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12 human quirks you can use to fundraise better

We humans are quirky. You know fundraising is never as simple as asking for donations. Behind your ask is a world of study. We think about our language. We consider exactly what we’re asking for and why. And we keep the language clear and simple. We’re straightforward about the need and use stories to illustrate […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donor communications, Fundraising Tagged With: donor communications, Fundraising, neuropsychology Leave a Comment

Maximising Small Donations: How to Inspire Supporters to Give More

The largest gift I ever secured as a fundraiser was from a ‘small’ donation. In the days before Fundraising Everywhere, I worked in a small charity that received a trickle of new donations each week through our website or through the mail. We didn’t have a lot of budget initially and couldn’t afford any large-scale […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donor retention Tagged With: donor communications, donor relationships, donor retention Leave a Comment

Zoom in for more effective stories

Zoom in… How close can you get? If you want to write better, one resource I love is the Very Good Copy newsletter from Eddie Shleyner. Recently, he wrote about photography and zooming in to get a better image. He quoted photographer Robert Capa: “If your pictures aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough.” Getting […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donor communications, Fundraising Tagged With: appeal writing, donor communications Leave a Comment

How to raise more money? Less sell and more tell

Facts fail where stories sail. When I see what comes into my inbox or mailbox from nonprofits, the ones I shake my head at usually have something in common. They ask for a gift based on a list of statistics and accomplishments. And I understand the urge. You’re proud of the work you do. You’re […]

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

Choose Humanity: Why Real Conversations Beat Automation

Don’t automate your communication Every day it seems there’s another shiny new toy, based on AI, to make fundraising faster and easier. It’s surely tempting for an overworked nonprofit staffer with scary-big goals to hit. But while there are certainly areas that might be turned over to automation, communicating with the people who support your […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donor communications Tagged With: AI, donor care, donor communications Leave a Comment

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  • The new way to fundraise? Trust your mail.
  • Donor identity: How do your donors see themselves?
  • 12 human quirks you can use to fundraise better
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