Winter Wonderland Clairity Click-it: Nonprofit Links, Free Resources
Thank you… and Happy Labor Day!
First, some words:
- Time to say thank you for your labors. And thank you for reading Clairification. Your work inspires me and truly creates a more caring community and better, more humane world. Your readership makes my days, months and year. Truly, I appreciate you. Please… rest, reflect and recharge this week-end. You deserve it!
- Last chance to get your highest ROI fundraising management tool (see below). Yes, I’m charging a bit. But not too much (especially given the fact my prodigal son has returned and is eating me out of house and home!), and way less than what you’ll get out of it. I promise. Guaranteed.
Now… on to this week’s great links…
Planning/Calendaring
Click-it: Free Editorial Calendar and Campaign Planning Documents Some truly useful tools from the great folks at TopNonprofits.com. Get your entire team aligned around your communications strategy this year – and build momentum towards the critical year-end fundraising months!
Mistakes Development Directors Make
Click-it: NONPROFIT BRANDING: Too Busy Raising a Dime To Ask for a Dollar Watch this video. Don’t do this. Thanks to John Burk of VisaBILITY for reminding us of the power of welcoming your donors – of all sizes – to join your family.
Time Management
Click-it: Here’s What Really Happens When You Extend a Deadline. From Harvard Business Review and author Heidi Grant Halvorson comes this fascinating analysis about how unwisely we use our gifts of time. The full article is worth a read, but here’s what happens in a nutshell: (1) we lose motivation; (2) we procrastinate; (3) we’re poor judges of long things take; it’s called the ‘planning fallacy.’ The research suggests that a better way to reach established deadlines (so they don’t have to be extended) is to set interim deadlines. What works for you?
Writing
Click-it: Writing To Sell: £10m Copywriter Glenn Fisher of @allgoodcopy Reveals All From the Small Business Marketing Report in Great Britain comes this podcast about the most effective words to use in your copywriting to sell. If you’ve got the time to listen you’ll learn the difference between indirect (spray and pray; hard for most nonprofits to afford) and direct response (measurable and targeted) marketing plus the fact that the single most important factor influencing the success or failure of your marketing is the words you use. Bottom line: The more clearly you can communicate your message, the more successful you’ll be.
Click-it: Tutorial 50 – Ten ways to break out of a creative slump. From Jerry Huntsinger, the direct mail guru who is celebrating his 80th birthday, comes this Tutorial on SOFII with some oldie-but-goodie tips. (Happy Birthday Jerry!)
Psychology
Click-it: How to Increase Email Click-Throughs By 35%. You owe it to yourself to watch this video with Derek Halpern of Social Triggers. When he did a split test, he found that changing a single word in his subject line made a huge difference. Why? He explains by quoting research psychologist Daniel Kahnemann: “Losses loom larger than gains.” Focus people’s attention on the fear of loss. Using a negative spin will generate a more positive response. Usually. Just don’t overdo it. Eventually you’ll be tuned out. It’s certainly something worth trying and testing for yourself, don’t you think?
The Power of Thank You
Click-it: The Highest ROI Management Tool in Business. Can you guess? Yup! It’s gratitude. I just love this article from Jeff Weiner, CEO of LinkedIn. It works in business. It works at home. It works big time in fundraising.
PS: Your Highest ROI Fundraising Tool is Thank You. If you do it right it will dramatically improve your results. Before you plan your year-end fundraising campaign ask yourself: “What’s my follow-up plan?” Learn the basics – and more — in a spectacular 4-week, self-paced e-course on The Power of Thank You being taught by me and the fabulous Pamela Grow. If you take only once course this year, make it this one. It’s fun, it’s easy, it’s practical … and you’ll really see results! You get tons of tips, templates, research and checklists PLUS bonuses galore – a teleseminar, webinars, eBook and script, video tutorial and more! Reserve your spot by September 1st!
