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I am more than my checkbook
Does a well-written appeal really matter? In the rush to get something, anything, out the door on time, does it really matter how good it is? Judging from my mailbox, many charities – even large ones –...
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You don’t want to be that guy
Imagine someone comes to your door. You open it and hear: Photo Credit: loufi via Compfight cc Hey babe! Here’s why you want to go out with me. First, I’m a great person. Just last year, I was listed...
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If you tease me, make it worthwhile
You’ve seen it, I’m sure. A little bit of copy on the outside of the envelope. Its job? Get you to open the envelope and read the letter inside. It seems to be almost standard for fundraising appeals...
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How to be heard in a noisy world
Photo by Danist Soh What does your attention cost? I was reading an article in Sunday’s New York Times about the cost of our attention. The author’s point was that in today’s world, our attention – our...
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How to raise more money. (Hint: It’s not about you.)
Who are you celebrating? Patting yourself on the back hurts. Jeff Brooks warned us last week about the dubious utility of anniversaries in fundraising. You should read it (I read Jeff’s blog every...
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Why you don’t want to be a tool
Who do you read to make you think? One blog I like to check in on is Trevor O’Donnell’s Marketing the Arts to Death. As the title says, it’s about arts marketing. But to me, it’s broader. Trevor shows...
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How to write a thank you letter when you feel stuck
September’s Nonprofit Blog Carnival gave you links to great articles on thanking your donors. Here’s my quick how-to. First, a confession: I used to write rote, boring, perfunctory thank you...
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Are you trying to make me cry?
It keeps happening. And it makes me sad. And a little cranky. Newsletters or other pieces, intended for donors. That have forgotten they’re intended for donors. So I apologize if I’m repeating myself....
View ArticleWhy you might be focused on the wrong thing
It’s not about you. I was thrilled to see an article in the New York Times about giving. And even more excited when it featured Tom Ahern, Jen Love and Jennifer Shang. The article’s title – Asking for...
View ArticleIs our donor-focus hurting or helping our nonprofits?
Or, why that word might not mean what you think it means. Vu Le of Nonprofit AF recently wrote a long, very thoughtful piece about donor-centrism. He hoped it would generate conversation – and I hope...
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