Don't Be a Fundraising Dinosaur: 5 Big Ideas to Adopt Right Now

If you can only measure one thing in your fundraising program, then measure donor retention. You need to go all out to keep the donors you have — above all. Because we know that donors are abandoning nonprofits by the thousands. If you cut back your donor communications, then you'll probably see donor retention drop off the cliff. What happens in the future when today's best donors are no longer with you?

Big Idea No. 3
Either YOU do the metrics or the metrics get done to you. It's time to take charge of how your bosses measures your fundraising performance.

Peter Drury said, "Either YOU do the accounting, or accounting gets done to you."

Don't sit back and let your board (and CEO) define fundraising success: "If you give smart people inconsistent information that they don't understand, then you'll receive inconsistent decisions that YOU don't understand."

Work with your board and CEO to decide in advance:

• Why we count
• What we count
• How we count

Create a dashboard: a consistent set of indicators tracking what's really important.
You've GOT to check out this amazing tool: 'Beyond Cash' Fundraising Management Dashboard

Peter Drury's Beyond Cash Fundraising Management Dashboard shows you how to set up several different measures of fundraising results. So help your board know how to measure fundraising success. Give them what they need to make good decisions. Wouldn't it be wonderful to hear your board members say: "What are we going to do about retention!"

Big Idea No. 4: Put your donors on camera.
Let's face it. It's time to start using video in our communications. And what a wonderful idea: Start filming your donors on WHY they care. You'll be AMAZED at their powerful testimonials!

They will NAIL your case for support in a way you could never do. They will talk about the WHY — why your cause is so important, why it's so urgent. Let your DONORS be your best advocates!