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 […]
Watch your weenie words
I call them weenie words. Hedges. Qualifiers. And I don’t like them. Now, I don’t think of myself as a bold person. As a kid, I was an eager follower, not the leader. I do more listening than talking, content to let someone else lead the conversation. I’m cautious. I don’t make fast decisions. But […]
Getting grief about your year-end appeal?
Here are your answers to common complaints Right now, someone in your organization, or an outside expert, is busy writing your important year-end appeal. And a lot of other people are sharpening their red pencils. I have been responding to copy criticism for decades. And the critiques are often along the same lines, time after […]
Emergency fundraising: plan now for later.
We don’t always plan for emergencies. Of course, that’s what an emergency is – something important, but not normal. So how can you plan for emergency fundraising? If your organization finds itself struggling with the impact of coronavirus – whether in increased expenses and/or increased need for your services – you need to be able […]
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: Where to start The critical role emotion plays – and how to use it How to grab attention right […]