How to ask for a gift: Do you really have to ask?
At MarketSmart, we don’t close sales and we don’t close deals. When it comes to how to ask for a gift, you’ll see there’s a… Read More
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Helping you qualify, cultivate and prioritize major donors and legacy supporters so you can have fun closing more gifts more efficiently.
Aug
20
2019
May
09
2019
All About Fundraising Climate Change (And What You Can Do About It)
The world of fundraising is facing a climate change. For years, the environment has been shifting. The storm clouds have been gathering. I’ve been talking… Read More
Apr
21
2019
What is donor qualification and why should you care about it?
What is donor qualification? It’s the process by which you determine whether or not a supporter/donor is someone you should: Spend your valuable time building a… Read More
Apr
05
2019
Why fundraisers should take some lessons from stockbrokers
I stumbled on an article written for stockbrokers (financial advisors) that I found interesting because it recounted the top three reasons why clients leave: Poor… Read More
Mar
29
2019
Imagine This…
Did you have a grandmother or elderly aunt, uncle or friend? I did. Imagine if I sent mine letters and emails every once in a while. Imagine that… Read More
Mar
22
2019
What is 3-to-1 Major Gift Fundraising?
Let’s face it, your supporters want something in exchange for their cash. But, sadly, many nonprofits don’t give. This compelled me to come up with… Read More
Mar
20
2019
Beware of the fundraising Illuminati
The Illuminati is the name given to real and fictitious secret society groups claiming special knowledge or enlightenment. In the nonprofit sector, such groups of… Read More
Mar
15
2019
You Can’t Marry Your Donors After the First Date
Donors build relationships with nonprofits the same way they build relationships with people. Slowly! Step 1: Meet through friends Step 2: Chat a bit Step… Read More
Mar
08
2019
12 questions to ask yourself to avoid disrespecting your supporters
In the for profit world they call it customer service. All of us get frustrated when we feel slighted or disrespected. Yet, sadly, nonprofits are… Read More
Mar
01
2019
The 6 most read parts of any major gift letter
I’m always a bit baffled when I see fundraising letters that fail to take into consideration the following. After all, research by Professor Siegfried Vogele has clearly proven… Read More
Feb
22
2019
6 reasons why some donors prefer to stay anonymous
In case you’ve ever wondered why some donors prefer to stay anonymous, here are 6 proven reasons why: 1. They do not want fundraisers from… Read More
Feb
08
2019
5 thoughts that might lead your supporters to feel donor remorse
Here are some of the thoughts crossing your donors’ minds while you’re asking them to support your cause: Will they say thank you or just… Read More
Feb
01
2019
10 Ways to Deliver Value to Your Major Donors and Planned Giving Prospects
1. Find ways to release dopamine and/or oxytocin in your supporters’ brains. Oxytocin creates intimacy, trust, and builds healthy relationships. It is essential for creating strong… Read More
Jan
25
2019
Ever wonder about the history of philanthropy and fundraising? Here it is!
This is so cool! You’re going to love it! Thanks to the good people at the National Philanthropic Trust, now you can take a… Read More
Jan
11
2019
Are You Too Busy to Succeed?
As Henry David Thoreau pointed out: “It is not enough to be busy, so are the ants! The question is, what are we busy about?”… Read More
Dec
12
2018
Top 3 reasons why major gift or legacy gift officers don’t have enough face-to-face meetings with donors
I hear a lot of people complaining about gift officers not meeting with enough donors. Usually, these complaints come from people who don’t really do… Read More
Dec
10
2018
What to do when a supporter notifies you that they left your organization in their estate plan but won’t take your calls.
I know, it’s frustrating. You want to thank them but they won’t respond to your outreach. First things first. There are a bunch of reasons why… Read More
Nov
30
2018
What Are You Doing to Change?
“If you always do what you always did, you’ll always get what you always got.” I don’t know who came up with that quote. I… Read More
Nov
07
2018
How Your Restaurant Waiter Can Teach You About Fundraising
The theory of reciprocity is powerful. And nowhere is it displayed more dramatically than in restaurants every day. Think about it. Your waiter is basically… Read More
Nov
05
2018
16 Simple Things Your Best Donors Want
Here’s my list of essential major donor needs that you must aim to fulfill: 1. Your best donors want you to do the important work… Read More
Oct
31
2018
Here’s What Supporters “Buy” When They Donate to Charity
I think buying and donating are the same. Here’s why. When I give money to a charity, I am buying: A chance to be moved by… Read More
Oct
26
2018
The Definitive Menu of Engagement Fundraising Marketing Channels
We know that it’s not always easy to determine where you should be focusing your efforts (and your dollars). So we developed this nifty little… Read More
Oct
22
2018
Are you ready for the 24/7 donor?
Accenture – the world’s largest consulting firm – says that we’re in the era of the “nonstop consumer”. According to their website, “A customer’s path… Read More
Oct
17
2018
Are you avoiding your donors?
Too often I’ve seen some ‘fundraisers’ do whatever they can to avoid actually talking to donors. “I can’t call ’em yet. I’m waiting for the… Read More
Get the book!
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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