Creative

The perfect fundraising storm I’m referring to is the creative collision between the art and science of storytelling … with the skill of interviewing to get the story … with the keen writing of powerful fundraising copy. That triple whammy yields positive results. In life, we can’t always accurately foresee when all the elements will combine for a truly perfect storm. But you ought to at least recognize when you can interview someone for the source of a story.

In her January 2011 DM Diagnosis article, "Baby, Come Back," fundraising copywriter and creative director Kimberly Seville shared what happened when she deliberately became a lapsed donor.

In September 2009, columnist Jocelyn Harmon got To the Point with her column, titled "Don't Write Crappy Content." Doesn't get much more to the point than that!

Let's say you are going to invest some time — and perhaps money — into creating content for your website. In most cases, this will take the form of a blog. But it's one thing to create content, and another to get it out there so others can read it. What are some things you can do to make your content more shareable? What can you do to get people to read it and pass it on to others? Take a look at this list.

I just saw the worst nonprofit newsletter headline ever written: "Partnering with the Southern Philippines." Unfortunately, this headline isn't the lone occupant of the "worst ever written" slot. It's tied for worst with about a zillion other nonprofit newsletter headlines. Here's what's wrong with the headline — and with the many others just like it …

In the September/October 2004 issue, fundraising pros Bryan Terpstra and Maura Szendey teamed up to write "Don't Be Afraid of the A-Word," a feature that put fundraisers' minds at ease by explaining that, unlike the tax variety, creative and file audits can be stress-free and a good way to up your bottom line.

You don't have to have a story to tell a story. You just have to find another one. One that's already there.

A well-oiled content calendar will do wonders for your nonprofit’s communication plan. Like most things, it’s about setting a proper foundation. Here’s how to set up an engaging content calendar for your nonprofit.

In the March/April 2004 issue, back when FS was only published six times a year, our Just Slightly Contrarian columnist, renowned copywriter Jerry Huntsinger, explained how a well-crafted lift note can "put a little pop in your package."

In her October 2008 story, FundRaising Success DM Diagnosis writer Kimberly Seville highlighted several opening paragraphs from a number of fundraising appeals, including this introduction from the American Bible Society.