13 Ideas for Increased Revenue in 2013

A quarter of the way into the new year, many in the fundraising profession wonder what 2013 will be like. With fiscal uncertainly and possible tax changes affecting fundraising both in current and deferred revenue, it's important that we keep focused on making progress in financial and non-financial terms.

Following are 13 tips to help you realize increased revenue in 2013.

1. Look for best-of-class examples that resulted in increased dollars in 2012, such as online giving and text messaging.
2. Immediately look at your current donor base for increased gifts based on amount of gifts in dollar amount, number of gifts made and trends of when gifts were given.
3. Strive to engage new volunteers into the life of the organization who have individual, corporate and foundation potential.
4. Determine if the majority of your donors are women or men, and create new marketing appeals to that segment.
5. Test your organization's story in the community, and simplify your pitch for funds to key priority focus areas.
6. Call your donors of at least $500 on an ongoing basis to thank them and ask them why they gave, and direct future asks accordingly.
7. Improve board recruitment, orientation and training, plus clarify gift expectations for each board member.
8. Get out of the office and visit donors and prospects with board members, other staff and donors.
9. Encourage major-gift donors to become planned-gift donors, and encourage historically planned-gift donors to become annual- or major-gift donors.
10. Seek to improve your education and awareness of the economy and trends affecting all segments of development.
11. Meet CPAs, trust officers, financial planners, bankers, real estate brokers and wealth professionals in order to spread your story.
12. Use free media such as print, radio, television, Facebook, blogs, Twitter, etc., to promote brand, or see if your marketing department would help pay for selective market appeals.
13. Stay in shape to reduce stress, network like crazy, and keep the passion for you and the profession alive, and you will enjoy greater success.

In summary, view your fundraising position not only in increased revenue terms but as a lobbyist. Your job is to educate, communicate and engage old and new internal and external constituencies in the life of your organization with respect to philanthropy.

In this day and age, the status quo is simply not good enough and competition for dollars is fierce. Be dynamic, not static — and a byproduct of your increased revenue will be to have the ability to serve greater numbers for those in need.