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Archive Layout

You and Your Donors Are Dating: First Impressions Mean Everything

A recent Forbes article described ‘5 Ways to Make a Killer First Impression ’ It’s not only prospective employers or on matches who form an instant opinion of you. It’s also true for prospective supporters. We should be dating our donors! Here are the suggested 5 ways to make a positive first impression, with implications…

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December 1, 2011Leave a commentAnnual GivingBy Claire Axelrad

I Just Got Engaged… at Nordstroms and (Your Name Here)!

I’m pondering the difference between ‘customer service’ and ‘social engagement.’  When we think of the former, we think Marshall Fields and Nordstroms – very early 20th century — the granddaddies of a strong, retail service mo where “the customer is always right.”  When we think of the latter, we think decidedly 21st century – social…

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November 27, 20111 CommentDonor RetentionBy Claire Axelrad

HUGGING HOPE THIS NOVEMBER

What if you don’t write poetry because it’s not black and white and must be interpreted? What if you don’t understand and you’re a straight shooter who doesn’t like ambiguity? What happens when the bleak days of November turn the landscape shades of grey? You feel a dampening, sense a darkening, taste dryness and feel…

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November 22, 20115 CommentsDonor RetentionBy Claire Axelrad

Preoccupation with Occupation

When you see an “occupied” sign on a restroom these days, do you think of it differently?  Personally, I picture folks camped inside with tents and generators and coing pots and placards.  Whatever else the Occupy movement has accomplished, they’ve certainly changed the meaning of the word for all of us. It will never be…

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November 20, 2011Leave a commentAnnual GivingBy Claire Axelrad

Social Media Food For Thought

Last evening I attended a panel, hosted by The Bay Citizen and The Bosmith, about the foodie culture in the San Francisco Bay Area – and beyond.  Inevitably, the conversation turned towards the transformative impact social media has had on the foodie movement. With just a simple tweet, hundreds of people can instantly learn where…

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November 17, 20113 CommentsSocial EngagementBy Claire Axelrad

Beware of a Half Truth; It May Be the Wrong Half: How do we get to the heart of what’s true and meaningful to our constituents?

“If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there.” Lewis Carroll Communication should have a purpose. We should know where we want to go, and what we hope to get out of all the strategies we’re putting into place. Merely setting a goal for the number of tweets we’ll post…

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November 15, 2011Leave a commentSocial EngagementBy Claire Axelrad

Round Giving in a Flat World? How do we build the relationships that will inspire giving in today's marketplace?

Before the digital revolution, the philanthropic world was round. Today, the philanthropic world is flat.  Paradoxically, despite increasing marketing efforts from nonprofits, giving in the round world was flat . In a flat philanthropic world, do we have the opportunity to change this? The new world order may finally force us to realize that we’ve…

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November 13, 2011Leave a commentSocial EngagementBy Claire Axelrad

A Social Philanthropy Toy Basket – and a Camera to Take Photos

This just in!  There’s a new basket into which we can put a bunch of our toys.Right after I posted earlier today on the Top 7 Social Philanthropy Toys for the Holidays it came to my attention that this past week Convio Inc announced the launch of Common Ground Social, a fully customizable all-in-one social…

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November 10, 2011Leave a commentSocial EngagementBy Claire Axelrad

Top 7 Social Philanthropy Toys for the Holidays… and Why it Pays to Play

How do children learn best? By playing!   When it comes to understanding our missions, most of our potential constituents are children.  They don’t know much.  The internet now makes it possible for people to learn about us through play. While charities commonly complain that social media strategies don’t make much money; this is just…

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November 10, 20111 CommentSocial EngagementBy Claire Axelrad

Top 10 Business Truisms Nonprofits Should Consider in Priority Setting – Part 2

Beware of a half truth; it may be the wrong half.  This has always been a favorite proverb of mine.  And a recent blog post of Top 10 Business Trui by Scott Gillum, which I referenced yesterday, caused me to wonder how black and white (or possibly gray) these trui might be – particularly as…

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November 8, 2011Leave a commentStrategy & ManagementBy Claire Axelrad
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Raves for Claire

Claire is a fundraising ninja

Joanne Fritz
Nonprofit Charitable Organizations Guide, About.com

Engaging your help was such a huge pivot moment for me and the Board.  We would never – not in a million years – have even dreamed of doing a significant challenge at our event without all of the teaching, support, resources and guidance that you brought to us. Sometimes there are these moments in life that you only realize in retrospect were miracles – and that is exactly how I look back at that decision to work with you on our fundraising engine!

Julia Wilson, E.D.
OneJustice

Your piece on attrition, Claire, is dynamite. Amazing. It’s precisely on target. Congratulations.

Jerry Panas
CEO / Jerold Panas, Linzy & Partners

Brilliant summary of the whole “story v. stats” thing, Claire. Thank you.

Tom Ahern
Principal / Ahern Donor Communications

Claire Axelrad has been a highly effective fundraiser for over 30 years and her blog is just a wealth of wisdom.  What’s particularly notable about Clairification is that although the work is based on decades of past experience, Claire is always looking forward as well.  She was the first among her veteran fundraising peers to embrace online and social fundraising and is now one of their most sensible and insightful proponents.  She’s a great resource!

Keith Heller
CEO / Heller Consulting

You have been absolutely terrific to work with. Your roadmap and assessment of where we are and where we can go has been so instrumental in having the board stop and think about our future.  Your audit is allowing us to move forward in tangible ways to improve our work so that we may help more clients in need of our services. I will count you among my many blessings throughout the year.

Silvia Argueta
E.D. / Los Angeles Legal Aid Foundation

I’m subscribed to a million fundraising blogs and the one I consistently open and read most of, is yours. The content is always carefully curated and helpful, not just sales pitch after sales pitch for your own stuff. You stand out, in a good way.

Juliane McLean
Development Coordinator / Bridgercare

You are one of the few fundraising experts that I read faithfully, and we have no shortage of those who publish regularly. But your material is always thoughtful and realistic. Thank you for your candor and good advice.

Richard Ajulani
, Senior Director Individual Gifts / LifeMoves

We have been loving the work of Claire Axelrad since we came across her work, every blog of hers is insightful, well thought out and enlightening.

Good Eggs Storytellers

Most lucid, most succinct checklist I have read on the engagement process. This is the best. Should be required reading for all concerned with major gift solicitation.

Giles Pegram, CBE
Fundraising Consultant / London, England

You are a forever flowing fountain of enormous information and a wealth of ideas. Thanks for being there for all of us small non-profits

Sharon Coleman
St. Francis House

I read your newsletter all the time and find your advice “spot on” and always usable. I pass it on consistently to the staff and other board members. I really appreciate all you do to help nonprofits. Thanks.

Hal Leeds
, Partner Global Sales & Marketing Consultancy / Working to Eliminate Poverty and Educational Inequality

You remind me about what is most important and why I love this profession. I just discovered you and your blog about three weeks ago and I wanted to write today to say thank you for sharing your wisdom and expertise. I find your posts, new and old, so spot on. You nail it.

– Heather Wardle CFRE
Vancouver BC

Everybody involved in philanthropy should read these articles slowly and with a very opened mind and a willingness to take from them the necessary components to change the manner and techniques we presently use in order to embrace what philanthropy is all about “Love”. I have no doubt it would be transformational.

Tom Walsh
Business Development Exec / Active Retirement Ireland

Suggest subscribing. Thanks, Claire! I am a regular- and I have forwarded your thoughtful and inspiring column and as well. Keep up the good work.

Margot Harrigan
Corporate Development Officer / Habitat for Humanity East Bay/Silicon Valley

I came across your website and I hit the goldmine! I was asked to join a board and found I need to understand how to build a donor base from the ground up. I searched, only to find expensive consultants or free info that didn’t offer any helpful information.  Thank you for sharing so much valuable information!!

Erica Martinez

Claire, you consistently remind me of the proven basic facts of fundraising!! Thank you!! I consistently share them with our team and with the newbie fundraisers I am mentoring.

Margie McCurry
Fund Builders Alliance

Could not make it any easier…  Claire Axelrad straightforwardly tells social media/marketing managers of nonprofit organizations that they need to change how they communicate with

UMV
Charity Chatter

Many thanks – this is terrific, impressive data! You are an impressive source. And I’ve been around a long time.

Sara Becker
Oakland Zoo

Wow! Inspiration out the wazoo! Many thanks — I keep up with trends and lots of blog-posts to stay on top of my game. This goes way beyond technique and reaches deep inside to remind me why I’ve done this work for 40 years!

Pam Montgomery
Executive Director / Community Foundation of the Gunnison Valley

Thank you for your brilliant blog. I have been a follower for many years and learnt so much from you. Ultimately, it translates into many more families getting the support they deserve. You help me raise more money for my UK charity. Please never stop bringing the best out of me! You’re special.

Anna Henry
Eric.org

Exactly what our profession can use – clarification –- the title of your blog. You help us keep faith with the past while making sense of the present and future. You have a balanced and respectful understanding of what this is all about. Thanks.

James M. Schaffer
Partner / Charity Springs

I’d recommend you sign up.  I signed up for about a dozen blogging fundraiser consultants, but have since canceled most.  She’s one of two left standing.  I like how she organizes her thoughts about fundraising, and her conversation planning techniques are very familiar to me from my work as a prosecutor.  I believe that she was a practicing attorney and who changed careers like I have, and my best guess is that she was a litigator as well. This is a very good article and there are several other blogs (her own) that she links to within it, so even though this is a small article you could spend some time here.

Cole Eason, J.D. ’92
Office of University Advancement / Rockhurst University






As Seen In

Accelevent

Bloomerang

Candid

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SOFII

TopNonprofits

Top 100 Nonprofit Blogs

Bloomerang
Created by fundraisers for fundraisers, Bloomerang makes it easy for nonprofits of all shapes and sizes to build and manage donor relationships key to long-term success.
-Claire
When Claire speaks, we listen. There are few consultants in the nonprofit sector who so closely align with Bloomerang's focus on donor stewardship and retention. The Clairification School provides too much value to ignore!
 
Veritas Group
Through training and consulting, deliver a joyful, creative, disciplined step-by-step major gift fundraising approach that assures sustainable, transformational funding.
-Claire
Claire knows her stuff from years of experience!  The resources she provides in her Clarification School are invaluable and are tools you can execute immediately to take your fundraising to new levels of success.
 
Eventgroove
Your one stop shop: custom event & fundraising hub, promo tools, ticketing, print integration, virtual check-in, live streaming, seating, plus sales & referral tracking.
-Claire
Claire’s breadth of experience in the nonprofit sector helps connect all the dots. Clarification School offers an invaluable mix of perceptive ideas, relatable advice, and practical action tips – it’s so worth joining!
NextAfter
What works can be proven! NextAfter takes an experimental, data-driven, analytic approach to digital-first strategies designed to optimize fundraising results.
-Claire
We most appreciate Claire’s heart. She’s driven to equip all fundraisers with tools and ideas they need to grow generosity, assuring the best ideas in fundraising are not held captive to a select few experts and agencies.
 
Auctria
Auctria’s powerful tool to run your auction and fundraising events makes it easy -from the first donation to the last receipt, and all the activity & bidding in between!
-Claire
Clairification’s comprehensive fundraising and nonprofit management insights are the best. We happily refer organizations to Claire for expert philanthropy strategy, tips, and ongoing assistance. Highly recommended!
 
Storyraise
Helps nonprofits tell stories through impact reports, campaigns and robust personalized digital experiences, inspiring donor engagement.
-Claire
There are few consultants like Claire, that truly understand donor engagement when it comes to digital reports and campaigns. The Clairification School provides so many insights for marketers and fundraisers!
 
Firespring
Firespring offers beautiful websites with an integrated marketing, software and fundraising suite—all you need to make life easier for you and your supporters.
-Claire
Claire’s fresh perspective and unwavering approach to instill new ideas, techniques and proven practices are but a few reasons why Clarification School is a tremendous resource.
 
Momentum
Helps fundraisers manage portfolios using a human-centered AI interface that prepares custom donor plans, integrates with your CRM, and assures a seamless fundraising flow.
-Claire
When you find someone who is just a cut-above, it's obvious right away. That's how we felt about Claire - it took just a few minutes for us to want to work more closely with her. Thank goodness we did.
Thanks to our Clairification School Sponsors!
Clairification - Copyright 2016
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Clairification

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