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An old book filled with timeless lessons. I was cleaning out a cabinet last weekend and I came across an old book I read long… Read More
I know the feeling. A supporter calls to tell you your email or letter spelled her name wrong. She’s pissed! You begin to sweat and your muscles… Read More
There’s too much talk about whether or not direct mail is dead. Of course it is NOT dead! I get direct mail delivered to me every day. … Read More
When it comes to volume of donor communications, it’s not a matter of how much or how little (especially when it comes to email). It’s… Read More
First, a short story Recently I participated in a roundtable discussion led by a salesperson for one of those cookie-cutter planned giving website companies. She was… Read More
Unlike populist fundraisers (who treat everyone the same), engagement fundraisers aim to find and build relationships with “first class passengers”— people who are willing to “pay”… Read More
For those of you who are new to the field, Mal Warwick played a tremendous leadership role in fundraising and direct marketing. In his book… Read More
Andrew Olsen knows a thing or two about direct marketing. On his blog, he debunks 3 major donor myths that pertain to marketing. You can… Read More
Although direct mail requires printing and postage, we still include it in our marketing plans because it can be effective if you do it right…. Read More
I know, I know… you love your printed planned giving newsletter. After all, it’s an easy marketing option (especially if you buy them from a vendor who… Read More
Firstly, email subject lines are actually headlines. The great advertising legend David Ogilvy once said, “On average, five times as many people read the headlines… Read More
Here’s the copy (below) from an old letter sent by my alma mater. In 2012 they achieved their goal and raised $1 billion but, in my… Read More
I really can’t say it any better than this ad thanks to LegacyVoice, a legacy administration and marketing firm based in the UK. Folks, it’s… Read More
Here’s a list of top 10 reasons why your donor outreach fails: #10. It’s boring #9. It’s impersonal #8. It’s irrelevant #7. It lacks emotion… Read More
Recently I was interviewed by Mazarine at Wild Woman Fundraising! You can hear the interview here. There’s one big point from the interview I figured you’d want… Read More
Infographics Short, “self-contained” emails (with no hyperlinks) that include very brief updates Short letters or online articles (2-3 paragraphs) Highly relevant and targeted medium length… Read More
Want more interesting research from Dr. James? Here you go: News from the Ivory Tower: Webinar Words that Work: Webinar Words that Work: eBook… Read More
This ad for Volkswagen was (and still is) one of the greatest ads of all time. It was simple and powerful. It turned a negative… Read More
1. Are you really doing direct mail well? I like to say, “Be donor-centric. Be personalized. Be relevant. Or be gone!” If you’re sending tons… Read More
This drives me crazy. I keep hearing so-called planned giving experts congratulate themselves for getting phenomenal open rates from their e-blasts even though email open… Read More
If you’re working on a direct marketing effort for major and/or planned gifts, there are just two things you need to know: 1. What’s really… Read More
Yes! I said you should run an OPT-OUT campaign. Not an opt-in campaign. I realize it’s counter-intuitive, but I actually get just a little bit… Read More
Two days ago I outlined my “do’s“. Today, here are my “don’t’s”. Both can be found here on this cheat-sheet. 15 Don’ts Be disingenuous. For… Read More
1. It’s simple and direct 2. It does not include any legal jargon 3. It does not remind the reader about death or the IRS 4…. Read More
Feeling like your job is getting harder because donor expectations have changed and competition for the charitable dollar is growing?
Finding that the old orthodoxies and conventions espoused by so-called experts in online echo-chambers and at conferences don’t work anymore?
Want to help more people make impact by facilitating their acts of philanthropy but feel like too many obstacles keep getting in your way?
Then this book is for you.
Engagement Fundraising was developed from the perspective of a donor who discovered firsthand that the impersonal, spray-and-pray approaches of his beloved charity were not only offensive but also wasteful and ineffective. So he took action. And now, you can too.
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