I've just reviewed results from three middle/major donor integrated direct response fundraising campaigns that my teams managed for various social service organizations over the last year. The numbers are astonishing!...
10 bad decisions nonprofits make
I'm going to rant for a minute here. Over the last six months I've explored more than five dozen nonprofit development operations, and in many ways I've been disappointed at...
Is it ever ok NOT to retain donors?
Maybe you saw this headline in The Chronicle of Philanthropy last Friday: Charities Lost 103 Donors For Every 100 Donors They Gained in 2014, Says Study. Nonprofits are right to...
What nonprofits can learn from reality TV
I asked Greg Warner, CEO/Founder of MarketSmart if he'd share his take on the two biggest mistakes that nonprofits make. And if you happen to know Greg (I'm thoroughly...
5 Great Online Tools For Nonprofits
I'm always on the lookout for new tools that make it easier for fundraising and nonprofit leaders to get their jobs done. Unique ways for nonprofits to engage their supporters,...
WEBINAR: Maximizing the Middle
Middle donors, like middle children, are often overlooked. Most nonprofits have defined major gift programs, and annual giving programs for lower level donors. Very few, however, spend the effort to...
Guest Post: The two biggest monthly giving mistakes nonprofits make
I'm launching a new series focused on the biggest fundraising mistakes nonprofits make. To kick off this series, I asked my friend Erica Waasdorp, author of Monthly Giving. The Sleeping...
Your donors are tired of being crappily asked
Last month Marc A. Pitman wrote on the myth of donor fatigue. Something Marc said stuck with me, and hit home like a hammer when I got an email solicitation...
Should you include a reply envelope in your thank you letters?
I get this question all the time! And I’m sure there are a lot of people who will disagree with me on this topic. My standard response to development directors...
The danger of nonprofits chasing discounts
A few years ago one of our nonprofit clients fired our firm because they found another fundraising agency that quoted them a cheaper price for their direct mail services. This other...