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Donor Communications

What’s in a name? Respect

Do names matter? A few weeks ago, Roger Craver wrote about an issue dear to my heart. Having been caught in a tweetstorm with Whiny Donor, my tweets on the subject were mentioned. Whiny, Clay Buck, Tom Ahern, and I all complained about how organizations ignored our names because using two different names on a […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donor communications, Donors Tagged With: donor data, donor relations 6 Comments

How to use awe to raise more money

Goosebumps. We’ve all had them. Sometimes it’s just a reaction to cold. But I’m talking about the other ones. You know what I mean. The ones that break out when we’re really moved. The feeling you get when you stare at a starry sky and think about how huge the universe is. Our involuntary reaction […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donor communications Tagged With: awe, emotional fundraising 5 Comments

Can you feel it? How you can use the power of metaphor

How can you use the power of metaphor to improve your fundraising? I recently read a fascinating article about how we react to metaphors. I want to share some of what I read. Because understanding this powerful device can help you reach right into your readers’ minds – and touch their hearts. You probably learned […]

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

GivingTuesday is a day, not a strategy

So, GivingTuesday has come and gone again. And many of us will have experienced the email onslaught. And maybe feel a little grouchy about it all. I’ve heard about organizations sending hourly emails out on the big day. I wonder if that’s working for them? And I wonder what it’s costing them… in time, in […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donor communications Tagged With: communication plans, fundraising strategy, GivingTuesday 2 Comments

Watch your weenie words

I call them weenie words. Hedges. Qualifiers. And I don’t like them. Now, I don’t think of myself as a bold person. As a kid, I was an eager follower, not the leader. I do more listening than talking, content to let someone else lead the conversation. I’m cautious. I don’t make fast decisions. But […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donor communications Tagged With: donor communications, fundraising appeal, thank you 2 Comments

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