Donor Cultivation and Natural Disasters [infographic]

Not every nonprofit has a mission to help people after a natural (or man-made) disaster. The Red Cross immediately comes to mind but they’re certainly not the only one. Yet whether you do or don’t have such a mission, you can still help your supporters deal with disasters … this includes associations. I see it as another […]

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5 Most Common Mistakes in Fundraising Copy

Although my complete list of common mistakes in fundraising copy is much longer, these five mistakes top the list. All types and sizes of organizations are guilty: Large and small, charities and associations alike. Yes, far too many nonprofits consistently write copy filled with these mistakes. Countdown of the top 5 mistakes in fundraising copy: 5) Assume a level […]

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Only a “skeleton” will do for these donors and members

And no, this has nothing to do with Halloween. I’m referring to the amount of copy that remains after merciless editing for a mobile-friendly version of your story. When people pick up their mobile device it’s primarily because they’re killing time. They’re waiting in the doctor’s office and want to pass the time. They’re riding […]

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Kung Fu Marketer

Agility. Flexibility. Innovation. Creativity. Ability to adapt to changing technology. These are the characteristics of today’s Kung Fu Nonprofit Marketer. Why “Kung Fu?” I finally saw the movie Kung Fu Panda and loved it! Quite entertaining. The panda is named Po and he got plopped into a situation he wasn’t prepared for. He knew the […]

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Because You Care and THEY Need to Know You Care

You care about the people who support your nonprofit. And they need to know it. They need to hear this message often. Your donors, members, volunteers, advocates, etc. need to be continually reassured that you don’t merely view them as a source of money. And that brings me to my topic for today. This is […]

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Raise Awareness and Stretch Your Nonprofit Budget

“Our biggest challenge is trying to market on an extremely limited budget. We are always looking for tips on how to network and get our word out more effectively. We are also in need of increasing our membership base and corporate support as well.” Those are the words in an email from the Marketing Manager […]

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We really don’t know you

I received a telemarketing call last week from a charity. However, it took some effort to figure that out. At first she only identified herself as Rachel and asked how I was doing. I was puzzled. She talked like she was a friend of mine yet I couldn’t place her. The only Rachel I know […]

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This is hard work!

How many times do you rewrite your appeals before dropping them in the mail, or before you hit the “send” button? Do you simply read it over and run spell-checker? Maybe you make a few tweaks and decide you’re “good to go.” After all, anyone can write a letter or email for goodness sake! Hmmm […]

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Seasonally Social – Social Media That Is

Many people use social media to gather online with family and friends. To socialize … share news and photos … and so much more. And during the holiday season the activity increases. How can your nonprofit be seasonal with its social media? How can you have a bit of social fun, build loyalty, and even […]

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Votes Tallied. Classifications of Small, Medium & Large Nonprofits Set

Just over a month ago I reached out to the nonprofit industry. I asked leaders at nonprofits, colleagues at agencies, and other professionals to cast their vote to help establish classifications of nonprofit organizations by size. Specifically by annual gross receipts.  Once I made adjustments to the SMALL classification and broke it down farther, 88.6% […]

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