Watching the Olympics? If so, you’ll need something to read during the parts you have no interest in. I’ve collected plenty of resources to keep you busy.
First, I’d like to award a gold medal to my 2018 sponsor, Bloomerang, for keeping this newsletter free. Remember, my motto is: “If I know it, I want you to know it!” They’re making it possible for me to spend the time curating and sending the Clairity Click-it to you on a bimonthly basis. If you appreciate this as much as I do, please let them know!
I hope you’ll also enroll this year in ‘Clairification School’. You’ll get access to ALL my content for a full 12 months, including original weekly articles, bonus webinars and more, in the most cost-effective way I’ve found to deliver it.
If you can’t afford to hire me as a coach, and you can’t afford to attend an online class or a conference, I’m hoping you can afford to pay less than $2/week to receive articles that are the equivalent of a Master Class. Articles that will help you raise much more than you invest by enrolling.
Your support makes it possible for everyone and, truly, means a lot.
P.S. Questions? Just ask! Please email me at claire@clairification.com. I read and respond to every single email.
Clairity Click-it, Your Nonprofit Ticket to…
Annual Individual Giving
Click-it: Use Postage to Maximize Impact in Direct Mail Fundraising. Read this super practical article from Jeff Brooks on the Moceanic blog – all about when to use a stamp, a meter, a nonprofit indicia and more.
Click-it: Brainstorming Donor Identities. Some great ideas from Nick Ellinger on The Agitator blog on different ways to segment your donors by identities.
Click-it: What to Do on Your First ‘Date’ with a Donor. I compare building relationships with donors to dating all the time, so I particularly enjoyed this post from Gail Perry of Fired Up Fundraising. I think you will too.
Boards and Leadership
Click-it: Effective Meetings for Good Governance. Here’s a bunch of tips, plus links to a bunch of articles, on how to run effective board meetings. Lots of info here courtesy of the National Council of Nonprofits.
Data & Metrics
Click-it: Measuring Fundraising ROI with Donor Lifetime Value. This article by Zach Shefska of The Fundraising Report Card covers the important concept of ‘donor lifetime value.’ You really can’t engage in smart fundraising if you don’t understand this. It’s what justifies (or doesn’t) spending time on acquisition and/or retention. It’s worth reading for the Starbucks example alone!
Donor Retention
Click-it: Top 10 Ways to Say Thank You to Donors. If you want to retain current supporters, nothing is more important than how you show your gratitude. And not just one time. Learn more in my article on the Bloomerang blog.
Click-it:Are You Making the Same Mistake as Whole Foods Market? Michael Rosen of ML Innovations opines on the importance of actively prioritizing donor retention. Donors have lots and lots of choices. Just because they gave to you once, doesn’t mean they’ll do so again. Especially if you rest on your laurels.
Click-it: How to create a donor communications calendar. This is a practical guide to staying in touch with your donors intentionally, not randomly. It includes a downloadable template to help you get started. Thank you Mary Cahalane of Hands-on Fundraising!
Online Social Marketing and Fundraising
Click-it: 10 Killer Ways to Get Your Nonprofit Shared on Social Media. If you create content that very few folks read or share, you’re not getting your money’s worth. Learn to leverage your content using the strategies in my article for Maximize Social Business.
Click-it: YouTube For Non-Profits: The Complete Guide. YouTube For Non-Profits is a part of Google’s independent non-profits program. Unlike commercial ads, non-profits can share their content on YouTube for free. Learn all about it in this article from reelnreel.
FREE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
The more you learn, the more you grow.
Finding webinars you’d like to attend that overlap? Note that for many of these webinars you can obtain a copy of the recording if you’re unable to join live – as long as you register!
Boards and Leadership
Click-it: Leadership of Nonprofit Boards [Watch 19-minute video]. An expert panel talks about an Alliance for Nonprofit Management research project into board governance, in which you can have your board participate. View their discussion here courtesy of Charity Channel.
Content Marketing
Click-it: How to conduct interviews that get you the fundraising stories that stir your donors’ hearts [Download free podcast]. To tell stories you have to go out and get them! Get great interview tips from Jeff Brooks on the Fundraising is Beautiful podcast.
Management and Strategy
Click-it: The War for Fundraising Talent [Register for free webinar, 2-21-18] Join Donor Search for this free flash class with Jason Lewis for an honest yet hopeful critique of professional fundraising, intended especially for small shops that find it difficult to consistently achieve their fundraising goals.
YOU
Click-it: How to Negotiate Your Nonprofit Salary [Register for free webinar, 2-22-18]. Mazarine Treyz of Wildwoman Fundraising presents with Top Nonprofits to help you improve your negotiating skills and get the salary you deserve.
FREE DOWNLOADABLE RESOURCES
Annual Giving
Click-it: 2017 Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Study [Register for free download]. As Nonprofit Pro summarizes: Nonprofits who have implemented a peer-to-peer fundraising strategy are seeing that it has engaged the organization’s supporters, increased the organization’s donor base, improved fundraisers’ relationships with the organization and provided an additional revenue stream.
Click-it: The Ultimate Guide to Matching Gifts [Download free eGuide]. You may be leaving free money on the table. See what you’re missing in this guide from Double the Donation.
Annual Reports
Click-it: Oregon Zoo Gratitude Report [Example]. Check out this great alternative take on an annual report, created by Agents of Good. It’s got it all: a great story; how donors make an impact, and lots of donor love.
Click-it: Annual Report Checklist [Download free eGuide]. The folks at Classy have created an interactive worksheet to help you outline your goals, collect the right content, and identify ways to make your support stand out.
Boards and Leadership
Click-it: Convert Your Board into a Fundraising Machine [Download free eBook] Check out these tips from Cindi Phallen of Create Possibility. Also see Stop Board Members From Overstepping Once and For All.
Click-it: How Effective is Your Board? Here’s a Simple Test [Download free board assessment tool] courtesy of Joan Garry Consulting.
Click-it: Board Member Performance Expectations [Download and share] courtesy of Simone Joyaux Associates.
Donor Retention
Click-it: Donor Thank You Lookbook [Download free eGuide]. This is a great swipe file from Network for Good.
Click-it: Win Them Back: The Fundraiser’s Guide to Loving Lapsed Donors [Download free eBook]. Steven Shattuck of Bloomerang discusses why donors fail to repeat their gifts and offers a 3-step approach to re-engaging lapsed donors.
Gratitude and Happiness
Click-it: February Happiness Calendar [Download for free]. I’m a huge fan of the Greater Good Science Center, who do a lot of work on the science of gratitude and happiness. When your own sense of well-being is enhanced, you’re able to extend that to your co-workers and donors. So… why not? Just read today’s article about How to Find Your Purpose in Life and I’m sure you’ll see connections to your work – especially with regard to helping your donors find greater meaning.
Management and Strategy
Click-it: Solving Nonprofit Goal Achievement Failure [Free white paper].You likely set new goals all the time. The folks at Rhinocorn Consulting believe we’re far too focused on the goal, and rarely instead on the transitions or insights necessary to achieve and evaluate the goal. Here they discuss a 3-step process to develop a Core Measurement Transition Plan
Did You Miss My Recent Articles?
Enroll in ‘Clairification School’ to get access to every single article I’ve ever written – with new ones delivered weekly straight to your in-box!
Here are links to my most recent articles. You get six free articles; then you’ll want to enroll. But it’s super inexpensive – just covers my costs. You see, I’m not part of a large company. I’m not selling software or anything else that justifies ‘sales’ blog posts. It’s just me here – trying to pay it forwards by sharing with you whatever I’ve learned over more than three decades of in-the-trenches nonprofit experience.
- Address Key Nonprofit Marketing Challenges Head On
- Nonprofit Event Fundraising Part 2: They’ll Never Forget How You Made Them Feel
- 8 Top Ways to Send Nonprofit Donors Love on Valentine’s Day
- Nonprofit Event Fundraising Part 1: What’s the Point?
- How Often Should You Mail to Your Nonprofit Donors?
- Risk vs. Reward: Rethink Nonprofit Marketing & Fundraising Best Practices
Hope to see you in Clairification School!