Clairity Click-it: Tweak Your System to Improve Year-End Fundraising

Get outside your box, just a little. Now you’re clicking!

As year-end fundraising approaches, just doing it the way you’ve always done it – or imitating the way others do it – may not be enough to set you apart from the crowd.  So… our theme this week is to think outside the box – just a little. Teach yourself a few new tricks, and get outside — literally! —  to invigorate your fundraising.  So… let’s start with a post of almost the same name!

Click-It: Grab a Coke and Invigorate Your Fundraising by Pamela Barden writing in Fundraising Success offers 3 ideas to overcome stagnation: (1) get out of the building (see your programs in action; meet your donors); (2) start with a problem, not a solution, and (3) it’s not failure, it’s learning.

Storytelling

Click-It: Nonprofit Storytelling for Crowdfunding & Online Fundraising gives great examples of stories that compel online donations. If you’re still trying to raise money with facts and figures, check out this guest post by Vanessa Chase on the CauseVox blog and learn how to create a culture of storytelling at your nonprofit. She’s also offering a free storytelling webinar next week.

Retention and Upgrading

Click-it: 6 Ways to Raise More Money without New Donors from Michael Rosen offers great practical tips to retain and upgrade supporters you’ve worked so hard to acquire. Don’t forget about the folks who are loyal to you in the race to chase after shiny new stuff.

Major Gifts

Click-It: Handling Fear of Rejection in Major Gifts by Richard Perry of The Veritus Group reminds you that rejection is not the end, just a step along the way. Prepare for it, and know what you’ll do to keep strengthening the relationship – until the next, better time.

Pinterest

Click it: 10 Creative Ways to Market on Pinterest. If you’ve been reading my blog you know I love Pinterest for nonprofits and wonder why more folks aren’t hopping on the boards! If you’re wondering how to get started, Jeff Bullas provides some great food for thought. Visual is trending… so join the “picture is worth 1,000 words” crowd.

Need help? Check out my Pinterest “Hop on the Boards’ eBook and Pinteresting Resources Guide with everything you need to get started, drive traffic and engage your supporters using this amazing visual medium.

Blogging

Click-it: The Ultimate Newbie Blogging Guide: What The Experts Don’t Tell You! Here are some great basic to-do’s from Heidi Cohen if you’re thinking about starting a blog as a way to create awareness and build relationships with constituents (a great new year’s resolution, by the way). It includes 12 questions to answer before you start.

You can also get my free Clairification Blogging Resource Guide here.

DON’T WANT TO MISS:

Plan ahead to thank all those donors you’re going to get in the next eight weeks. Get the Creative Ways to Use Thank You’s to Retain Donors for Life or the expanded Attitude of Gratitude Donor Guide. They’re both 100% guaranteed.

Photo: Flickr,