Hurricanes, Mysteries and Fundraising

A factor both hurricanes and mysteries have in common is this: At the start you can’t be certain exactly how it will turn out. This is also true for your fundraising appeals – whether sent via direct mail, email, or any other marketing channel.  You hope for the best but you can’t be 100% certain […]

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3 Steps to Strategically Mobile Nonprofits

One way or the other ALL nonprofits ought to be involved with mobile.  On one end of the spectrum this only involves getting your website and emails mobile-friendly.  And on the other end it means also having a completely integrated marketing and fundraising program that incorporates text cultivation messages, mobile ads, and mobile giving. However you proceed, […]

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6 Tips for Monthly Giving and Direct Mail Programs

Last week I attended the DMANF Conference in Washington DC.  Lots of great ideas on what’s working today were shared.  Here are six tips – ideas, suggestions, practices – on monthly giving programs and direct mail programs for nonprofits. In case you were wondering, these ideas and practices came from a session I attended on […]

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Giving once. Giving twice. SOLD! To the charity with the right message!

WHY do people give to your charity?  What influences them to send you that first gift . . . and then a second one? Additional findings were released last week from the Heart of the Donor study by Russ Reid Company and Grey Matter Research & Consulting.  You may recall that one of the very […]

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It Pays to Advertise

Yeah; I know a lot of folks working at nonprofits dislike advertising and marketing.  But whether YOU call it that or not, you’re already doing a boatload of marketing.  And I think online advertising offers an opportunity you shouldn’t ignore. Why do I say that?  As more newspapers, magazines, news sources and books continue to move […]

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Are You Nickel-and-Diming Your Donors?

These days I avoid flying commercial like the plague.  It’s a miserable chore. It is one inconvenience and imposition piled upon another.  Complying with securing regulations means partially undressing in public.  Customer service is as obsolete as the Knights of the Round Table.  And they nickel-and-dime you to death.  Flying itself is great!  My husband […]

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Make a connection … Generate a spark … Get a donation

Want to spark a response?  Connect your fundraising, acquisition and cultivation messages correctly … and you generate a spark.  That spark inspires more prospects, donors and members to respond to your call-to-action. What do I mean? First, people need to be reassured each step of the way by seeing the answers to questions like these: […]

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Fundraising appeals written with style

On my desk is a great book called, “The Elements of Style” by Strunk & White.  Every experienced professional copywriter I know has this book. Get the book.  Study the book.  Use what you learn to create your own writing style for fundraising appeals. Relax.  I’m not a strict grammarian.  And I’m not saying you […]

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Wings of Hope – Wings of Peace

It might be safe to say that every charity strives to bring more hope to our world.  Today I share a story about a charity that brings hope to people on wings . . . the wings of aircraft. As a private pilot I’m naturally drawn to any charity that uses aviation to help people.  But […]

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Mobile for Nonprofits myths dispelled – Interview with mGive on a landmark survey

Yesterday I had a delightful phone interview with Jenifer Snyder, executive director of The mGive Foundation. She is very passionate about her work in helping nonprofits raise awareness, raise funds, and cultivate relationships with donors and prospects through the mobile channel. Earlier today the Foundation published a press release announcing the results of a survey […]

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