Good judgment comes from experience. Unfortunately experience comes through bad judgment.
CRATs, nOObs, and Other Acronyms
Like cell phones, social media and text messages, acronyms have taken over our lives. But we had planned giving acronyms long before the birth of texts. What else does a CRAT stand for? Read and find out.
You Can’t Do It Alone
Study shows what successful people have in common: they spent a lot of time with someone who had been successful. In other words, they learned how to be successful. They had friends, mentors, influencers and coaches.
In Other Words…
Again and again, Dr. Russell James found that formal and technical terms reduce the chances that a prospective donor will be interested in making a planned gift. And we’ve been saying that since 1998. Yet, many nonprofits still do not take the advice.
The Planned Giving Productivity Quiz
Planned giving productivity. It’s not about learning calculators, CRUTs and CRATs. Here are 5, simple helpful tips for you career — and mental health.
How I Got into Planned Giving
People often ask me about my life. What’s my background? Where’s my accent from? Where did I grow up? Where did you meet your wife? One of these days I’ll get around to answering all that… But the most common question I get is, “Viken, how did you get into planned giving?” Answer: By Accident.
Fearless Asking
What kind of “asker” are you? Confident, well-dressed, professional? Or more of a beggar? Someone apologetic, mincing their way through the ask? One type is going to succeed often, and the other will almost always fail. Can you guess which is which? You’ll find the answer — and other great advice on making the ask — on our blog in a guest post from author, public speaker and planned giving specialist Dr. Rebecca Price Janney.
What a Difference a “Comma” Makes
“Oh, you’re one of those people who care about the black squiggly marks,” the Director of Development told me.
Tiger Woods, Defining Moments, Nonprofits, Lies and Life, Honesty
Remember when news broke that Tiger Woods was cheating — not at golf, but on his wife? The media jumped all over the story.
Planned Giving Stories Motivate Others to Give
Are you nurturing your donors? One way to do it is by asking them to tell their story. People like to talk about themselves. It’s natural.