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Donor Communications

If you make people cry are you a bully?

Are emotions manipulative? What about images? Is it bad if people cry? When we nonprofits tell a story that shares the needs of a beneficiary, we don’t create the tension that the donor feels. The story just reveals the internal tension the donor holds between how the world is and how they believe the world […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donor communications, Fundraising Tagged With: donor communications, emotional fundraising Leave a Comment

When you’re too big to succeed

Too big to succeed? My family recently made what was for us a large gift to a national charity. The response was underwhelming, and that’s being kind. An 8.5 x 14 sheet of paper, with the bottom being a tear-off, generic response form. The thank you letter – such as it was – consisted of […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donor communications, Fundraising Tagged With: donor care, thank you letters 4 Comments

What do you have to offer?

I’ve been gobbling up a series Steven Screen has been writing about your fundraising offer. Go read everything he’s been writing! This is such a critical part of any appeal you will send. Yet, it’s often overlooked. And that’s a shame because when you can work out the offer the rest of the piece is […]

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

Can fundraisers be both human and smart?

I received a lovely email from the Fundraising Everywhere folks. In it was a piece by Wayne Murray. He urged all of us in the nonprofit sector to be more human. That gets a rousing YES! From me. But then we veered from the big picture – keeping fundraising human – to tactics like font […]

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

5 Ways Mobile Apps Can Support Your Fundraising Strategy

These days, it seems like there are mobile apps for everything. Online shopping, stargazing, photo editing, meditation — the list goes on. Apps can help you figure out what to cook for dinner. They can keep you from getting bored in a waiting room. Or introduce you to your new favorite music.  Mobile apps are […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donor communications Tagged With: fundraising strategy, mobile fundraising Leave a Comment

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