Is your annual report a vanity piece? It’s a serious question: what purpose does your annual report serve? And what outcomes are you looking for? Too many organizations see an annual report as part required reporting and part organizational brochure. But even if yours is meant to be a sales piece, is it selling? How […]
Being grateful makes you and your donors happier
At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us. […]
Try this fresh twist on Giving Tuesday
I’m not a particular fan of Giving Tuesday. In my experience as a staffer, I found it a time-suck. Worse, if yours is an organization without a strong community profile (a “best-kept secret”), it’s time spent building recognition for Giving Tuesday, not for your organization. And of course, it doesn’t always raise much money, either. […]
Say thank you like you mean it
Don’t settle for a boring, emotion-free thank you. I picked up my mail the other day and opened an envelope from a well-respected advocacy organization. It was an acknowledgment of my recent gift. And it was so disappointing! Mentally, I went through a list of failures in one letter: My husband’s name was spelled incorrectly. […]
No thanks
Almost every day I receive an acknowledgment letter that misses the mark. We’ll call it a no thanks. But the one I received recently really offers a lesson in what not to do. Thank you fail It’s plainly generic, to begin with. Though my name and address appear on the letter, the salutation reads “Dear Friend”. […]