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 […]
Why you might be focused on the wrong thing
It’s not about you. I was thrilled to see an article in the New York Times about giving. And even more excited when it featured Tom Ahern, Jen Love and Jennifer Shang. The article’s title – Asking for Money? Compliment the Donor, Not Your Organization – lays it right out there. My mailbox, though, tells […]
Are you trying to make me cry?
It keeps happening. And it makes me sad. And a little cranky. Newsletters or other pieces, intended for donors. That have forgotten they’re intended for donors. So I apologize if I’m repeating myself. (Then again, we know how effective repetition is, right?) But I see it, over and over again. Local organizations, national, international – […]
How to write a thank you letter when you feel stuck
September’s Nonprofit Blog Carnival gave you links to great articles on thanking your donors. Here’s my quick how-to. First, a confession: I used to write rote, boring, perfunctory thank you letters. And I didn’t much like writing them. What do you say? Plus, with an appeal, you feel like you have a goal. Thanks […]
Why you don’t want to be a tool
Who do you read to make you think? One blog I like to check in on is Trevor O’Donnell’s Marketing the Arts to Death. As the title says, it’s about arts marketing. But to me, it’s broader. Trevor shows how mistaken arts marketing often is. Because its focus is internal. Because it’s what insiders think […]