If part of your work is communicating with donors, your job might be getting harder. We’ve heard that human attention spans are now shorter than those of goldfish. We know more people are reading online, and fewer are reading on paper. We have also known that there is a pattern to how people read – […]
Donor CARE – and you
We never met in person. But John Haydon was my friend. There’s a good possibility he was yours, too. That’s just how he was. On March 8th, I joined a large group of his family and friends at a memorial service. It was so well suited to John – leaving people moved and sad, but […]
The important ways you say something without words
What are you really telling donors? Last week, my friend Clay wrote a terrific piece about the importance of data in your fundraising program. You can – and should – read it here. (Don’t worry, I’ll wait.) Clay makes an important argument for not overlooking the “little” things. Hand data entry over to a novice, […]
Why sincere is better than clever
We have all made mistakes. That might be the most universally correct statement ever. (Or not!) Admitting to them can be embarrassing. But it can also be educational. Today, I want to use early mistakes of mine to underline why we should avoid the temptation to be clever when we can be sincere instead. At […]
Year-end tips for the beginning of the year
Can we talk about year-end fundraising now? Because maybe thinking about the crazy days while they’re still fresh will help make 2020 year-end easier. I’ve been involved in a conversation on Twitter recently with other nonprofit fundraisers and a few smart donors. The conversation veered from “My inbox is exploding!” and “I gave three months […]