![[Question Marc] Conversation starters for cold calls](https://cdn.fundraisingcoach.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/02231313/questionmarc.jpg)
[Question Marc] Conversation starters for cold calls
I recently received this question from a client: I have a question for you. I have a list of wealthy prospects, many have given our hospice small dollar amounts thru memorials. My intent is to build a relationship with them, can you give me an example of what to say...
What keeps you up at night?
For her weekly FundRaising Success Magazine post, Jo Black Sullivan asked a bunch of us fundraiser-folk what kept us awake at night. People like me, Roger Craver, Jeff Jowdy, and more. Here's the video of all of us. It cut out the screen-printed bow tie on my t-shirt...
Just do it already!
Now That person you've been scared of asking to make a specific contribution to your nonprofit? Ask her now. That note of appreciation to your board member that you've been putting off? Write it now. That staff member that just did something that makes your job...
Shoe Shine guy gives $200,000
This man, Albert Lexie, shines shoes at a hospital in Pittsburgh. Over the last 30 years, he's given all his tips to the charity care fund at the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. That's added up to $200,000 so far! From a shoe shine guy! All that glitters... I love...
![[Guest Post] Three Ways Nonprofits Can Use Promotional Products Effectively](https://cdn.fundraisingcoach.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/02231305/FogelGuestPost4.png)
[Guest Post] Three Ways Nonprofits Can Use Promotional Products Effectively
I met Elaine Fogel a few years ago when she organized a conference in DC. I've been impressed with her commitment to nonprofits and her knowledge of promotional items. (I call it schwag.) So I asked her if she'd write a post on how nonprofits can use them effectively....
What if we just called them part of the family?
A couple weeks ago, I had the privilege of hosting the Nonprofit Blog Carnival. I asked some of the nonprofit industry’s top bloggers how they kept donors coming back. 16 experts shared their best tips. 7 out of 10 don’t come back One of the shocking statistics is...
[Question Marc] How do I recruit new board members?
From time to time, I have a feature I call Question Marc?. [Pun fully intended] A coaching client who is a board member for an arts organization recently sent me this question: We are trying to quickly build up our board since it is small. I am planning on asking 3...
Check your Google+ page image
Your Google+ page just changed. Google has increased the cover image size to 2120 x 1192, from 940 x 180. And the profile image is now an ugly circle, not a square. I'm not a fan of the change. If you have a Google+ page, and you should, check it out to make sure it...
New free ebook “npEXPERTS: Online Marketing Insights for Nonprofits”
I'm honored to be one 20 experts included in the ebook: npEXPERTS: Online Marketing Insights for Nonprofits. In this ebook, we share tips, tricks and stories on "how to use nonprofit marketing to connect with supporters, activate your donor base, and raise money...
16 experts tell you how to keep your donors wanting to come back
Since we celebrate Valentines Day in February, I thought I'd have this edition of the Nonprofit Blog Carnival focus on long-term donor relationships. I like to think of it as showing them "love." A few weeks ago, I posted this question to nonprofit bloggers: How do...
Donor’s don’t need another best friend!
About a week ago, I was able to do a Twitter chat on “loving your donors” and showing them appreciation. You can read a transcript here: http://storify.com/audiencedevspec/auddev-chat-2-14-noon-et-loving-your-donors Do you have to answer donors' questions? One of the...
![[Guest Post] Special events: Make them worth the effort](https://cdn.fundraisingcoach.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/02231309/Clover_about.png)
[Guest Post] Special events: Make them worth the effort
From time-to-time, I get to introduce you to a rock star in my universe, a colleague I trust implicitly. Today I'm thrilled to introduce you to Clover Frederick, a fundraising and marketing expert from Lincoln, Nebraska. I love her idea of fundraising events being a...
Free Valentine’s Day Bow Tie Card
Whether for you or that special Valentine in your life, get them a free bow tie card this Valentine's Day!
Humor is the lubricant for spreading great ideas
I love helping nonprofits communicate their story more clearly. Last week, the tweets from the “Great Super Bowl Blackout” provided a great object lesson in how to harness social media platforms like Twitter for getting attention. Even for getting free media coverage....
[Question Marc] How do we get more people to open our email?
I recently received this question from a reader in South Africa: Just a quick question.... Do you have any resources or help that can ensure that we get more people to read our mails? We have an extremely low rate of about 11% at the moment. My answer: Getting more...
Future fundraising trainings…near you?
I love speaking to groups, helping people get excited about fundraising, and helping groups communicate more effectively. My team is looking at expanding the number of trainings I do. Every month we have people asking to attend a public session near them. If you’re...
Did Charities Sleep Through The Great Super Bowl Blackout?
Last night the power went out at the Super Bowl for 33 minutes and 55 seconds. And brands had a field day using Twitter to add humor and garner brand recognition. CNET reports that during the blackout, Twitter activity was around 231,500 tweets per minute! Tamsen...
Nonprofit Blog Carnival: How do you keep your donors wanting to come back?
I am honored to have FundraisingCoach.com host February's Nonprofit Blog Carnival! Last month the Carnival looked at Your Big Dream for 2013. This month, we're asking: how do you keep donors engaged for a second gift? According to studies in the USA, the average...
3 ways fundraisers can slow the revolving door
Last week, I mentioned the new report by CompassPoint called UnderDeveloped: A National Study of Challenges Facing Nonprofit Fundraising that is getting lots of press. Two of the findings the press and bloggers are reporting on are: more than half of all fundraisers...
The Art of Fundraising – as a 140 second Icarus Presentation
Wednesday, I had the opportunity to join over 375 people to hear Seth Godin speak at MIT. He was sharing ideas from his new books The Icarus Deception: How High Will You Fly? and V Is for Vulnerable: Life Outside the Comfort Zone. After he spoke, he invited six of us...
3 ways CEOs can slow the revolving door
A new report by CompassPoint called UnderDeveloped: A National Study of Challenges Facing Nonprofit Fundraising is getting lots of press. Two of the most sensational headlines are that: more than half of all fundraisers want to leave their job, some even the entire...
How to get donors to enable images in email
As a rule, I don't enable images in emails. And I've blogged about how annoying it is to get blank emails from businesses and nonprofits I'm interested in. The solution obviously is to send emails in both text and HTML. But that doesn't look as pretty and it makes it...
How to get donors to enable images in email
As a rule, I don't enable images in emails. And I've blogged about how annoying it is to get blank emails from businesses and nonprofits I'm interested in. The solution obviously is to send emails in both text and HTML. But that doesn't look as pretty and it makes it...
100 Donors in 90 Days – 25% off
The "100 Donors in 90 Days" program works. There are some pretty incredible results. Even nonprofits that only do half of the ideas in the program have seen over 100 new donors! Start the year strong To help you get a jump-start on 2013, we're offering 100 Donors for...
How you can add an extra month of fundraising in 2013
As we start 2013, I thought I’d share with you an idea from the beginning of my latest book, Fundraising Kick: how you can create an additional month of fundraising this year. Sounds over the top, doesn’t it? But if you devote 1 hour a day for each work day to...
Put together the pieces of the Donor Retention Project in 2013
I am working with the folks that created the 100 Donors in 90 Days program on a new product that will be released in the first few months of 2013. Labeled “The Donor Retention Project,” we’re interviewing a dozen experts to give very practical insider information,...
3 ways to make the most of the last days of December
For most of the thousands of people receiving this email newsletter, there are only 5 or 6 business days left in 2012. This is typically an odd time for fundraisers: we're stuck between the sense that everyone is celebrating a holiday and the reality that a large...
4 Tips for Successful Online Fundraising this December
Are you looking at the next 3 weeks as time wasted for fundraising? Are excuses like "Everyone is going to a holiday party" and "No one will want to hear from me" filling your mind and mouth? Stop it. A recent seven year analysis of online giving conducted by Network...
Renew The Heart & Soul of your Non-Profit for a Chance To Win $10,000
From time to time I introduce you to my friends on this blog. This post is from John Haydon, a great guy and a social media whiz! Enjoy! By John Haydon, www.JohnHaydon.com If you're like most people who work at nonprofits, you’re inspired by quietly changing the world...
EXTENDED THROUGH GIVING TUESDAY: Amazing Cyber-Monday Offer on Fundraising Training Tools
UPDATE: This offer is extended through midnight "Giving Tuesday," November 27! Cyber-Monday seemed like a great excuse make an offer on fundraising training. Today only, when you purchase the Ask Without Fear! DVD set, the Board Retreat Party Pack, the Board Bundle of...