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Please stop killing your fundraising to please the boss.

I’ve been writing fundraising copy for a long time. And from the very start, I faced one problem over and over and over again. No. Though those pop up all the time. What has consistently gotten in the way is interference from people who aren’t focused on fundraising. It might be the boss. Or the […]

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

Stubborn as #$%*

Call it commitment. Or maybe, determination. Possibly, just sheer cussed stubbornness. Whatever you call it, it’s the key to a successful annual giving program. Here’s the thing: I could write a really good appeal. The data could be in great shape. The stars might all align and the message, audience, and timing could be perfect. […]

Filed Under: Annual Giving, Blog Tagged With: annual giving program, donor communications Leave a Comment

People are people… even donors

Let’s talk about donors. We fundraisers seem to have complex feelings about donors. Are they your boss? Do you need to worry about a “savior complex”? Or are they a source from which you extract money? Are they friend or foe? People are people… and donors are people, too. To borrow from Depeche Mode, donors […]

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

Your small fundraising team can do big things

First, a confession. I’ve been a fundraising copywriter and consultant for more than a decade now. And I’m not going back! But I do remember struggling to raise money, wearing too many hats, and dealing with leadership that just didn’t get it. Small fundraising teams can be tough. And honestly, that’s a big reason why […]

Filed Under: Blog, Fundraising Tagged With: donor communications, small fundraising team Leave a Comment

Your fundraising communications calendar: how to

It’s never too late to get organized and create a fundraising communications calendar One of the secrets of successful fundraising is consistency. But if your calendar is hit and miss, or “ask for money when we’re in trouble”, you need to put some structure into your plans. Creating a communication calendar is how you do […]

Filed Under: Blog, Planning Tagged With: donor communications, fundraising planning Leave a Comment

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