How to Create a Donor-Centered Fundraising Letter
Asking for Donations, Donor-Centered Fundraising, Year-End Fundraising Campaigns Are you wondering how to really nail a donor-centered fundraising letter? Are you trying to create a letter for your annual campaign that can grab hold of your donor's attention quickly? And do you want to write a letter that just makes…
3 Tips for Improving Your Next Fundraising Appeal Letter
Annual Giving, Asking for Donations, Marketing & CommunicationsCan you write an amazing fundraising appeal letter? It's one of the most basic skills for every fundraiser. But are you getting your letters right? Or wrong? Here's how to nail your next fundraising appeal letter: 1. Make it all about the ask. That's…
How Introverts Can Be Very Successful Fundraisers
Asking for DonationsHere's the cliche - it takes a gregarious, extroverted person to enrapture donors and secure large gifts. But this is clearly NOT always correct! Introverts actually bring special skills that can be fabulous for major gift fundraising success. Our…
An Interview With Jerry Panas: The Master of Face-to-Face Fundraising
Asking for Donations, Fundraising StrategyOne Saturday in June I managed to snag master fundraiser Jerry Panas on the phone for an exclusive hour-long private interview, just for the INSIDERS - about successful face-to-face asks. I'm making this available today to everyone so they can…
Crowdfunding as a Serious Fundraising Strategy? Yes!
Asking for Donations, Major GiftsCan you really raise big money via social media? I used to roll my eyes when people talked about social media channels as fundraising tools. But I think I've seen the light! CROWDFUNDING has my serious attention now, and I think it…
How to Turn Regular Donors into Monthly Donors
Annual Giving, Asking for DonationsMonthly giving is one of the great pots of gold for you and your cause. It's one of the best ways to grow more funding from your current donors, instead of having to beat the bushes for new donors all the time. Don't forget that monthly…
How to Promote and Close Monthly Giving In Your Fundraising Appeal Letters
Annual Giving, Asking for Donations Can you pull in new monthly giving donors from your regular appeal letters? Yes, you really can. It's actually quite easy to generate new monthly donors via your regular direct mail fundraising program. Today we have a Guest Post from…
How to Write a Fundraising Appeal — Make Your Donor The Hero
Asking for Donations, Donor-Centered Fundraising You are planning those fall appeals right now, during the summer months. And it's time to start thinking about how you'll construct your appeal. Please Don't Make Your Letter the Same Old Ask I hope you are not planning to start out with…
This Tip Makes Asking for a Gift Much Easier and More Successful
Asking for DonationsIt's the scariest moment in fundraising. It's when you sit down with a prospective donor. You look them in the eye. And you ask for a gift. What would happen if you turned the conversation over to your donor? It could be quite different! Here…
How to Warm Up Your Donors for Big Major Gift Asks
Asking for Donations, Capital Campaign, Major GiftsDonors are people just like we are. They don’t want to be surprised by a solicitation. If you have a close relationship with your donor, then you’ll want to lay careful groundwork to prepare her. And you'll want to do this well before…
How to Drive Major Donors Away and Kill Off Your Major Gifts Program
Asking for Donations, Donor Cultivation, Donor-Centered Fundraising, Major GiftsHint: Your donor says to you, "I'm not an ATM." Have you ever had the sense that your major gift prospects are fleeing from you? Do they turn down your invitations for events, tours, even private VIP get-togethers? Do they refuse to see…
One Thing You Can and Must Do to Boost Your Year-End Fundraising Totals
Annual Giving, Asking for Donations, Marketing & Communications, Year-End Fundraising CampaignsJust think, 30% of your entire annual giving will occur in December. AND 10% of your entire annual giving is about to come in the door the last 3 days of this month. So do I have your attention? Who is going to get your donors' dollars? Here…
Phone Calls to Donors = Highly Profitable Fundraising
Annual Giving, Asking for Donations, Year-End Fundraising CampaignsAre you afraid of telephone fundraising? It can be scary to pick up the phone to call a donor or a potential donor! Especially when it’s so much easier to keep your polite distance and send a letter or an email solicitation. But stop a…
112 Tips to Raise More Money by Direct Mail Fundraising
Annual Giving, Asking for Donations, Marketing & Communications, Year-End Fundraising Campaigns Direct mail fundraising is a major workhorse for all nonprofits. And, yes, online giving and digital appeals are important - but donors pay far more attention to a paper letter that arrives in their mailbox. Here's a smart guide to help you…
5 Tips for Making Your Donors Love You
Annual Giving, Asking for Donations, Donor Cultivation, Fundraising Strategy, Marketing & CommunicationsYour donor has just sent in another gift! Hurray! So you reply with a wonderful, personal thank you note. And then you call her to say thanks. In addition to the paper letter that you send. Then what? You have to communicate with her…
A General Unrestricted Ask is LAZY Fundraising
Asking for Donations, Donor-Centered Fundraising, Fundraising StrategyI’m going out on a limb here to challenge one of the oldest and most cherished fundraising habits in our sector. Not to fear! I’m also showing you how to take that general ask and make it sharper, more urgent, and more compelling. I remember…