Most fundraising professionals devise campaigns with a standard, “blanket” approach — what's the best package to mail out to the majority of my donors? However, by complementing this approach with more targeted communications designed for specific donor groups, fundraisers can optimize their donor contacts and, ultimately, generate more revenue.
Jan. 25, 2010, New York, NY — The Direct Marketing Association (DMA), the leading global trade association of businesses and nonprofit multichannel direct marketers, today announced the formation of an executive search committee charged with finding a new president & CEO to lead the DMA. The committee will be spearheaded by Kelly B. Browning, EVP & COO of the American Institute for Cancer Research.
Columbia, Md., November 12, 2009 — Merkle (www.merkleinc.com), one of the nation’s largest and fastest growing customer relationship marketing agencies, today announced the formation of its new Market Research Practice, which will provide new insights into client marketing programs by discovering and understanding how consumer beliefs and attitudes shape purchasing and engagement decisions. The new practice is part of Merkle’s Quantitative Solutions Group, which provides leading organizations with analytical insight and strategy to drive highly targeted and measurable marketing programs.
Columbia, Md., November 5, 2009 — Merkle (www.merkleinc.com), one of the nation’s largest and fastest growing customer relationship marketing agencies, today announced that its Response Management Group has been selected by Alley Cat Allies to provide contribution processing services in support of the organization’s direct mail fundraising program. Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Alley Cat Allies is a national advocacy organization dedicated to protecting and improving the lives of cats through education, outreach and support for Trap-Neuter-Return programs. The work was successfully transitioned from the previous service company in August and the contract is ongoing.
After years of research in the Semantics and Syntax Department at Easier Said Than Done Labs, our scientists have uncovered a startling pair of facts: There are two words in fundraising so powerful they seem to be magic. One has the power to do great good, while the other can cast your fundraising into terrible perdition.
When you raise funds, you're selling a "warm glow." Fulfillment of a religious or social obligation. A sense of significance. The most tangible thing you have to offer is a tax break, which most donors actually don't care about very much. To get right down to it, you're selling almost nothing.
August 14, 2009, DM News — Online fundraising offers nonprofits the opportunity to reach new audiences while building stronger relationships with existing constituents who are spending more time on the Internet. For organizations used to communicating via direct mail and telemarketing, embarking on a digital strategy presents a unique set of challenges and opportunities. Here, Pamela Barden, VP and group director, Russ Reid; Debbi Barber, president, Grizzard Communications Group; Vinay Bhagat, chief strategy officer, Convio; and Angie C. Moore, SVP and GM, fundraising services group at Merkle offer their Dos and Don'ts when it comes to online fundraising.
Columbia, Md., August 3, 2009 — Merkle, one of the nation’s largest and fastest growing database marketing agencies, announced the appointment of Angie C. Moore to the position of senior vice president and general manager for its fundraising services group. Moore brings to Merkle extensive industry knowledge gained from more than 20 years of marketing and fundraising experience with private companies and national health charities that include the American Cancer Society and the Arthritis Foundation.
Why is it that great wisdom always seems to be wrapped in paradox? Why can't the saints and sages just give us clear, non- contradictory instructions that we can follow like a checklist? I don't know. But in a premature bid for guru-hood, I'm going to give you two secrets for improving your fundraising net revenue — and they are two opposite approaches.
In his Easier Said Than Done column in April, Jeff Brooks recalled his experience working with a leprosy charity that didn’t want to talk about leprosy. He pointedly said, “How many people have leprosy right now because we couldn’t bring ourselves to say ‘leprosy’?”
