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Donor Communications

Stop thinking about money!

Do we need to stop thinking about money? I was at a meeting the other day. A local foundation offered training about soliciting major donors. It was a small enough group that we had time to hash out a few hypothetical situations. A good session and well worth the hour or so. As is often […]

Filed Under: Annual Giving, Blog, Donor communications Tagged With: appeal writing, donor retention, Donors, money, relationships 3 Comments

Can I help you?

Can I help you? I am not a scientist. Mine is a brain made for metaphor, not molecules. But so long as I don’t need to crack a biology textbook, memorize the periodic table, or dissect a frog, I’m willing to dip a toe in. And one area I find fascinating is neuroscience. Why do […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donor communications, Donors Tagged With: Donors, helpfulness, neuroscience 5 Comments

Say it again!

Say it again! Why repetition works so well. Today I found myself hunting for an idea I’d seen for a lapsed donor appeal. My search took me to some letters I’d written years ago. I wrote the letters at my former organization. With a few years’ distance, I definitely found a few things I’d change. But […]

Filed Under: Annual Giving, Blog, Donor communications Tagged With: appeal writing, direct mail, Writing 3 Comments

Has your donor reached her limit?

Imagine how a donor feels when she’s reached her limit “No, we can’t do that. But it’s a good idea. You should definitely offer that suggestion.” “I can’t. I’ve run out of allowed suggestions.” “Oh, well, they limit them to make it easier on them.” Had enough yet? The above was a real conversation I […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donor communications, Fundraising Tagged With: Customer service, donor retention, Fundraising 8 Comments

The Oprah Syndrome

I think of it as The Oprah Syndrome. And if you raise money for a nonprofit, I’m betting you’ve run into it, too. Picture this: you’re at a board meeting. The topic of discussion is a forecast deficit for the year. “What are we to do?”, the finance chair moans. Board members look around, hoping […]

Filed Under: Annual Giving, Blog, Donor communications Tagged With: Donors, fundraising plans, Oprah Winfrey, relationships, strategic planning, wishful thinking 14 Comments

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