tuesday, November 9, 2010, I’m presenting a webinar for CharityHowTo on Online Fundraising Fundamentals. If you are still trying to figure out how to make online fundraising work for you, I hope you’ll join us. I’ll be talking about what you need On your homepage On your donate page In your email communications In…
A new study called “Women Give 2010: New Research about Women and Giving” says women are more generous charitable givers than men. Evidence clearly shows that married couples give more and are more likely to give than singles, in large part because married people tend to be more connected socially, which is linked to philanthropic…
Think about your nonprofit’s newsletter. Does this sound familiar? You send it out 4-6 times a year. If it’s in print, it’s more than 4 pages long. If it’s an email, you have to scroll through more than three screens to see it all. It’s all about the work your staff is doing. It’s written…
