Renewal
January 10, 2018 at 1:04 pm
All of the entries are strong, well thought-out campaigns. The differentiator for Judicial Watch is its copy. Judicial Watch really leverages the core issue that motivates its donors: Judicial Oversight. The included letter is a little long, but full of benefits to donors in the form of issues Judicial Watch is working for on their behalf...
June 13, 2017 at 11:40 am
Dialogue with your donors, clients or prospects begins with good data; we all know that one tenet of direct mail—garbage in and out. When we go to the mailbox, a treasure trove of information on fun, as well as vital information, awaits us. Some good, some bad and at most, lame or even useless...
May 22, 2017 at 9:55 am
In a previous blog post, I briefly examined what appears to be a growing sentiment in the nonprofit industry that direct mail fundraising is somehow flawed. Fundraisers have been slow to abandon outdated business practices or to evolve quick enough to react to the mounting challenges facing nonprofits today—and yes, there are many that we must overcome...
April 19, 2017 at 2:53 pm
The day after Thanksgiving, the holidays hit full-force. And it’s not just the radio stations blasting “Here Comes Santa Claus” every half hour—it’s the shopping frenzies of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Thankfully, (no pun intended) for the past four years, we’ve had a day to shift the focus away from materialism and back to the true spirit of the holidays: Giving Tuesday...
February 27, 2017 at 9:00 am
Easter Seals grabs the attention of its donors with a direct mail package that appeals to their sense of humor.
January 24, 2017 at 9:55 am
When Congress passed legislation in December 2014 to establish a congressional commission to study the feasibility of and recommend a site for the National Women’s History Museum, there was a catch. The commission and museum would both need to be financed with private money. No Washington, D.C, museum had ever been asked to underwrite its own congressional commission...
October 12, 2016 at 11:00 am
We are into the fourth quarter of the year. And that means it's time to reach out to your donors. Hopefully, you have been tracking retention of your top donors all year. There are times in shops large and small that this slips—because of the urgency of tasks that are often less important. Now, it is critical...
April 18, 2016 at 11:03 am
What’s the No. 1 predictor of fundraising success? According the Individual Donor Benchmark Report, it all comes down to creating a plan. In short, it’s not the fundraising plan itself, but the act of planning. Simply taking time to reflect and put goals in writing is the leading indicator of how much you’ll bring in…
March 31, 2016 at 11:13 am
About 15 months ago, my husband and I adopted a rescue dog from a Best Friends Animal Society shelter. Cubbie quickly became part of our family, providing me with companionship, as I work alone most of the time, and giving us another good reason to exercise. But like anyone with an unknown past, she came with some baggage, and it has required patience to get her to fully bond with us....
August 27, 2015 at 9:01 am
With the deadline for the 10th annual NonProfit PRO Gold Awards for Fundraising Excellence only a few weeks away, let’s take a look back at one of the winners from 2008, "Annual Review for Supporters" from the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. Submitted by DaVinci Direct, this Gold Awards winner for Renewal (Fewer Than 50,000 Mailed) was an easy call by the judges...
