A beautiful sunny autumn day in Southeastern Pennsylvania and the local strip mall was crowded with shoppers enjoying themselves… All except one.
Personalizing the Grey Flannel Suit – Part I: Biographies Tell Who You Are
Donors don’t leave legacies to grey flannel suits. Donors want to see the face of the person wearing the suit — which is why fundraisers need well-written biographies.
Who Asks Who? Trends in Data Sourcing
From a fundraiser’s point of view, or course, a perfect world would include all prospects coming directly to the fundraiser or her organization for advice on giving. But numbers indicate fewer potential donors are seeking advice from NPOs and their personnel. They are turning instead to legal and financial professionals.
Recognize Your Donors in Print
We recently heard of a non profit mailing out its annual report with a notice inside that read “In an effort to keep our costs low and use our resources to provide more food, we have reduced the size of our Annual Report. Please go to our website for a list of donors, volunteers and community partners.”
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.
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.
Should I Develop People Skills, or Technical Skills?
Did you know that most companies base 80% of their hiring decision on technical skills, yet 85% of turnover is due to behavioral incompatibility?