Hands-On Fundraising

Donor Communications

  • About
  • Hands-On Fundraising Blog
  • Services
  • Contact

Do you want to reach more donors? Open your heart

My plea for emotional copywriting Successful fundraising is about reaching people where they make decisions… and that’s their hearts, not their heads. Emotional copywriting is effective copywriting. Writing to donors means using emotional copywriting. Yes, there are some “tricks” you can use to improve your appeal. Simple things, like better formatting. I’ve mentioned some ways you […]

Filed Under: Donor communications Tagged With: donor-centered fundraising, emotional appeal, fundraising appeal 11 Comments

Building a better appeal, part two

Last week, I wrote about your fundraising appeal and offered some steps to improve it. This week, with part two, we’ll pick up where we left off. Here’s what I want to share in both posts: Often missed ingredients for success You have to actually ask. Yes, your story is not, by itself, enough. Use […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donor communications Tagged With: donor-centered fundraising, fundraising appeal Leave a Comment

How to build a better appeal

Let’s be blunt: most fundraising appeals are well-meaning, but crap. Stuffy. Officious. Impersonal. Focused on the organization’s needs, not the donor’s dreams. The good news is you can start fixing that today, and I’ll show you how. This week and next, we’ll cover: Where to start? Before you even think about writing, think about preparing. […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donor communications Tagged With: donor-centered fundraising, fundraising appeal 7 Comments

Do you like me? You like me!

Let me ask you something: do you really like your donors? I don’t mean as a group or as an idea. I mean as people. Do you like them? I recently read an article by Roger Dooley at Neuromarketing. He was writing, as he often does, about Robert Cialdini and his findings about sales. Your instinct […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donors Tagged With: donor focus, donor-centered fundraising, neuroscience 2 Comments

Is our donor focus hurting or helping our nonprofits?

Or, why donor focus might not mean what you think it means. Vu Le of Nonprofit AF recently wrote a long, very thoughtful piece about donor-centrism. He hoped it would generate conversation. And I hope so, too. Vu is an amazing dynamo who is making change happen, not just in his organization, but across the […]

Filed Under: Blog, Fundraising Tagged With: donor love, donor-centered fundraising, donor-focused 14 Comments

  • 1
  • 2
  • Next Page »

Fundraising advice served fresh to your inbox

Get yours here:

Search

Recent Posts

  • Happiness is a gift you can give
  • Do your thank you letters need a little help?
  • 10 reasons your newsletter could raise more money
  • 5 Ways to Center Donors In Your Marketing Strategy
  • How to Create a Seamless Supporter Journey (and Build Loyal Donors for Life)

Work with me!

Let's talk about how I can help your organization raise more money.

Contact

  • Donor communications
  • Fundraising Strategy

Copyright © 2025 · Mary Cahalane · Hands-On Fundraising · 847 S. Main Street · #183 · Plantsville, CT 06479