Five Reflections on Philanthropy Formed Over 20 Years
I’ve been fortunate to have had a long and varied career in philanthropy. And over the last 20-plus years, I’ve noticed five recurring, consistent themes that, for me, sum up what philanthropy is all about.
Little Jessica
Before she became ill, I used to see Jessica every Sunday night when her parents came to play in the little mixed-couples pickup basketball league at the gym. At that time — and this was thirty years ago — Jessica was about one year old. Cute kid. An only child who was barely talking yet.
Donors Don’t Just Give; They Invest in a Nonprofit
Donors like to do more than just give — they like to feel like they are investing in the nonprofits they support. Investing means feeling like they are part of the organization and partially responsible for its success. If you want donors to give more to your organization, you need to find ways to help them feel as though they are investing, not simply making a donation.
Enter Your Donor’s Financial Advisor
Your donor’s financial advisor can play a key role in determining when (and if) your donor gives to your organization. An advisor-centric approach in your non-profit can also pave the road for prospective donors. Is your nonprofit doing enough to build a network of financial advisors?
Cryptocurrency: The Next Gifting Frontier
Ethereum. Doegecoin. Ripple. Litecoin. Stellar. Bitcoin. Unless you’re familiar with cryptocurrency, those names probably look like something straight out of a science fiction story. But it’s no fiction: Cryptocurrency presents a huge—and largely untapped—opportunity for nonprofits.
Let Donors Know: Philanthropy Is Here to Stay
In 1900 they predicted that C, X and Q would vanish from our alphabet. 10 years later it was predicted we would have flying bicycles. The U.S. Congressional Calendar predicts that philanthropic incentives may be legislated out of existence sometime soon. That’s not going to happen. Philanthropy is here to stay!
Nonprofit Loyalty: Are You Worthy of Being Adopted?
The plain, unvarnished truth is that traditional wealth screening tools simply do not work in planned giving. Here’s why nonprofit loyalty matters – and how you can gain it for your nonprofit!
Rate Tables and Hard Numbers in CGA Ads
Fact: Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA) rate tables or gift illustrations/examples really don’t work well. Non-profits want them in their CGA marketing pieces because they see them in everyone else’s stuff, but the reality is that they rarely bring in a gift. Or bring in the wrong type of gift. Instead, focus on donor stories in your CGA ads and other marketing!
I Learned A Lot Of Things From My Dad. Here are Three.
Good judgment comes from experience. Unfortunately experience comes through bad judgment.
Dumb Ways To Seek Donations
Are you relying on dumb ways to seek donations? A few years ago, a darkly humorous Australian public service ad to promote railway safety went viral. Called “Dumb Ways to Die,” the campaign was set to a catchy song with lyrics including, Set fire to your hair. Poke a stick at a grizzly bear. Eat medicine that’s out of date. Use your private parts as Piranha bait. I have to admit, it was catchy enough (definitely not vanilla marketing!) to get my toes tapping — and it made me think, “there’s some pretty dumb ways to ask for donations, too.” And so, without further ado, I present, Dumb Ways to Seek Donations: 1) Approaching a prospect for an ask without research. Your chances of turning a prospect into a donor increase exponentially when you have a little background info. What causes are they passionate about? Do they have kids? Did they play a sport in school? Who are their friends? Political affiliation? Ask questions. Use Google. Check out LinkedIn. Do your research first! 2 ) Boring them with minutiae. Trust me, donors don’t care about the little details. Try explaining the inner workings of a Charitable Lead Trust and you run the risk of putting your prospect to sleep. And that’s truly one of the dumb ways to seek donations. Sell the sizzle, not the steak. Focus on the benefits — first to the donor, and then to your nonprofit. 3) Shouting “We need money” every four months. People get tired of needy people and needy organizations. It makes them think you don’t know how to manage your budget — and that is how you lose trust. Once you’ve lost trust, you’ve lost the prospect. (Hint: This is where planned gifts come in. They make you look legitimate.) 4) Relying only on a digital campaign. We’re inundated with emails and ads. No one reads all the email in their inbox. If you want to cut through the noise, be sure to employ healthy print marketing. I read that the Dumb Ways to Die characters were so popular they were featured in a marketing campaign for insurance. The tag line was, “the dumbest way to die is without life insurance.” I’d like to add my own take: How about you? What are your favorite dumb ways to give? Comment below or send me an email! Categories: Giving, Major Gifts, Planned Giving Marketing, Marketing Planned Giving
