Don't hide your ask deep in your letter. If you're spending the money to send out direct mail solicitations, don't be shy! Prominently and repeatedly make your ask. In fact,...
This is why your special event doesn’t raise more money
Do you ever wonder why your events aren't raising more money? Why more people don't make pledges and why pledge amounts are decreasing instead of increasing? It's the economy,...
Focus on user experience in the mail too, not just online (Tip #16)
Increase response rates by pre-filling your donors' personal information on your direct mail reply cards. It might be tempting to just leave these blank (it's probably modestly cheaper than pre-filling),...
Qualifying major gift prospects is a lot like fishing…
I’m not a big fisherman, but I know enough to get by. Here’s why I think fishing and qualifying major donor suspects is similar... When you’re out in the boat...
What story is your nonprofit telling?
In Dan Portnoy's new book, The Non-profit Narrative, (a great read, by the way), Dan says: Nonprofit organizations weren't started to consistently ask for money and talk about the troubles of keeping the...
Is it a good idea to send political money to nonprofits?
Have you seen this article from Chronicle of Philanthropy? Group Wants to Steer Political-Campaign Money to Charity April 12, 2012, 10:48 am A new Web-based company is seeking to reduce the...
Why your nonprofit story needs tension and emotion
Tension is the element of story-telling you need to communicate well in the midst of your organization's crisis moment. Tension draws the audience into the experience...Emotions are an essential part...
The value of personalization in your direct mail (Tip #15)
Personalization is key. With the technology available today, there's no reason you should be sending targeted direct mail to any donor or prospect and addressing it to "Dear Friend" (or...
Fundraising and the Executive Suite
Good, bad or ugly (err...otherwise), Executive Directors set the tone for philanthropy in any nonprofit. For many organizations, this is wonderful news. There are some amazingly talented executives who are...
Communicating differently via mail with middle and major donors (Tip #14)
Middle and major donors require a different treatment in the mail than your regular donor base. These donors tend to prefer longer letters. Closed-face envelopes, higher quality paper, First Class...