While there isn’t a silver lining to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is teaching (and forcing) nonprofits to pivot quickly. By that I mean that it’s forcing us to change our plans and adapt in real time. It’s hard to cope with and implement changes so quickly, but it is a [...]
It’s not insensitive to ask right now. It’s totally appropriate. Just as always, people can decline. But don’t deny them the opportunity! Most every donor has in their heart a desire to help and do good deeds – and sometimes this desire is especially strong during times like the ones [...]
You've probably heard by now that you shouldn't stop fundraising. That's true. However, now more than ever, you have to rely on your data to put you in front of the right donors to have the right conversations with. You don't want to miss a major donor gift by sending [...]
During the coronavirus outbreak, fundraisers are being bombarded with advice urging them to reach out to their donors now. As is the case during any situation, the more you segment your communications for specific audiences, the more likely those communications are to resonate with the recipient. Now, however, is a [...]
The Coronavirus has some brought some level of worry to all of us. We worry about the needs of those we serve, the needs of our community, the needs of our families, the needs of our organizations, and our own needs. The list goes on. These are unprecedented times. I [...]
We are living in strange, stressful and difficult times. Globally we are dealing with a pandemic that is deeply impacting people’s day to day lives and an economic recession is on the horizon. Chances are you might be working from home and that your nonprofit is having to rethink how [...]
In today's digital-dominated world, personal touches like handwritten notes and phone calls can break through the noise. Though mostly anecdotal, top fundraisers and consultants have espoused the power of such personal touches, particularly the use of the phone. We even have some data to back it up: McConkey-Johnston International in [...]
When donors make a year-end philanthropic gift they feel joyful. Seriously, MRI-based research has found when people give, or even contemplate giving, to others their brains light up. In a super good way. They receive a ‘feel good’ shot of dopamine that goes straight to the brain’s pleasure center – [...]
Stop colluding with your donors in the art of procrastination. Give to donors now. If you wait to be a giving friend, they’ll do the same. You don’t want donors who’ve just given to you to wait until next year at this time to give to you again. Do you? [...]
With the demand for content today, everyone is a writer. You can craft a whole sentence using emoticons 😎 and acronyms IMHO (in my humble opinion). But unambiguous writing requires a strong command of language. Good news: nonprofit writing tools can help you, whether you're a best-selling author or just [...]
How should you communicate with donors? Passionately! But I want you to think about this word from TWO perspectives: Your donor’s passions Your passions You see, even the most heartfelt fundraising appeal from you is not going to yield results if you send it to someone who doesn’t much care [...]
Important question, fundraiser. What portion of your job is communications? Answer: more than you probably realize. After all, two very large portions of the development cycle (cultivation and stewardship) involve a lot of communications. The nature and format of these communications can vary depending on whether you work with annual [...]