![[Guest Post] 7 tips for sharing stories about your nonprofit work](https://cdn.fundraisingcoach.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/02231124/LJacobwithJuly2013HeadShot-150w.jpg)
[Guest Post] 7 tips for sharing stories about your nonprofit work
Today I'm pleased to introduce you to Lori Jacobwith. Lori and I have interacted over the last few years and finally got to meet in Minneapolis earlier this year. I've asked her to share her top tips on storytelling. You can check out her step-by-step storytelling...
3 things to NOT do in your next Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign
Crowdfunding has opened up funding for some wonderful projects. But according to their own stats, the majority of Kickstarter projects fail. And a full 10% never raise any money. How to stay out of the majority of crowdfunding campaigns I'm going to show you three...
Fundraising is farming, not Powerball
Nonprofits often mistake hiring professionals like fundraising coaches or consultants as buying the winning lottery ticket. No matter what they've been told, they think the professional will magically find them funding. Fortunately, that is actually great for...
How to effectively ask for advice
Last week, I was at a meeting and heard a board member say: "Ask a man for advice, and he'll give you money. Ask a man for money, and he'll give you advice. Isn't that the truth? Think about the times you as a board member or nonprofit employee told someone you were...
The secret behind year-end fundraising fall appeals
Fall is upon us and that means year-end giving is right around the corner. If you haven’t written your year end appeals over the summer, then now is the time to get those done! As a broad generalization, I recommend sending a mailing: now (late Aug/early Sept) in...
Happy National Bowtie Day!!
Today, August 28, is the day you've long been waiting for: National Bowtie Day! To celebrate this sartorially splendorific day, I'm giving away my bowtie cards for free. True, I always give them away for free. But today, I'll even mail them to you. 🙂 Just fill out...
Facebook promotions just got easier for nonprofits!
Like to be entered Facebook promotions used to be a weird thing. Nonprofits did them but technically, they risked Facebook deleting their page. Facebooks changes its terms again. This time for the good! Now according to Facebook's blog you can run those promotions...
![[Question Marc] What are the best donor management systems?](https://cdn.fundraisingcoach.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/02231313/questionmarc.jpg)
[Question Marc] What are the best donor management systems?
I get lots of questions similar to this all the time: Quick question: Do you have a few favorite donor database software recommendations. Especially for collecting donor giving habits. My answer Here are the ones I hear good things about from clients. I'm most...
Some people make excuses; others raise money
Are you making excuses or raising money? If I had a dollar for every fundraiser that's told me they're not making major gift calls because "August is a slow month," I'd be able to make much larger gifts to nonprofits! I actually like hearing that, in a twisted way....
![[Guest Post] 3 Changes You Should Make To Your Nonprofit Blog Right Now](https://cdn.fundraisingcoach.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/02231209/StevenShattuck.jpeg)
[Guest Post] 3 Changes You Should Make To Your Nonprofit Blog Right Now
Today I get to introduce you to Steven Shattuck, Vice President of Marketing at Bloomerang, the exciting new donor relationship management software that makes it easy to focus on donor retention. I'be been getting to know him over the last few months an love his...
Baby boomers most generous – Gen Y most likely to increase donations
Baby boomers represent 43% of giving in USA Blackbaud just released it's Next Generation of American Giving study (and a nifty interactive infographic). According to their research, Baby Boomers accounted for 43% of giving in the USA last year. While I generally trust...
![[Guest Post] 15 Fundraising Mistakes That Have Already Been Made for You](https://cdn.fundraisingcoach.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/02231213/FS_TomHarrison-large.jpg)
[Guest Post] 15 Fundraising Mistakes That Have Already Been Made for You
I'm glad to introduce you to Tom Harrison, the CEO of Russ Reid. Tom and I are members of the FundRaising Success Editorial Advisory Board and were able to present at a recent conference in Philadelphia. He has an amazing mind for nonprofits and a good sense of humor,...
How to get new donors
I'm tremendously proud of being part of 100 Donors in 90 Day. This week, there's a special offer. So I made this video. Alas, the lavalier volume was wonky. And my webcam is no HD. But you still get why 100 Donors is such an incredible program. 100 new donors in the...
5 Things Not to Do at Your Next Major Gift Solicitation
Even if you're working through the steps of the Ask Without Fear! system, asking for a major gift can be challenging. Here are 5 things you definitely want to avoid on your next major gift solicitation visit! 5 Things Not to Do When Asking for a Major Gift Be late...
Upcoming speaking engagements & fundraising training
I regularly get asked "Are you coming to my area?" Most of my fundraising training and speaking is currently done for nonprofits that bring me in to speak to their boards and teams. I also get to speak and keynote at conferences. Here are the upcoming conferences I'm...
Amazon is giving away my book for free today
Amazon is promoting my newest book Nonprofit Social Media: A beginner's guide to building donor relationships from your desk. On Thursday, July 18, Amazon is giving the Kindle version away for free. Just go to http://amzn.to/13jVxup to see if they've set it up for...
7 steps to setting up a major gift solicitation appointment
One of the most common questions my coaching clients ask me is how to set up a solicitation appointment. The very thought of picking up the phone freezes them with fear. Their minds are flooded with worrying questions like: What will they say? How will the prospect...
![[Guest Post] How To Use Google Trends](https://cdn.fundraisingcoach.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/02231221/AndyCrestodina.jpg)
[Guest Post] How To Use Google Trends
Today it's my privilege to introduce you to Andy Crestodina. Andy is the Strategic Director of Orbit Media, a web design company in Chicago. The author of the incredibly helpful SEO book Content Chemistry, he's amazing when it comes to helping your website receive...
5 Surprising Fundraising Books for Your Summer Reading
It's July 2. Thousands of you are trying to pick up the pieces from the end of your fiscal year. It's time to let your hair down and enjoy a little rest. (Yes, I know that however well you did last year, on July 1, your goal was raised. You still need a break!) (Was...
2 of the least common words fundraisers hear
Happy New (Fiscal) Year! July 1st is the start of the new fiscal year for 100's of 1,000's of nonprofits. You've just closed the books but now you have an even higher bar to reach. Here's a quick video with a sincere message to all who fundraise: thank you. Don't see...
![[Guest Post] The money making secret of effective donor newsletters](https://cdn.fundraisingcoach.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/02231226/Ahern_2012_France.jpg)
[Guest Post] The money making secret of effective donor newsletters
I'm a huge fan of Tom Ahern. The very first time I heard him speak, I learned tactics that transformed my fundraising writing and made it much more effective. He even convinced me donor newsletters could be actual fundraising tools! So when I saw this blog post in his...
WGN’s Bill Leff Show: Keeping donors safe, and a little Stanley Cup smack talk
Last Friday, I got to be interviewed by WGN Radio's Bill Leff We talked about the Tampa Bay report on the 50 Worst Charities and how donors can protect themselves. We also engaged in a little friendly Stanley Cup smack talk. 🙂 You can hear the 10 minute interview on...
Flipboard features the new magazine “The Fundraising Life”
I love using Flipboard. It's a handy app got me back into regular blog reading. This spring, they created a way for users to build their own magazines. It is a simple way for users to curate content. Content curation is a huge life skill, at least for online work. So...
The secret for nonprofits recovering from a recession – Giving USA
Yesterday I wrote about Giving USA's 2013 Report and the highlights about giving last year. At the end of the npVOICES interview with Gregg Carlson of the Giving USA Foundation, Steve MacLaughlin asked for Gregg's impressions for fundraisers. With 50 years of tracking...
Charitable Giving Recovering Faster Than Anticipated – Giving USA
In the latest edition of npVoices, host Steve MacLaughlin interviews Gregg Carlson of the Giving USA Foundation about the 2013 Giving USA report. Giving USA 2013 The latest Giving USA report is fairly encouraging. In 2012, $316 billion was given to charity. This means...
Developing Your Personal Giving Strategy: A Donor’s Guide to Safe Giving
The tough economy in the wake of the "Great Recession" has made giving tough for many. Add to this the seemingly constant news reports of scam charities ripping off donors, and the joy of giving is practically stolen. I'm creating a guide currently called "Developing...
What an effective email fundraising subject line!
As a fundraising coach, I take a critical look at fundraising letters and emails. It's always thrilling to be pleasantly surprised! Last week, I was pleasantly surprised to look in my inbox and see this email subject line: Email subject line: "You made this happen."...
Content calendar templates for social media
Earlier this week, I wrote on how to jumpstart your year end giving. In it, I mentioned scheduling your social media updates to complement your fundraising letters. Keeping up with your own blog as well as Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and LinkedIn can be daunting....
3 ways to jumpstart year end giving by planning your fall fundraising now
Nonprofits are making a big mistake when reading studies that show that over 50% of charitable giving happens in December. They are putting off their year end appeals until December! Did you notice that last December? My inbox was flooded with nonprofit emails begging...
An anonymous letter to a nonprofit board member on how to fundraise
This month's Nonprofit Blog Carnival involves writing an anonymous letter to your board. Anything was fair game. Here is my letter. An anonymous letter to a nonprofit board member Dear Jane, Thank you. Thank you so much for giving your time and money to make our world...