It’s Now Or Never: A Seven Point Planned Giving Action Plan
Many development officers are wondering where to focus their efforts during these uncertain times. Whether times are good or bad, the answer may surprise you: It’s planned giving.
Treat Your Prospects Like Donors, and Your Donors Like Friends
People give when they are ready to give, not when you are ready to sell (i.e., “ask”). So, just because your lead is not ready to buy (donate) today, doesn’t mean they aren’t important. That’s why we develop relationships.
Get the Year End Going
Helping your donors meet the December 31 tax deadline means that you can plan on staying longer and doing more than just about everyone else — except for your office’s gifts processor. So plan a nice rest in January (Isn’t there a planned giving conference in the Caribbean, then? There should be…) and get ready for the year-end sprint.
Why Most Planned Giving Marketing Fails
“Response rates from newsletters are down! Attendance at my annual seminar is way off…” fundraisers tell us.
Find Your Audience, Then Find Your Money
It’s my experience that your audience is the single most powerful and most important element in the mix. If your marketing campaign is to get results, whether you use direct mail, print pieces, or e-mail, you must first make certain that the right audience is getting your message. As I see it, finding the right audience determines 60 percent of the outcome.
You Can’t Guess Direct Mail Response Rates
In planned giving marketing, it’s virtually impossible to guess direct mail response rates unless you’ve had a control group you’ve been experimenting with for years.
How To Make Donors and Prospects Tune Out Without Trying
With improper messaging you’ll become an unwelcome pest instead of a welcome guest in your donors’ mind.
Bourbon, Ethics, Fundraising
Your organization helps teenagers with substance abuse. One of your board members announces he’s received a large inheritance from his grandfather and is going to donate $250,000 in his grandfather’s name. The local paper discovers granddad made his money from the sale and distribution of alcohol.
Spam to Promote Planned Giving?
Using spam for planned giving marketing? Think again.
Who’s Visiting Your Planned Giving Website?
Measuring website metrics (stats) is not an easy task. It’s also a science the very few can do. Unless you have someone who specializes in metrics, you are not going to get reliable data. This post explains why and how.
