by Marc A. Pitman | Jun 30, 2009 | 4. Love (Stewardship), Stories
For many readers of this blog, today is the end of the fiscal year. Congratulations! You’ve made it! What are you doing to celebrate? We live in a fast paced world. And our organization’s financial needs are insatiable. All too often, our year end is merely...
by Marc A. Pitman | May 19, 2009 | 3. Ask, Fundraising Secrets, Stories
I’ve been through a flurry of bad powerpoint presentations recently. At the last one, the speakers turned their backs to the audience and read the slides word-for-word. I kid you not. Perhaps it was because the words were so tiny none of us could see them. If...
by Marc A. Pitman | Dec 2, 2008 | 2. Engage, 3. Ask, Fundraising Secrets, Stories
In Secrets of Closing the Sale, Zig Ziglar says: Each year over 5 million quarter-inch drills are sold, yet it’s safe to say that nobody wants a quarter-inch drill. They want a quarter-inch hole. Isn’t that great? We do that in fundraising too. Donations...
by Marc A. Pitman | Aug 9, 2008 | 2. Engage, Donor Evangelists, Stories
Anyone that’s attended any of my fundraising seminars knows I’m a big fan of storytelling. The NY Times offers a great article called 5 Tips for Telling Better Stories. In short, they are: Keep it simple Openings and closings are very important Be mindful...
by Marc A. Pitman | Jul 21, 2008 | 2. Engage, Odd, Stories
Here’s another story in the growing collection of unassuming people that become noteworthy philanthropists by leaving millions of dollars to charity. The Chronicle of Philanthropy reports that James Ebbert, the son of a sharecropper, left $10 million to...
by Marc A. Pitman | Jun 18, 2008 | 2. Engage, 3. Ask, Stories
Katya Andresen has a great post on how to compete like a champ in a tough economy. She expands on this in her interview on the Ask Without Fear Radio Show. I’ve also written about how to recession proof your fundraising. In a similar vein, Nancy Schwartz has a...