Tagged as ‘Direct Response Fundraising’
As predictive analysts and veteran direct marketers will tell you, there’s no crystal ball for really knowing whether your next direct response effort will be stellar or just so-so. But there is a remarkably accurate trick for telling whether your copy is any good before you hit send and, in turn, predicting where you might […]
It’s almost here! The 10th Annual Bridge to Integrated Marketing & Fundraising Conference kicks off Wednesday July 8. As Co-Chair of this year’s conference along with Deborah Peeples, and humble witness to the extraordinary talent of the committee volunteers and speakers that make Bridge possible, I can assure you there’s no end to […]
Hats off to the DMAW and AFP-DC for another stellar Bridge Conference. Kicking off with pre-conference workshops and the Maxi Awards on Wednesday July 9, through 70+ presentations Thursday and Friday, through the powerful closing session from the founder of Free the Children, #Bridge14 delivered 3 days of nonstop information and inspiration. What happens when […]
Having a relevant mission that people want to support is the #1 prerequisite for direct response fundraising success. But it’s not the only one. In fact, it’s not even the most important one when it comes to dollars raised. So why do some nonprofits sail to success in their direct response fundraising efforts when others […]
Much has been said about the tension between good nonprofit marketing & communications and good direct response fundraising. Good nonprofit marcom thrives on brand consistency; good direct response thrives on brand inconsistency. But when you get right down to it, good nonprofit branding/marcom is actually an essential prerequisite to good direct response fundraising. That’s because […]
The start of a new year is a great time to weigh up your membership program’s strengths and challenges and set a course for new and improved direct response strategies. But just like resolutions that people make, it’s all too easy for nonprofits to set unrealistic goals and, worse, neglect to build the necessary foundation […]
It rarely pays off in direct response fundraising to wait until you have the perfect words, the perfect design, the perfect data. The secret is showing up. In email, direct mail, online, on the phone. Make a plan and stick to it. Don’t cancel. Just show up. The more you do, the better you’ll get […]
If you’re on track with your year end calendar, it probably feels like November at your office – which means you are BUSY! Here’s a quick list of common fundraising pitfalls to avoid in order to create stellar year end campaigns. Don’t focus an appeal on your organization’s anniversary, or your founder’s birthday. Talk about […]
When have bullet points ever made you think “Wow!”? Or made you stand up and say “I need to do something about this!”? When have they ever made you cry? Never. Bullet points are the blah blah blah of communication. They convey information to our donors but they don’t connect.
Integrated direct response fundraising has long been the pursuit of forward-thinking membership and development directors. But integration remains an ongoing challenge for most organizations – almost always for the same two reasons regardless of an organization’s size, funding, or mission. The channels like to change and organizations … don’t. Still, some organizations are much further […]
