Here are some great links from around the nonprofit web. Plenty of food for thought, useful tips and some ‘to do’s’ to try out. Happy end of January (how did that happen?) To your success!
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Imagine what it would mean to your mission if you doubled the lifetime value of all of your current supporters.
I recently listened in on an interview between Gail Perry and Jay Love of Bloomerang. It’s a great listen, and the two of them fired me up to write another post on the importance of focusing your efforts on donor retention.
Do you know even know what percentage of donors you’re retaining? According to Jay, less than 5% of fundraising offices know this answer! So, you’re not alone. But you can do better.
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Start.
Don’t be a wuss. Yeah. This year, make a resolution to stop being a wimp and start being an entrepreneur.
I looked up the definition of wuss, and aside from meaning pushover, weakling and ineffectual it comes from Middle English meaning “liquor obtained from boiling or squeezing fruit or vegetable substances.” Think about this for a minute.
Do your programs, over time, become more and more diluted so that the essence of the ripe fruit they began as becomes essentially lost? Are you doing things by rote, having lost all passion, taste and flavor for the fruits of your labor?
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More trends and food for thought as you plan where to focus limited resources in 2014. This is your year to really think about why, what, how, when and where you’re reaching out to and engaging with potential constituents. I want you to work smart this year. You’ll get more done, and feel a lot less stressed. To your success!
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Adopt an integrated inbound marketing and fundraising strategy.
If you don’t know what that means, you’re in trouble. Read on.
If you do know, are you really doing it?
It’s time to stop pussy footing around this.
Here’s why:
(1) Nonprofit marketing and fundraising have changed more in the past five years than the preceding 50. I’m not kidding! The digital revolution ended business as usual.
(2) Fundraising and marketing must be seamlessly integrated. They cannot be separate silos any longer.
Here are some great 2014 To-Do’s to set you up for success in the coming year. Some is keying into trends so you’re not left behind. Some is honing your tried-and-true strategies to build a sustainable nonprofit. This is the year to get thoughtful – and smart. No more status quo, resting on laurels or just going through the motions.
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My first year as a nonprofit fundraiser was before social media, cell phones, email, computers and even FAX machines. I had never heard the term “information overload,” and I wasn’t distracted by interruptions every five minutes. Why do I mention this?
Because in today’s fast-paced world we are often so bombarded with bells, whistles and flashing lights that we lose sight of the basics. We lose focus.
My number one focus was our board of directors. I knew that before we could get others to give, the board needed to give. Passionately.
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At least if shouldn’t be so hard. After all, the commercial sector manages to retain 94% of their customers. Then why does the nonprofit sector only manage to retain 41%? Even worse, new nonprofit donor retention is only 19%, down from 27% in 2011. That’s abysmal. What’s going on?
Why are our for-profit brethren beating the pants off of us when it comes to retention?
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Here are some great posts, plus a bit of personal advice, to set you up for success in the coming year. It’s going to be a busy one, so may as well figure out what you should – and should not – be doing. It will make your life a lot easier and more fulfilling. Let’s get right to it!
It’s not about the money. It’s about the mission and the impact. This year-end fundraising blog post from 2013 by a recent nonprofit client of mine, One Justice, absolutely nails why we ask folks for support. It’s about what will happen if we don’t engage in fundraising.
I encourage you to read and consider the full post. For while we may be at the beginning of the calendar year, there’s no reason you can’t use the key elements of this approach year-round. It’s not just about the prose; it’s about the attitude.
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