How to Plan to Make 2012 Your Best Year Ever

List everything you should do to take advantage of those peak times (and the not-so-peak times between them). Direct mail, e-mail, newsletter, e-news, blogs, events, newspaper ads, online advertising, telemarketing, major-donor mailings, and on and on.

Finally, before moving on to Step 2, set goals for each activity on your list. Separate the fundraising from the “friend-raising” events. You may choose to do some things that won’t really raise money; that’s fine, as long as you (and the rest of your organization) have correct expectations for the results.