What if gratitude wasn’t something to check off your to-do list? What if gratitude made you and your donors feel great? What if gratitude made it much more likely your donors would remain your donors? Smart fundraisers understand that giving is personal and emotional. They understand that there is much more to raising money than […]
What does donor love really mean?
Is donor love just a tactical means to an end? Is it a recognition that fundraising should be about relationships, not transactions? It can mean a lot of things. But today, I want to say it’s about recognition, respect and shared values. Recognition Not everyone is your potential donor. The people who do choose your […]
5 ways to win back your lapsed donors
What is a lapsed donor? Yes, of course, a donor who hasn’t given in a while. But how do you define that period? How long do you consider a donor active? Experts tell us that after a first gift, you need to thank donors, report back on the impact of their gift and ask again […]
Do you want to get bigger? Think small.
Everybody is nobody From time to time, I get an email from someone looking for fundraising help. They want to know how they can get their message out to everyone. So, first, let me clear something up: fundraising consultants do not have a magic contact list you can use. And while I admire their conviction […]
Dear fundraiser: are you making these big mistakes?
∗This post was originally published several years ago. I’ve updated it to include some helpful comments from colleagues. I hope you enjoy it! Dear Fundraiser, Some things you do really bug me. As your colleague, I’m cheering for your success. So in a helpful spirit, I offer you my list below. I wish you wouldn’t: […]