Being in the non-profit field is not an easy path. It takes a lot of fortitude, commitment, and a super strong belief in the cause with which you’ve aligned your self and your soul. Over the years, I’ve referred to this poster (shown above). It’s taped on the wall in my office and sometimes I…
What’s the worst donor experience you’ve ever had? I’m pretty hard to rattle. Sometimes I hear stories from donors about their experiences with the charities they support that shock me. There are the rare one or two that have actually made me mad. This one did both. My friend and I were discussing the organizations…
You may think it’s common sense. But, you would be surprised at how many non-profit organizations use these two words so sparingly, they’re hardly being uttered. Certainly, they’re not being said enough. Those two words are, Thank You! When we get our fundraising hats on, get our plans out and start plotting our outreach efforts,…
Many of us in fundraising didn’t come here naturally. I started my career in sales, an artist’s rep for commercial photographers. I loved that job, not only because I was able to surround myself with incredibly creative people, but also because I loved creating relationships. Our clients were important to us for repeat business, no…
One of the most important measures of a healthy non-profit organization is their rate of donor retention. In other words, do you have an avid audience who is eating up every word and deed you’re doing, and then passing it on? Does this translate into donors giving again? The numbers don’t lie. From the Fundraising…
How do you think the new tax bill will affect your contributions this year? My first thought is “Bummer! I’m likely not going to be able to deduct my charitable contributions from my taxes this year”. And then…, “but, yay on the new, higher, standard deduction!” So, there it is. Not much of an impact…
3 easy ways to generate a reaction of “wow” with your donors. One might read this headline and think it’s about how to get that giant contribution to come your way. You’d be wrong! 🙂 This is about how to make the first-time donor say, “Wow” when they hear back from you after they’ve made…
Donor Retention Rates Need Your Attention Only 2.5% of charities have a donor retention rate of 70 percent based on the Association of Fundraising Professionals study. Did you get that? Two and a half percent! That means more than a quarter of your donors won’t be back. Why should you care about this? Because it’s…
Donor retention comes down to this: Make your donors the hero of the story (because they are). It’s the time of year that donors are considering their year-end giving. And, it’s the time of year when those of us that work in fundraising are honing our letters, our emails, our social media engagement content. So,…
The most important step in a donor stewardship or retention plan is the phone call after a gift is made. Here are two reasons why this is so important for your organization. I know you know this, but here is your gentle reminder. 🙂 Why Not Call Your Donors? We’ve heard it all before. Maybe…