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How hard are you making it to give?

How hard are you making it to give? Seriously, giving shouldn’t be so confusing. The other day as we paid our bills, my husband and I pulled an appeal from our pile to make a donation. Then we turned the response form over and over, trying to figure out what to do. I’m a professional… […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donor communications Tagged With: direct mail appeals, donor appeals, donor frustration 2 Comments

You just haven’t earned it yet, baby: 5 ways to start

Every time I hear a frustrated fundraiser talk about donors who aren’t giving, that lyric pops into my head. (In case you don’t know, it’s thanks to Steven Patrick Morrissey and Johnny Marr, of course). I know it’s human nature to look around for someone to blame when things don’t go as planned. And right […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donor communications Tagged With: appeal writing, donor appeals, donor-focused, writing for donors 2 Comments

Beware these pitfalls if you want to raise more money

Beware these pitfalls if you want to raise more money Indulge me, will you? There are some common words or phrases that I see in too many appeals (and annual reports or even thank you letters) that set my teeth on edge. You’ll find me, almost daily, sorting my mail and shaking my head. So […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donor communications Tagged With: donor appeals, donor care, donor focus 3 Comments

Why it’s smart to love your donors for who they are

Why it’s smart to love your donors for who they are Identity matters. So are we letting a few verbs stand in the way of better solicitations? I read an article in the New York Times about the U.S.’s struggles with low voter turnout. One point made was that an experiment showed identity mattered more […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donor communications Tagged With: donor appeals, donor retention, neuropsychology 1 Comment

Are you using the magic fundraising word?

Are you using the magic fundraising word? Wait, fundraising magic? You’ve heard it before: a magic word that will transform your fundraising. The word is YOU. So you dutifully make sure that word is everywhere. But maybe it doesn’t do as much magic as you’d expected. You is magic, but there’s more to it than […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donor communications Tagged With: donor appeals, donor as hero, donor focus 1 Comment

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