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Imagine this. Since you’re reading this, I’m betting you are someone who cares deeply about helping supporters with capacity (wealthy people) realize their philanthropic dreams. You… 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
Whenever I see articles about year-end major gifts, they always seem to say the same things such as, “Don’t forget to look at your list… Read More
When I first came up with the term engagement fundraising it was because I was a pissed-off donor! I wanted the charities I cared about… Read More
7. Wasting time in-house letting themselves get caught up in meetings, activities, or office politics 6. Forgetting to ask donors lots of questions about why they care,… 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
People often ask me, “How does MarketSmart work with partners (allies) to help nonprofits lower costs and increase revenues?” It’s a good question. Many people… Read More
If you know me and this blog, you know that I talk about the Pareto Principle a lot. That’s the concept developed by Vilfredo Pareto… Read More
They’ll talk about it at conferences. You’ll read about it in the Chronicle of Philanthropy. Online discussion groups will say it’s the key to marketing… Read More
I’m always surprised when I click on a major gift or planned gift fundraiser’s LinkedIn profile and see that they only have 30, 50 or… Read More
Ever want to hear the voice of SmartIdeas (Greg Warner)? Here’s your chance. Mazarine Trez of Wildwoman Fundraising interviewed me some time ago. We discussed… Read More
When I first got into professional sales at Washingtonian Magazine I was taught that the only way to really sell anything was to get face-to-face… Read More
Wealth screening your data is a good idea! My firm doesn’t provide that service but there are plenty that can help you to determine who… Read More
Last year I worked with Dr. Russell James to present his findings on what words work to raise money (Check out the ground-breaking webinar titled… Read More
Mark Twain once said, “I can live for two months on a good compliment.” I recently saw that quote and it got me thinking that… Read More
Remember Candid Camera? In this old episode, they set out to prove how easy it is to get someone to conform. Unfortunately, today too many… 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
What donors value is often their time without you and not their time with you. Ouch! Yep! That’s right. I said it. And I know… Read More
I’m sure you’ve run into a bunch of “show up and throw up sales people” in your lifetime. “Show up and throw up selling” is often… Read More
Here are some of the most powerful words used frequently in advertising: finally suddenly now FREE SALE NEW announcing introducing improved amazing sensational remarkable fantastic… Read More
The private sector knows all about responding to leads. They know that: The odds of calling to contact a lead decrease by over 10 times… Read More
So I’m out having lunch with one of my fellow CEO buddies. I do that a lot. It’s very lonely being a CEO so I… Read More
Here are 5 proven reasons why fundraisers won’t call their leads to ask for donations: Fear of rejection: This is the most common reason for… Read More
First, a really quick story. I was flying home from a speaking engagement last week when I found myself sitting next to a very sweet,… 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.
Subscribe to our blog today and get actionable fundraising ideas delivered straight to your inbox!
