It’s true — a kid with a kite! There’s a lesson that fundraisers can learn from the history of Niagara Falls — specifically, about a suspension bridge that, from 1855 to 1897, connected the United States to Canada over the roaring waters. This clearly shows how marketing is behind everything.
Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree. ~ Martin Luther
The congregation sighs and settles in for what the pastor knows is actually their least favorite Sunday. “Please take a look at the insert in your bulletin,” he continues. “You’ll see that we didn’t meet our budget again this year.” His audience knows where this is going: The church is struggling to accomplish its mission, but the congregation is not pulling its weight in terms of monetary contributions.
I’ll be blunt: You can get lucky with lust, but you get married and stay married with trust. You’re probably thinking, “What does that have to do with marketing or fundraising?” Well … read on …
Everyone focuses on the importance of planned giving from a financial perspective. When in fact, it’s about legitimacy and credibility. If you have both, the money will follow.
“But Most Nonprofits Still Don’t Get It.” A statement like that certainly entitles a fundraiser to ask, “Okay, what is it precisely I don’t understand?”
If you’re not pursuing planned gifts, the nonprofit next door is. If they win the heart of your donors, your cash gifts will follow out the door, too.
Planned gifts are not always deferred. Some provide immediate cash, some come in sooner than you think, and here are a few tips to accelerate them.
Fundraising professionals focus on income as a measure of giving ability. The worried fundraiser thinks this way. “The prospective donor won’t give, because she won’t save money by being charitable. I won’t raise enough money to make my annual goals. My charity won’t accomplish its mission, and I’ll lose my job. What am I going to do?”
Remember when news broke that Tiger Woods was cheating — not at golf, but on his wife? The media jumped all over the story.
What is the single biggest excuse people use to not do things they say they want to do? Wait for it… (No pun intended.) “I don’t have time.” We’re about to blow that excuse away.