Our 5 most popular blog posts (according to our subscribers)

8 years ago

Each year I like to review which blog posts were viewed most by my subscribers (and which were viewed least).…

My Gift To You This Holiday Season

8 years ago

A lot of people have asked me, "Can you really achieve planned gift marketing success online?"   They didn't believe…

How to keep your donors in 2016

8 years ago

In the nonprofit world, it's widely recognized that retaining donors can be quite challenging. If it wasn't challenging... if it was easy, everyone would…

The number one reason why you aren’t getting your share of dollars from donor advised funds

8 years ago

According to Fidelity Charitable, most donor-advised fund account holders included or will include a bequest in their estate plans. You…

Would you give money to this person?

8 years ago

Trust is crucial, necessary and vital.  I think all of us would agree that one of the most basic reasons…

Why failing to focus on major and planned gifts can be so dangerous

8 years ago

For decades, it’s been abundantly clear that a very small number of people have been and continue to be responsible…

What fundraisers can learn from reality TV shows

8 years ago

Can’t we be “real” with our donors, advocates, volunteers and other supporters? As of the writing of this article, fourteen…

7 major principles for major gift fundraising (including planned gifts)

8 years ago

Before we get into these 7 major principles for major gift fundraising (including planned gifts), let's review some neat stats…

How NOT to design the perfect fundraising campaign

8 years ago

Today I would like to discuss how NOT to design the perfect fundraising campaign. According to The Telegraph newspaper in the…

Why less is always more and how to get more from less

8 years ago

Less is always more. Subtraction always adds value. Ever wonder if your nonprofit is trying to do too many things and trying…

2 big reasons why email open rates are meaningless and 3 things you should track instead

8 years ago

This drives me crazy. I keep hearing so-called planned giving experts congratulate themselves for getting phenomenal open rates from their…

Here’s how fundraising retention rates compare to other industries

8 years ago

Fitness/health clubs - 72.4%   Software as a service (SaaS) - 46% annual churn leaving 56% of customers retained is considered…

The Rule of 7 vs. 3-to-1 fundraising

8 years ago

Jerold Panas' classic fundraising book Mega Gifts published in 1984 includes a story about a zoo's board member named Mary…

8 ways to ask for a donation without actually asking

8 years ago

Many of us don't feel comfortable asking. This is because many of us have never had anyone teach us that we…

Air support

8 years ago

Military forces have been used for humanitarian purposes for decades all over the world. These days, in the aftermath of…

Why a single tambourine is annoying and what you can do about it

8 years ago

Bang-jangle! Bang-jangle! Bang-jangle! That's the sound of a lone tambourine. Sounds good if it's accompanied with music and it follows a…

Fundraising vs. Selling: How to overcome the misconceptions

9 years ago

Too many people give selling a bad rap. Selling is NOT about pushing people around and convincing them to do something…

Too much talk about donor retention?

9 years ago

There's a lot of talk about donor retention these days. Don't get me wrong. Retention is important, very important! But…

Fundraising vs. Facilitating

9 years ago

Fundraising focuses on an organization's process for raising money by requesting donations. Facilitation focuses on helping others achieve their goals…

2 things you need to know for direct marketing

9 years ago

If you're working on a direct marketing effort for major and/or planned gifts, there are just two things you need…

I am a disruptor

9 years ago

I'm proud to be a disruptor. I've been this way all my life. I can't help it. Therefore, I simply won't…

Why it's time for reinvention

9 years ago

Something is happening all over the world. Entire systems are being reinvented. Uber is reinventing passenger transportation. Netflix is reinventing television…

3 reasons to focus on major gifts (including major legacy gifts)

9 years ago

1. 3% of U.S. Households are responsible for 67% (2/3) of all household charity (This is according to the 2011…

Why Journalism and Fundraising Make Good Bedfellows

9 years ago

I was a Journalism major. Actually, that was a huge accident. I really wanted to be a Business Major. My…