All Nonprofit Marketing and Fundraising Articles
Episode 022 – How to Build and Maintain Donor Relationships
Building and maintaining donor relationships is the lifeblood of any nonprofit organization. You will learn why building relationships with donors is important, how your current definition of donor relationship may be wrong, and how different donor audiences need different types of relationship building techniques.
Start Date – Dave the Development Director
Dave says, “The job candidate that you sent me is just not qualified for the position of development manager.” Wendy replies, “You mean the son of the chairman of our board?” Dave replies, “Yeah.” Wendy replies, “So when is his start date?”
Qualified Job Candidates – Dave the Development Director
Dave says, “I have some great candidates for the Development Manager role. Three have several years of experience in development and the fourth has a masters degree in Nonprofit Fundraising.” Wendy replies “What about Hunter?” Dave asks, “The son of our board chair with no experience and a liberal arts degree?” Wendy replies, “I hear … Read more
118 REAL Nonprofit Email Subject Lines for Giving Tuesday
For nonprofit organizations, email marketing is a great way to stay in touch with donors and keep them updated on your work. And, with Giving Tuesday just around the corner, now is the perfect time to start planning your Giving Tuesday email campaign. To help you get started, we’ve put together a list of 118 … Read more
Millennials Giving – Dave the Development Guy
Dave asks, “If you could change something about our fundraising, what would it be?” Hunter responds, “I’d focus mostly on millennials, they’re the most giving generation.” “But overall they’re giving less, how would you make up for the income loss?” Hunter replies, “With more social cred.”
Developing a Great End of the Year Fundraising Strategy
Developing a great end of the year fundraising strategy can mean the difference between success and failure with your biggest fundraising quarter of the year. Today, you’re going to learn how to develop a strategy – not just any strategy, but a GREAT one to guide you to success. You’re going to build this great … Read more
4 End of the Year Goals You Need to Set
Do you have written goals for your end of the year fundraising? You’ve probably heard this illustration before: having goals is like having a destination for a trip. If you get in the car and start heading somewhere without setting a destination, you’ll end up heading nowhere. The same is true for your goals. Do … Read more
374 of the Best Nonprofit Holiday Quarter Email Appeal Subject Lines
Writing a catchy and creative subject line will help grab the attention of an email recipient to draw them into your appeal. It isn’t easy to penetrate the inbox of someone who receives hundreds of messages each day and walk away with a donation, so writing a creative and compelling subject line helps draw in … Read more
Nonprofit Myth: Your Writing Style Won’t Work
Overcoming the naysayers on fundraising can be an overwhelming task. It’s funny how many people who don’t understand fundraising offer an opinion that what you’re doing won’t work or they have a better way to do it. One of the myths you may encounter is that the writing style doesn’t work, that it’s outdated, and … Read more
5 Ways to Build Loyalty with Your Donors
Much of the fundraising material written today is about acquiring new donors, yet building loyalty with your existing donors and getting that second gift is finding its way to the top of the nonprofit list of strategies. Smart organizations are aggressively courting first time givers to engage for multiple gifts. Many organizations are now focusing on … Read more
Episode 021 – Nonprofit Startup Funding
Whether you’re at a brand new nonprofit, are revamping a fundraising program, or need creative ideas for fundraising for a new campaign or project, this episode will give you actionable fundraising ideas.
Episode 020 – Donor Psychology – What moves someone to donate? Part 2
In this second part of a two part series on donor psychology, you will learn the reasons why people give. Jeremy has identified 15 different psychological triggers that moves someone to donate to your nonprofit. In this episode, Jeremy explains the second 7 motivations, or donor psychological triggers, that help someone make a decision to give to your nonprofit.
Episode 019 – Donor Psychology – What moves someone to donate? Part 1
In this second episode of a special series of fundraising education, you will learn donor psychology and the reasons why people give. Jeremy has identified 15 different psychological triggers that moves someone to donate to your nonprofit. In this episode, Jeremy explains the first 8 motivations, or donor psychological triggers, that help someone make a decision to give to your nonprofit. This is a fascinating look at why people give and how you can change your messaging or produce events that create more donors. For major donors, general donors, and monthly donors.
Episode 018 – Nonprofit Donor Motivations
Recently, my 15 year old daughter Emily has shown interest in nonprofit marketing and fundraising. In this special series of Nonprofit Answers episodes, you’ll learn all aspects of the fundraising process. In this episode, you will learn donor motivations and how your nonprofit presents an appeal or campaign to specific types of donors. You’ll start learning the foundations of donor psychology and how to motivate donors to give.
Episode 017 – 5 Secrets to Successful Fundraising
In this special episode, I reflect on the lessons I’ve learn over these years and share the five secrets successful fundraisers know. You’ll learn how to demonstrate urgency, how to be more direct with your ask, a mistake you’re likely making in how you talk to donors, a lesson on using facts to motivate donors, and key insights into showing gratitude. These lessons, learned over the course of raising tens of millions of dollars, will help propel you forward as a nonprofit fundraiser.
Episode 016 – Effective Nonprofit Storytelling
Storytelling is the foundation of excellent nonprofit marketing. Jeremy is frequently asked, “how do I effectively tell our story?” In this special episode, Jeremy Reis explores effective nonprofit storytelling that produces results. You’ll learn the tips and tricks to writing great nonprofit stories that raise funds and builds relationships with your donors and stakeholders.
Episode 015 – How to Define a Major Partner Email Strategy
In this episode, Gary asks what, if anything, should we email major donors? Jeremy teaches you how to define a major partner email communication strategy and recommends which emails to send based on which segment the donor is in.
Clarity Results in Better Fundraising
Are you looking to raise more money for your cause? Then you need to start with clarity. When it comes to fundraising, clarity is key.
Episode 014 – How Do I Grow My Email List?
Growing your email list is an essential part of digital marketing for your nonprofit. You will be able to create a new source of donors through adding people who have an affinity for your cause. In this episode, Jeremy explores several ways you can add new names to your email list.
5 of the Most Creative Ways to Show Gratitude to Donors
Are you looking for a way to raise more income in the short term and long term? Thank your donors quickly and often. Beyond a thank you note, how do you creatively thank your donors? Showing gratitude to your donors is a key way to build a healthy donor relationship and continue to develop people down … Read more
Fundraising Ideas – Dave the Development Director
“Dave, in our weekly staff meeting, our programs team came up with these 37 ideas for fundraising,” Phil says. Dave reads the report, “Number 4, educate more and ask less. Number 13, use more facts and statistics.” Phil remarks, “I think Number 27 is the best.” “Ask the Gates Foundation for a grant.”
Want Better Email Fundraising Success? Make It Easier to Read
You spend countless hours crafting the perfect fundraising appeal, but all your hard work could be for nothing if potential donors can’t understand what you’re trying to say. In order to ensure that your message is getting across loud and clear, use these tips to make your fundraising appeals easier to read.
How to Tell an Impactful Fundraising Story
Story is embedded into who we are. The best stories feature focus on a single character. This character could be a beneficiary, a donor, or any stakeholder. The best fundraising stories communicate how the reader can make an impact. When I first arrived at Food for the Hungry, our direct mail appeals used vivid stories … Read more
Complete Guide to Great Fundraising Appeals (with Examples!)
If you’re new to fundraising, writing an appeal to raise funds is different than you might expect. Once, I hired someone who had sales and marketing experience but no direct nonprofit experience. He tended to write appeals that were very fact based, “1 billion people live in poverty” or “You can help 10,855 people right … Read more