We Have Blast Off! What makes a fundraising appeal, well, appealing? Success is not that hard to achieve, provided you systematically consider all the key elements. It’s not rocket science. Yet there is some science, and art, involved. Here’s what you have to do: Get it opened. You have about two seconds to get noticed. If…
DetailsYou think I’d prefer peanuts? It’s often said that people give to people. So true. And people are funny. Our behavior is ruled by emotions much than logic (remember the difference between irrational humans and logical Vulcans on Star Trek?). With most of us, hope springs eternal. We seek a brighter future. A better…
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Why is “Undercover Boss” so popular? Could it be because most of us feel like no one is listening to us? No one understands our pains and sorrows? It’s cathartic to see a boss, for a change, put himself in the shoes of his workers and consumers. It’s usually a kick-in-the pants, eye-opening experience. If…
DetailsIt can’t all be about ‘push’. We’ve also got to ‘pull.’ Recently I’ve been writing a lot about social media. It’s an important tool for engaging with our supporters. But let’s not forget that what makes technology sing is not the technology; it’s the people behind the technology. Successful technology is about bonds, not bells…
DetailsSuccessful nonprofit development (both fundraising and marketing) is all about persuasion. One of my favorite bos is Daniel Pink’s To Sell is Human. His premise is that we’re all in “sales” on a daily basis. Whether it’s simply trying to get your kids up and out the door in the morning or persuading your boss…
DetailsWhat makes us think a perfect stranger, who’s never given to our organization before, will choose to do so? It’s highly counter intuitive. People are likely to continue doing what they’ve done before. We talk a lot in fundraising professional circles about the folly of concentrating too many resources on donor acquisition and too…
DetailsWhen is the last time you asked someone who didn’t know your organization to go to your website and try to make a donation? Do it! Why? Because your donate button shouldn’t be as hard to find as the button in the traditional children’s game. It should be easy to spot, on just about every…
DetailsMy last post was about the importance of making a good first impression with potential donors. If you want to keep these folks, it’s equally important to make a good second impression. Sadly, someone who should know better recently blew it with me. And I hesitate to call them out, because as a nonprofit professional…
DetailsA 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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