Finally! Google Checkout for Nonprofits
I was thrilled to read this post on the Google Checkout blog: Introducing Google Checkout for Nonprofits. I've been using Google Checkout for my Fundraisingcoach.com Store and for etithing at the Vineyard Church of Waterville and love it! Good job Google!
Title change & winner!
Thank you to all of you who voted (again) on the title of this book. I'm pleased to announce you've helped keep the great parts of the original title and give it more punch! The new title is Ask Without Fear! A Simple Guide to Connecting Donors with What Matters to...
Fundraising Secret #4: You’re NOT “begging”!
I got pretty passionate about last week's blog post about not getting "entitled." I equally passionate about Fundraising Secret #4: you're not begging! Let me repeat that: YOU'RE NOT BEGGING. Fundraisers are not panhandlers. Beggars take money from anyone they can. We...
Direct Mail Facts
Jeff Brooks at the Donor Powered Blog, lists these 7 surprising facts about direct-response fundraising. I use these factoids all the time in my thinking about mailings so I thought I'd list Jeff's 7 here: Blank carrier envelopes usually out-perform envelopes with...
Fundraising Secret #3: Nobody “owes” you anything
[Warning: rant in progress] Hang around me for any length of time and you'll hear me rant about the awful tendency of those of us in nonprofits of getting entitled. Sit in the back office of just about any nonprofit, and you'll here people slip into talk that donors...
Another great testimonial!
Brian Tracy has graciously written this: This short, practical book gives you a series of step-by-step methods to raise more money, faster and easier than you ever thought possible. -Brian Tracy, Author The Psychology Of Selling I can't wait to have this book in...
SquidWho?
Seth Godin is always on the cutting edge of things. He's done it again with squidwho.com. Who needs a "Who's Who" in print when you've got the internet. But it feels weird setting up a page for myself. So in the spirit of Jackie Huba and Ben McConnell, I'll give away...
Odd will
Leona Helmsley's will is causing quite a stir. In addition to leaving millions of dollars to her dog, the NYTimes says it contains nuggets like: To receive money from the trusts, the grandsons are required under the will to visit the grave each year of their father,...
Fundraising Secret #2: Brainstorm Objections
Last time we looked at the #1 fundraising secret: ask! Asking will always be #1. The rest of these fundraising secrets are in no particular order. That being said, the second secret is: brainstorm objections up front. Nine times out of ten, when you ask for money the...
New Book Title?
I've recently become aware of two things about the title of my book The Get R.E.A.L. Guide to Asking for Money: Connecting Donors with What Matters to Them Most. 1. It is really long. 2. The "R.E.A.L." raises spam alerts. Would you help me by voting on keeping this...
Focus on the Top 10
I love ForImpact.org's W.O.W. emails. I read this just after writing yesterday's post Fundraising Secret #1. It definitely fits! Read it and prosper: Last week Tom and I were with a Benedictine prep school in New Jersey. We were discussing the importance of focusing...
Fundraising Secret #1: Ask!
Since many have finished their fiscal year and others that haven't finished are working on budgets for the next fiscal year, I've been pondering things that would make this coming year our best fundraising year yet. I've come up with about 100 secrets, tips, and...
Pushing through the Dip
In the last few posts, we've been gleaning from Seth Godin's latest book, The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit (and When to Stick). If you've determined that you can be
More on Fundraising in the Dip
In our last post, Fundraising in the Dip, we exlpored Seth Godin's thoughts on "dips" and "cul-de-sacs" from his latest book, The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit (and When to Stick). Today, let's look at the 3 questions Seth recommends we ask before...
Are you a YAWN?
The Chronicle on Philanthropy has an interesting blurb on a new term for donors: yawn. Here's a taste: Using a term coined in Great Britain, columnist Robert Frank says extremely rich young people who live humbly and give most of their wealth to charity are “yawns,”...
A chunk of my 15 minutes of fame!
This picture went with a very flattering article in the paper today. The reporter did a great job. I only wish he'd included the fact that I said "us" and "we" in the interview, not "I" and "me." Fundraising is a TEAM sport! Either way, I'm flattered. I'm sure it...
SALE! 20% off Creating Donor Evangelists
In honor of Independence Day here in the USA, we're having a sale on all Creating Donor Evangelists products. For the NEXT 14 DAYS ONLY, all CDE audio products are being offerend for 20% off. [From now until July 17!] Just go to The Fundraisingcoach.com Store. To...
Fundraising In the Dip
Many of us experienced the end of the fiscal year on June 30th. Before taking a well deserved vacation, this is a great time for catching our breath and re-assessing our position. Some of what I'm currently reading, Seth Godin's new book, The Dip: A Little Book That...
Generations
Every once in a while you come a cross a blog post that takes your breath away. Fundraising from older people, ie, fundraising by Jeff Brooks is one of those. He quotes Mark Rovner as saying "Boomers and Xers have different worldviews, cultural touchstones, and senses...
Are you in the club?
Let's revisit the idea of clubs. In his article, Michael Masterson gives an example of a dining club. Summing up the example, he states: The basic elements of a club that are at work in this example: Association with like-minded people This is the fraternal aspect of...
Job Opening – D.C.
This just in: Vice President/Director of Development Women’s Edge Coalition Washington, D.C. The Women’s Edge Coalition (Edge) is a cutting-edge, results-oriented policy organization working to make U.S. foreign assistance and trade policy improve the lives of women...
Identifying your fans
Would you recommend us to your friends? On a recent teleclass, Jackie Huba says this is one of the best questions to help you identify your organization's fans. You should be able to listen to the podcast here.
Red Sox Wine?!
The Don't Tell the Donor Blog reports on three Red Sox'd themed wines: Wakefield's "CaberKnuckle" Ramirez's "Manny Being Merlot" Schilling Schardonnay What'll they think of next?!
Summer Break Ideas
Many of you are approaching the end of your fiscal year. The rest of us often experience a bit of a lull during the summer. (But the work seems to increase every year, doesn't it?) How are you going to spend the "down-time"? Author Robert W. Bly has a terrific list of...
Breaking 1000!
The subscriptions continue to grow! So far more than 900 people have subscribed to the Extreme Fundraising Ezine. Would you help me get to 1000 by inviting your colleagues to sign up? People can subscribe at the bottom of: fundraisingcoach.com or send a blank email to...
Sensational!
Google Alerts just emailed me this announcement from Channel 5 News in Charleston, SC. I'm not sure I've ever been called "sensational" before...but it has a nice ring. 🙂 The Association of Fund raising Professionals Lowcountry Summer Institute will take place at the...
Sex, drugs, and…charitable giving?!
Today's daily update from the Chronicle of Philanthropy included a report on neurological studies of philanthropy: Charity Comes Naturally to Humans, Some Studies Say Neuroscientists studying human empathy, altruism, and morality often find that doing good is...
Blog driven fundraising?
Just got this in the mail: Dear Marc A. Pitman, This Monday, May 28th, join thousands of bloggers and use your blog to benefit DonorsChoose.org, a non-profit Web site that brings teachers and donors together to fund specific student projects that range from "Magical...
And now for something completely different
It's a Friday before a long weekend, so I thought I'd post this mashup. Enjoy the frivolity!
Are you LinkedIn?
Mark Nakumara pointed me to this great blog post by Guy Kawaski about ways to used LinkedIn. Can you imagine how cool it would be if donors started researching you before a solicitation call! Very cool! To read the Guy's blog post click here. My LinkedIn profile is...