This is a case study from Friends of Indy Animals on 15 tips you can use for your next newsletter appeal…
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Full disclosure - the below example comes from a former coaching client of mine. Broadmead Care. I am a donor and received this example from them. I instantly appreciated this pack and it’s always delightful to see fundraisers spreading their creative wings…
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The creative brief: Craft and send a direct mail pack to donors about our new capital campaign and inspire them to give to help us get closer to our goal. Easy peasy, right?
Except… sometimes (ie: almost all of the time), your capital campaign case for support isn’t targeted or designed for your average annual donors. The question becomes, how can you make it relevant and compelling for those donors too?
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April is a strange time of year to be blogging about Santa Claus, but that’s what you get sometime. Here is a little bit of inspiration hopefully, pulled and edited from John Lepp’s upcoming book, Creative Deviations…
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Three more reflections from this year that really focus on creative storytelling.
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Could it be? A blog post?
Yes, tis the season for a bit of reflection and sharing of 12 things that have been occupying our brains through 2021. Has it been a bit crazy for you too?
A case study about a recent mail pack we worked on for the STEGH Foundation and filled with 26 ideas, tip and tricks you can steal for your next appeal to make it more effective!
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In this final part of a 4 part series, we dive deep into these “extra” pieces you sometimes find in mail packs. Inserts, lift notes, buckslips, etc. These pieces can either solidify getting that gift or maybe make your donor run screaming away. (Maybe that’s a little over the top…). Let’s see what Dale got from some of her charities in today’s post.
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This week, we take a closer look at the often misunderstood and appreciated “Reply Form.” Get this part wrong and you can kiss a potential gift goodbye. It’s that important. We will share somethings you can consider to make yours better and more effective!
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Today we wade into the stuff inside the envelope. Starting with the appeal letter. What did we notice and how can we make it better? This post will take a closer look.
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2020 was a wild fundraising year. Anecdotally I can say that those orgs and fundraisers who put in their best effort to tell great stories, clearly asking for something in a thoughtful way did extremely well last year.
I wanted to take a moment to share our top 6 takeaways from an appeal we worked on with our friends at St. Thomas Elgin Hospital Foundation. Spoiler - it did 515% better…
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If you’ve seen me speak, you’ve heard me talk about “Ask for one thing”. I learned a lifetime ago that, in testing, the more you ask for, or the more check boxes you have on your reply form, the less likely you’ll get a positive result…
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Does your organization send newsletters to your donors? A great #donorlove newsletter should do three things…
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Recently, Julie Edwards, Executive Director at The Humane Society of Northeast Georgia, asked us to do a #donorlove audit of her newsletter. These audits can be useful since they are specific to your program, your appeal, your newsletter, whatever it might be…
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There are “annual reports”… I’m sure you are picturing your 12, 16, 20, 24 page, 8.5″ x 11” report filled with copy about your amazing programs and tiny stock shots and photographs of people holding cheques. On the upside, the comms department was thrilled that you adhered to their excessive graphic standards…
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This direct mail appeal pretty good. Not perfect, but pretty good. Not too long ago, I opened my mailbox to find this inside…
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A question that we get asked all the time is, “How do you get a (non-traditional) report like this approved by people who are comfortable with traditional approaches, strategies and executions?”
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Those of you who are on twitter may have heard of “@thewhinydonor“… If you haven’t – I suggest you follow her – she is your donor. Her insights to your asks, activity, automation, lack of gratitude, etc will give you a look into how some of your donors might feel when they get something from you…
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Last week, I stood in my kitchen sorting through the empty containers, dirty sock (singular), torn pieces of paper and other various pieces of riffraff that sat in my daughters school back pack. I came across a form from her class…
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