Retention

Dialogue with your donors, clients or prospects begins with good data; we all know that one tenet of direct mail—garbage in and out. When we go to the mailbox, a treasure trove of information on fun, as well as vital information, awaits us. Some good, some bad and at most, lame or even useless...

I’ve always found it curious that while many organizations diligently develop a strategic plan, few take the time to craft a sustainability plan. By “sustainability” I don’t mean the environmental kind, but rather a plan for sustaining your programs and services over the long-term...

I’ve always found it curious that while many organizations diligently develop a strategic plan, few take the time to craft a sustainability plan. By “sustainability” I don’t mean the environmental kind, but rather a plan for sustaining your programs and services over the long-term. A sustainability plan is a proactive response to the dilemma of […]

Every morning at 7:00 a.m., I (Otis) get a very interesting email. It tells me everyone who has visited the Turnkey website in the past 24 hours. The names are ordered from top to bottom depending on how many times they have interacted with our website or opened our emails in the past...

Do you think your digital presence is vital? Most of your potential donors, employees, volunteers and people who need what your organization offers will find you through your website. As a specialist in the nonprofit digital marketing field, one of the biggest issues I face with clients is their website...

In a previous blog post, I briefly examined what appears to be a growing sentiment in the nonprofit industry that direct mail fundraising is somehow flawed. Fundraisers have been slow to abandon outdated business practices or to evolve quick enough to react to the mounting challenges facing nonprofits today—and yes, there are many that we must overcome...

Letting go… It’s not always easy, is it? Anyone who has had to take their child to college or end a relationship knows saying goodbye is never easy. It’s also not easy for you as a major gift officer (MGO) when a donor, who you have been stewarding and cultivating over time, no longer meets the criteria as a major donor...

What’s the monthly donor experience when he or she fills in the online donation form and clicks the button to submit? In virtually all online donation platforms, it’s a two-step process. The minute the donor hits submit, he or she gets an auto-responder message, confirming that wonderful monthly gift...

Are we simply letting our programs happen without a clear path to achieving our highest and most important goals? As a fundraiser, your ultimate goal should be to build sustainable funding that supports your organization’s mission. Have you instead been focusing your time and energy on the revolving door of acquiring new givers?...

A monthly donor calling up to cancel is a dreaded call for any organization. It’s something nobody wants to hear. But it’s important to respond in the right way...