Donor Relationship Management

Don’t blow this great opportunity with your donors. Thank them in the right way. Show them they are appreciated. Remember, it not just about the money; it’s about creating a deep relationship and respect for your donors...

Remember the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge? It was one of the most successful fundraising challenges in recent times, with over $115 million raised, not to mention priceless public awareness. And the driving force behind that campaign? The enthusiasm of Millennials…

To begin attracting new donors to your organization, you first need to step back and determine a strong and compelling case for support. Without a rationale for giving, you won't be able to attract any new donors to your organization...

Fundraising communication is different—understand the variances, make it personal and consistent, and you will be taking great strides in deepening donor relationships...

Several years back, a popular consumer product used the tag line, “Accept no substitutes,” to claim singular distinction for their product. The implication here is that the quality of the product is so high, the essence of the experience so fulfilling that you’ll never want anything else. Ever...

One of the great fallacies in the nonprofit fundraising world is that fundraising professionals take donor relationships with them from organization to organization. It is not an effective strategy, and it is wrong and unethical. It is a significant way fundraising differs from other professions...

Let’s say you’ve been asked to write the year-end appeal for your organization. Now you’re staring at that proverbial blank sheet of paper or more likely, the new (and wordless) document you’ve opened on your computer. You feel the pressure mounting …And now what do you do?...

Client success stories must be collected, shared often and treated like gold—because they are! Authentic anecdotes help retain your employees and volunteers when they begin to feel burned out and overwhelmed. Personalized impact stores will inspire your donors to dig just a little deeper for your cause...

True story. Earlier in my fundraising career, I was working in Virginia and putting a trip to Boston together to visit some donors and prospects we had there. I still remember one particular telephone conversation like it was yesterday. I want you to read it and think of three things I did wrong...

Each year, approximately 10 percent of your nonprofit donor base will attrite naturally through death, moving or just not giving any longer. Then, you add lapsed donors on top of that natural attrition, and you are looking at an eroding donor list. Sound familiar?...