February 26, 2016 at 10:11 am
Are you annoyed by those pop-up boxes that suddenly appear on some websites? Probably. Are your constituents? Likely. Does that mean your nonprofit website should avoid them? No. Everyone knows to raise money, you need to ask. And simply having a donate button on your home page isn’t a strong ask. With so much to…
February 24, 2016 at 9:55 am
The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), where I’m director of engagement, faced a daunting challenge a couple of years ago: How to re-engage the many folks who were not reading or acting on our emails. It’s a common problem for nonprofit organizations and beyond, and one that’s crucial to address. Here’s how we tackled our "dead"…
February 17, 2016 at 9:20 am
Preaching against SeaWorld apparently has paid off for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). PETA recently told potential benefactors that it is under attack by "wealthy and organized opponents" to its causes, especially the fight to free captive orcas at SeaWorld parks. "Please help PETA stand up to those trying to thwart our…
February 16, 2016 at 10:30 am
Newsletters can and should be a great way to stay in touch with your donors and keep them updated on how they are helping you make a difference. Unfortunately, most donor newsletters can be used as a cure for insomnia. They’re too long and filled with articles that brag about how wonderful the organization is.…
January 19, 2016 at 11:40 am
Being the head of a small-shop development and marketing department with a staff of one (or fewer) means that you need to seize every possible opportunity for relationship-building. And your organization’s welcome message provides the prime opportunity to systematize—and humanize—the relationship-building process....
January 13, 2016 at 12:13 pm
Usually, you can count on Kiva to do solid, effective fundraising. That's why this example that recently landed in my inbox is disappointing. This email from Kiva is classic me-first fundraising. It's a common form of fundraising that's based on the premise that if you talk about your organization enough, donors will be impressed and…
January 12, 2016 at 10:09 am
There are a lot of ways to write well. When you’re going for “beautiful but confusing,” think James Joyce. When you’re going for “clear and motivating”—as most of us are when writing copy for communications materials—"Ulysses" probably shouldn’t be your inspiration. So, what does good copy look like? Here are a few tips we Big…
January 12, 2016 at 9:02 am
Oh yes, I get excited about marketing charts. I like when they break a myth and when they prove one. Here, I take a look at four marketing charts from MarketingSherpa that explore consumer's preferred communication channels, subject lines, promotional email frequency and communication thoughts by age agroup. What does the data tell us about nonprofit marketing?...
January 11, 2016 at 9:28 am
Time and time again, you’ve been asked to prove the effectiveness and ROI of your organization’s marketing efforts—especially when it comes to email marketing. And email marketing is the king of the marketing kingdom, with a 3,800 percent ROI and $38 for every $1 spent. But email marketing’s reach goes way beyond ROI, which is…
January 8, 2016 at 10:44 am
As a marketer, you likely have attempted to use emails for various marketing objectives. And for good reason: Time and again, email marketing consistently is cited as the most effective form of online marketing in driving conversion. Moreover, it’s relatively easy and quick to execute. You can’t miss! Oh, but you can. As many as…
