How to segment and personalize your year-end fundraising campaign
It is year-end campaign planning time.
Far too often I see organisations using a blanket approach with their donor base. With a few minor tweaks in their strategy, they can increase their revenues by a third, sometimes even double.
What…
How to find new donors for your nonprofit organisation
Each year, approximately 10% of your non-profit donor base will attrition naturally through death, moving, or just not giving any longer. Then you add lapsed donors on top of that natural attrition, and you are looking at an eroding donor…
How to have an immediate impact in your new fundraising position
You have just been offered a job as a Director of Development and now what?
Well, over the past twenty years, I have had my share of jobs and have started some fundraising offices within nonprofits as part of my consulting practice. As a…
How to ensure the success of your next fundraising campaign
Often, I get asked, "What is the magic behind a successful fundraising campaign?"
Well, it is not all magic. There is some science. And, with over twenty years of experience, I am going to share the top tips that have made it all "seem"…
How to create donor recognition opportunities for your fundraising campaign
An important part of any fundraising campaign is how you plan on recognizing your donors at different giving levels. While donor recognition opportunities do not motivate all donors, the fact is that some are. And, you need to be prepared to…
How to follow up on your direct mail appeal letter
Do you mail a spring or fall direct mail appeal letter and hope for the best? Well, "a wing and a prayer" is not a strategy. A strategy by definition is a plan of action or policy designed to achieve a major or overall aim.
Here are some…
How to calculate your key fundraising metrics
Now that it is development planning season for many with the start of a new fiscal year looming, I am often asked, where do you start first when putting together your development plan and calendar.
Well, for me, I start at the beginning.…
How to engage your Board in fundraising before the ask or the thank you call.
Just this week, I was working with a client, and we were discussing Board member engagement in fund development. The assumption was, ho hum, "they just won't participate." It was then that I came across a blog article outlining all of the…
How to turn your fundraising event attendees into supportive donors
Spring is the season of Galas or so it seems.
And, rightly so, the weather is turning warmer and everyone's thoughts seem to be on getting out after a long winter.
I am often asked by organisations who are holding galas or other fundraising…
How to create a quick and easy fundraising plan to help you reach your goals
So, maybe you have been operating without a plan up until now. And, that is ok, but it is not strategic, and to meet your goals, you need to have a plan that you follow, monitor, and correct if needed.
Here are some simple instructions on…
How your direct mail appeal letter typesetting can help your letter raise more money
One may think that the content or copy of a direct mail appeal letter is King (or Queen), but studies have found that there is something else as equally or maybe even more important than what the letter says.
What is that one thing?
Typesetting. …
How you can find prospective donors for even your small nonprofit
One may think that there are only a limited number of donors to go around, but think again.
In my work, I assist small to mid-sized organisations in running their first capital campaigns. Many do not have established donor bases to tap into…
