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Donor Communications

Mind the gap

It can be the toughest part of your fundraising communications to grasp. Like a slippery fish, it keeps jumping from your grasp. I’m talking about your fundraising offer, of course. The gap that describes your need. The central part of fundraising that’s so easy to slide over, or step around. The guts of the whole […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donor communications Tagged With: appeal writing, donor communications Leave a Comment

All about donor newsletters

Many years ago, I began reading about something new to me. Tom Ahern tipped me off to donor newsletters. Though I’d been in fundraising for nearly ten years by then – focused on individual donors and annual giving – I tended to think of newsletters as something very large organizations sent. (And those were often […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donor communications Tagged With: donor newsletters Leave a Comment

Beginner? How to write appeals that work

It’s been a long time, but I remember when I first began writing appeals. This was before we had access to the internet and a huge amount of information at our fingertips. I was smart enough to subscribe to Jerry Huntsinger’s newsletter, though. (On paper, mailed to me!) As I mentioned recently, I took my […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donor communications Tagged With: appeal writing, donor communications Leave a Comment

Empowering donors: measuring impact

We’ve got work to do. I recently read a piece from Give.org, “Public Perceptions of Charity Impact.” In it, they refer to their recently released Special Donor Trust Report. And one of the findings left me with my head in my hands. Those with household income above $200k who report they know the meaning of […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donor communications, Nonprofits Tagged With: donor communications, impact, Nonprofit 1 Comment

Don’t invoice me when you want a gift

Playing cute tricks with donors isn’t the win you think it is I’ve been stewing about a certain kind of gift solicitation. I’ve hesitated to write about it. But I get more annoyed the more I think about the damage these things can do. Want some examples? This is an email I got. (Good organization; […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donor communications Tagged With: appeals, donor care, donor choice 15 Comments

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