Recent data shows that "the pattern of retention for cash giving in the U.S. has worsened, with some organizations experiencing upwards of 70 percent attrition between the first and second gift." Your organization’s thank you letter is not the be-all, end-all to ending donor attrition. But it is an important first step in creating loyal, lifetime donors. Does yours have all 10 essentials?...
According to the Fundraising Effectiveness Project, first-time donor retention is a measly 19 percent. While repeat donor retention is much better at 63 percent, that still means one in three current donors don’t give again. Overall, the median donor retention rate is just 43 percent. It’s not a huge mystery as to why. Donors want…
Tagging Facebook users in your nonprofit’s posted photos can be a simple way to increase the exposure and visibility of your content. However, the user interface that governs Facebook can sometimes make it difficult for page managers to tag friends and fans–even if they are already engaged with your brand page. Here is a quick…
I don’t need to tell you that it’s a busy time of year. We have too many things to do and very little time to get it all done. We are all just running to keep up, so I thought I would have a little fun with my next topic and present 10 ways you can…
Fran was a major gifts officer (MGO) who had great relationships with his donors. Then, in October 2008, a disaster struck for a donor he greatly respected that left the donor unable to make his usual gift. Many MGOs might have given up on this donor and moved on. But Fran was adamant about not giving up this donor. In fact, Fran did the opposite...
In this episode of “What’s the Big Idea?” Richard Levy of Give2gether discusses the science of year-end giving and what organizations can do to increase donations. Levy said nonprofits should streamline the transaction process by requiring less information on a donation form and show off the nonprofit’s mission to convert online visitors to donors. A…
‘Tis the season for holiday shopping, family feasts and gift giving. The last few months of the year are a busy time for everyone, including nonprofits. While retailers are busy with glitzy sales events featuring the year’s must-have items, nonprofits are also working hard to capitalize on the season of giving. About 50 percent of…
Do you feel like you’ve been on the receiving end of the same marketing advice for years? Or that the outdated hodgepodge of marketing tactics promoted by fundraising blogs, websites and experts often isn’t relevant to your fundraising strategy–and might actually be killing your fundraising results? Here's one I hear pretty often: "If you show…
“When you develop visit scripts, do we have to learn them verbatim?” the client asked. I was shocked. We develop scripts for every pre-solicitation and solicitation visit in a campaign. However, these outlines are not something to regurgitate word for word. They are outlines to use to become familiar with the flow of a visit...
Have you ever attended a conference or a course, but then failed to act on what you’d learned? Hey, it happens to the best of us. So, what’s a quick and easy shift you can you make today to ensure that you follow through on implementing those tactics you know will make your organization stronger (and keep your donors giving)?...
