communication
How Far Do I Want To Go With You?
It’s a bit of a dance, really, isn’t it? A little pas de deux between donor and nonprofit: You take a step towards me, and I either step forward to meet you, or retreat. For Read more…
communication
What are the Two Most Dangerous Assumptions in Fundraising?
Thinking the reasons why people give doesn’t matter Thinking we know why people give Assumption #1 is beyond redemption (you can’t fix stupid!) Thankfully although it still pervades a few of the bigger, Read more…
101fundraising
Simply the Best: Top 10 blog posts! (Q2 2016)
It’s half time. And I’m not talking about the European Football Championships. We’ve just concluded our second quarter. Again we have 10 gems for you. And Q2 shows us how international our crowdblog is with posts from Read more…
Latest posts
“Because it works” is not a good enough answer. Here’s why.
What is success in fundraising? And what is failure? That might seem a ridiculously simple and binary question with a ridiculously simple and binary answer: it’s what works, and what does not. And yet it Read more…
foundations
Where are you, fundraiser?
Look at a painting by van Gogh and you see beauty. Look at it another way and you see confusion. Yet another, and you see pain, suffering. That was how it was last month in Read more…
communication
What a strange weekend – all based on ignorance
It is 10pm on Saturday evening. For the last six hours I have been celebrating a 50th birthday in our village. I am not sure how I am typing this. Yesterday I went to visit Read more…
corporate
The Donosaur’s Lament
We used to run into each other at fundraising conferences and events, but it had been a while since we had met. When I called her and suggested catching up over lunch, I was hoping Read more…
Latest posts
You sent me a mail pack. A mail pack… I never get those.
Although, come to think of it, I had one from you before once, and it was bland and unconvincing. All concept and no substance. Very disappointing. But this one almost persuaded me to give. It Read more…
acquisition
Here be dragons
Fundraising needs to change. The way ahead is unchartered. It’s going to need those with courage, and an appetite to try the unknown – fundraisers willing to explore a different approach, feel the fear, and Read more…
Latest posts
#HappyBirthdayYourMajesty #Orlando
On Sunday, Katharine (comms manager) and I represented Save the Children Canada at the Patron’s Lunch. The largest-ever street party on The Mall, The Royal Family made philanthropy and patronage a centrepiece of The Queen’s Read more…
communication
Thanking – my goodness it really works
Donors like to be thanked and we like to thank donors. Don’t we? Yes, particularly if it’s cheap and quick. Let me tell you what we did. It was fairly cheap, not so quick, but Read more…
donor service
Stop and smell the roses
I’m proud to call myself a Fundraiser. It’s who I am, it’s what I do, it’s kind of in my core. But there is a challenge. A donor really, really doesn’t want to be ‘fundraised’. Read more…
innovation
Stop talking about what’s next in fundraising!
Whenever I go to a fundraising conference or meet with other fundraisers, one question that without fail comes up is ‘What’s next in fundraising?’ It’s like we are hoping for someone to wave a magic Read more…
Latest posts
Please don’t cut and paste this
Don’t read this blog. There’s a much better one over on Rogare by Joe Jenkins. Joe got me thinking about copying and originality. Here are 6 thoughts he triggered. 1. The changing nature of how Read more…
donor service
The acceptable face of fundraising targets
If the donor experience, not fundraising targets, should be at the heart of future fundraising strategies, how will our organisations achieve what they need? Some years ago I squirreled away a cryptic comment from a Read more…
high value donors
Three Powerful Major Gift Questions You Might Not Be Asking
You already know the importance of asking strategic questions and listening to understand (rather than to respond or even worse not listen and only react). Having strategic conversations with your donors, helps you establish rapport, Read more…
acquisition
Invest. Experience. Loyalty. Retention. Income. Repeat.
If you are able to keep your donors longer, you will raise more funds for your cause. Simple as that. The simplest way I can explain it: We invest in our staff and our fundraising Read more…
communication
Getting back to basics…
Recently I ordered two pairs of shoes from an online retailer. There was a problem on the order confirmation and so I had to call the company to sort the issue out. In that ten Read more…
database
How answering ‘Why’ and ‘What’ could change your fundraising
a.k.a. how much money would you raise if you knew anything meaningful about ‘your’ donors? Do you recognize her? She’s been on your house file for three and a half years now. Each month she Read more…
communication
A Brief History of Fundraising
Once upon a time there was a need. A number of people recognised it and wanted to do something about it. They knew this would involve them giving money. That wasn’t a problem. They needed Read more…
Latest posts
Seeing donors as partners: will you shift your culture?
In all the recent media stories covering what’s wrong with charity fundraising, one thing that’s not getting enough airtime is what an amazing and life-enhancing experience giving can be. This gives us a huge opportunity Read more…
campaigns
Fishing for P2P Fundraisers
As professional fundraisers we often feel like fishermen. We dangle our best case messaging like bait over a pool of potential donors and wait patiently (or not so patiently) until they take it and make Read more…
campaigns
The Future of Fundraising is Organising. Because Together, We Can …!
The future of fundraising will no doubt be something we don’t even know about yet. You know, the next Big Thing. Of course, it’s going to be digital, isn’t it? Probably. Maybe. Or it could Read more…
communication
Pratfall – how mistakes make you more attractive
Pratfall is a term coined by psychologist Elliot Aronson to describe the bias of how your attractiveness to someone or something increases or decreases after making a blunder or a mistake (or a pratfall). The impact Read more…
campaigns
How to DIY a digital strategy that actually works
Wouldn’t you like to relax and have a digital strategy that works, rather than chase the latest new social media channel and always wonder if you’re spending your time in the wrong place? You can Read more…
