It’s the end of the year. Time to share some love. Organizations are mailing and emailing and phoning their supporters – and those they hope will become supporters. Finance staff are hovering over fundraising staff as envelopes are opened. Everyone is a little keyed up. But where is the love? There’s been something of an […]
Why gratitude should be your daily practice
What if gratitude wasn’t something to check off your to-do list? What if gratitude made you and your donors feel great? What if gratitude made it much more likely your donors would remain your donors? Smart fundraisers understand that giving is personal and emotional. They understand that there is much more to raising money than […]
Donor love means knowing how to say thank you
Donor love means knowing how to say thank you It would seem to be the simplest thing. Saying thank you shouldn’t be hard. If you’re comfortable saying “please” – as in “please give” – you need to feel even more at ease with being grateful. Then why do so many organizations fail at this? Thanks […]
How this thank you is the winning move for loyal donors
You call it demanding, I call it discerning. OK, I will admit it: I can be the El Exigente of donor communications. Picky, picky, picky. If a family member happens to be standing nearby as I open the mail, I drive them nuts. “This is a thank you letter? It’s all about them!” “My annual […]
How to create something they will treasure
How to create something they will treasure Sad news this morning. We woke this morning to the news of David Bowie’s death. I had no idea he’d been ill. I’m not qualified to write about his music and life – so this isn’t about music. But this morning, an early response to a fan letter […]