Consumer Reports

We caught up with some of the speakers at the DMA Nonprofit Federation 2009 New York Conference last week, and they were kind enough to share some of their best tip on camera.

Meta Brophy, director of publishing operations for Consumers Union, publishers of Consumer Reports, shares tips for how organizations can "green" their fundraising operations, which she presented a session on at the DMANF's 2009 New York Nonprofit Conference.

Through the end of the year, we’ll be running a “Meet Our Advisors” feature as a way to introduce readers to the members of our Editorial Advisory Board. This week, meet Clint O’Brien, vice president of business development at Care2, a social-network Web site that aims to help people make the world a better place by connecting them with individuals, organizations and responsible businesses making an impact. In this role, O’Brien works with more than 350 leading nonprofit organizations that choose Care2 as their preferred outlet for publicizing their causes, as well as recruiting new members, donors and advocacy supporters. Grew up in:

In “Star Wars Episode IV,” Luke Skywalker struggles to convince Han Solo to help him save Princess Leia, stuck in the detention block on the Death Star. “But they’re going to kill her!” Han Solo’s cold response? “Better her than me.” So Luke changes tack, and after a beat says, “She’s rich.” Han Solo comes back with, “How rich?” Encouraged, Luke blurts out, “More money than you can imagine.” Han smiles, saying, “I don’t know, I can imagine quite a bit.” You know the rest of the story: Han opts in, Luke and Han take some significant risks, the Princess is rescued, and then

Let’s face it. As direct-response fundraisers, we don’t spend enough time trying to renew lapsed donors. Most of our effort goes into acquisition and current-donor programs — and for good reason.

Current-donor mailings generate the bulk of your income, so that’s always your first priority. And even though most acquisition mailings lose money in the first year, they do create future donors. (Note: If you’re making money or breaking even on your acquisition mailings, you’re doing a great job. You should request a raise from your boss immediately, and write to us here at FundRaising Success and tell us how you’re doing it.)

What to do? A legend in direct marketing comes up with an idea for your nonprofit, an idea that would increase donations dramatically. But it’s an idea that goes against the very core of your mission.

If you’re Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports, you reject it. You send direct marketing guru Jerry Huntsinger away and quietly hope he’ll come back.