Don't take your major donors out of the direct mail stream. This is one of the worst things you can do for your organization. Typically this happens for one of...
Direct Mail Fundraising Tip of the Week (#11)
One page. Two pages. Eight pages. There is no right or wrong length for direct mail fundraising letters. Don't believe what anyone tells you about this. Those are personal biases...
Do you know what it takes to get major gifts?
Your board might think it takes a cocktail party or gala event to get major donors to give. Sometimes that's true. Others in the organization probably think you spend your...
Direct Mail Fundraising Tip of the Week (#10)
Handwriting increases performance. Ink on paper (especially blue ink) does wonders for improving results. The added personalization and authentic feel handwriting provides can help increase both response rate and average...
How do your prospects rank on the 3 C’s?
All indications are major gift revenue will rebound throughout 2012 (compared to 2010/2011). This is great news! Are you ready to take advantage of this impending increase in major gifts?...
Direct Mail Fundraising Tip of the Week (#9)
Increase your response rates by including mission-relevant involvement devices in your direct mail. These aren't premiums like address labels. Instead, I'm talking about items that require the donor to interact...
Why Nonprofits Don’t Do Big Things
Phil Stolberg over at Grizzard Communications Group wrote an interesting blog post this morning. In his post, Next Big Things for Nonprofits, he said: ...if one can change television channels...
Direct Mail Fundraising Tip of the Week (#8)
The priorities are 1) Audience, 2) Offer, and 3) Creative. In that order. When building a direct mail fundraising campaign it is often tempting to focus the most time and...
Does Your Newsletter Make These 4 Fatal Mistakes?
Newsletters can be a powerful tool both for your organization's fundraising and stewardship efforts. Often newsletters can raise just as much - if not more - than your solicitations. And...
Direct Mail Fundraising Tip of the Week (#7)
Recency is key in direct mail fundraising. Most nonprofit board members and executives (and even some fundraisers) don't want to believe it, but your best potential donors are those who...