In honor of the last season of Game of Thrones, let’s talk about dragons. Besides being mythical (maybe), dragons are big and fire-breathing and terrifying. Not something you want to handle on your own. But for fundraising? You want a dragon. I don’t mean something imaginary. I mean something very real, very big and right […]
Fundraisers: why you should use stories, not statistics
The human mind is a wanderer by nature. The daydream is the mind’s default state. Jonathan Gottschall What do you like to read? I read a scary book recently. Dystopic, feminist, infuriating. And compelling. (Gather the Daughters, by Jennie Melamed) But it did what I look to fiction to do. It took me away, to […]
Do you have a thank you program?
Today, I want to amplify something Bloomerang wrote about in a recent article. There’s a specific good idea in the article (more on that, I promise). But there’s also a link to a terrific report about your thank you program. You don’t want to miss it! Yes, program. Do you plan thanking donors in those […]
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 […]
Are you doing email right?
Who remembers life without email? It’s easy to take for granted. But we have access to marvelous free or inexpensive tools that put email communications in every organization’s toolbox. The ease of use, and the proliferation of beautiful templates – ready made! – mean even someone with little experience can create beautiful emails. But are […]