If you’re like me, you get more and more Thank You messages about this time each year. Somehow, by taking a little extra time with the writing, by seeing this exercise as more than a chore to get done on schedule, they managed to capture...
Now is a good time to think back on all the best things that were made possible because of the appeal donations you received last year, and collect the best ones and share them with your donors in January. Call them....
To be most organizationally helpful, the process of strategic planning should be used to unify board and staff engagement and create buy-in. The process is as important as the result. ...
Organizations with Boards who take personal and collective responsibility for fundraising are also stronger and more sustainable than those who don’t....
This week, I’d like to offer an overall strategy for your membership, or annual giving campaign. Done well and consistently applied, this system has proven to build loyalty over time and raise steadily increasing funds for operations....
The 9th renewal letter still performs better than replacement efforts. I wouldn’t recommend that anyone use a nine-letter sequence as their core renewal strategy. Still, count me as a consultant who recommends that we not give up quite so easily on our individual donors. Don’t...
Q: How many times should you pester a donor?You should never (knowingly) “pester” a donor, period. The real question is this: “Where is the line between nuisance and helpful reminder?” I would answer the question this way: propose a target range for your renewal rate,...
What is the single most important thing you could change about your fall fundraising letter that would make the most difference in your returns? The single most important thing you can do to improve your returns this year is to ask for a specific amount...
At the Land Trust Alliance Rally, I particularly enjoyed this year's speaker Andy Goodman, who talked about the importance of good story-telling. Another blogger, Vu Le talks about how to make the most of downtime to cultivate new ideas and strengthen relationships....
If a major donor requests that their gift be treated as anonymous – even from the board, give the money back....