June 14, 2019
Donor-centricity. Mention that term in a room full of fundraisers and you’ll always get lots of approving nods. We are very smart and highly attuned people. We fundamentally understand that great fundraising is never about us or our organizations and that donors give through us and not to us. In fact, in a perfect world, […]
June 7, 2019
SO MUCH MEDIA!! I know I don’t need to tell you how pervasive all the media we consume is. It’s littered with targeted advertising messages. All that might make you think it’s getting harder and harder to cut through all that clutter. It’s everywhere. And it’s overwhelming. According to Forbes, we’re exposed to anywhere between […]
May 31, 2019
We are fast approaching the time of year when I will hear many of my clients say “I can’t believe you want to talk about our Holiday appeal now! It’s the summer! I’m too hot and sweaty to think about Christmas!” This is not limited to Holiday mailings, either. Throughout the year clients will ask […]
May 6, 2019
We’ve all been there. Staring at the flashing cursor on a white page, biting your nails and pacing the floor in an effort to summon all those creative juices from the depths of your soul. It could be letter copy, a teaser, a subject line or an innovative design for a lift note or newsletter. […]
April 26, 2019
Spring is upon us and many organizations are starting to look back at the past year’s performance. How was your 2018? How did it differ from 2017? Now how did it compare to 2008? Did I throw you for a loop there? 2008 seems like ages ago. You may have been working for another organization, […]
March 25, 2019
What comes first, fundraising staff or money? It is a conundrum faced by many charitable organizations. To raise money you need a team and a talented team raises more money, so where do you start? With a litany of needs and requests to raise dollars, organizations often feel pressure to grow their development teams. How […]
March 11, 2019
When the time comes to start planning and designing your next direct mail appeal, we all start with the lofty goal of coming up with the next stop-you-in-your-tracks, jaw-dropping, game-changing mailing package. Back here in reality, it doesn’t take long for the rain cloud of ROI and budget constraints to wash out our award-winning package design parade. […]
February 13, 2019
It’s no secret that the final few weeks of the year are a goldmine for charities and nonprofits. It’s when the majority of all the money we raise all year will be donated – when donors have philanthropy, generosity, and community on the brain. So, if you’re like most of my clients, you take advantage […]
January 7, 2019
With the new year upon us, you may be mulling over what your New Year’s resolutions are going to be in 2019. Maybe you’re committing to hitting the gym 3 times a week. Maybe you want to learn a language, deepen a skill, or make a new friend. If you’re raising money through email – […]
January 2, 2019
I really like fries. And I really, really like ketchup on my fries. That’s not to say I wouldn’t eat the fry if there were suddenly a shortage of ketchup. But I wouldn’t eat as many fries…ya know? The ketchup boosts my response to a hot plate of fries. And in the world of DM, […]
