A new normal in philanthropy is fast approaching. As members of the Millennial generation grow into their prime giving years, the impact of these philanthropists will upend "business as usual" for nonprofits in ways they are wholly unprepared to address. First the facts: Members of the Millennial generation are the most philanthropic of any generation…
At Turnkey, we explore other fields of study to improve fundraising success. The field we draw the most from is social science. Not only do I use it from my chair as CEO, but our bright young minds in production use it as well. Julian May, our senior content editor and ace account manager, let me in on his social science-bolstered copywriting method...
There’s an old joke about a minister who preaches the same sermon three weeks in a row. When confronted about it, he replies, "When you start doing what this sermon teaches, I’ll move on to another topic."...
I eagerly read every new article and exhibit from the Showcase of Fundraising Innovation and Inspiration. However, the article, “9 Tips for Effective Emails,” made me pause. Oh, yes, I agreed with the author, Nick Allen, on most of the points. Yet there were a couple of tips I found missed the mark, and one in particular I thought was outright bad advice...
If only there was an easy answer to our fundraising woes—too much to do, too little donor loyalty, too many unrealistic expectations. While I don’t have the final answer, I do have two suggestions based on science...
I spoke at a client’s conference this past winter. I was in Little Rock, Ark., with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) at its leadership conference. After my return home, I received a handwritten thank-you note from Nicole Dolan, my client and one of the organizers of the meeting...
Yes, I know how much it costs to send out a newsletter. But I also know that done right, a newsletter is a moneymaker for your organization. It’s a win-win—more net income and more opportunities to build loyal donors. In other words, a newsletter is one of the remedies we can apply to dwindling donor-retention rates. Done well, a newsletter can be a dollop of glue to bind your donors to the organization...
For some time now, I’ve been saying fundraising has changed more in the past five to 10 years than in the previous 50. It’s due to the digital revolution that fundamentally has changed business as usual—for everyone. Change is inevitable, yet change is hard. And nonprofits seem to have a more difficult time embracing change than their for-profit counterparts. Perhaps it’s due to the way social-benefit organizations are structured.
Some readers will say a newsletter is old-fashioned and irrelevant, but I believe it is one important tool...
I have a favorite charity that regularly demands I buy from it, but rarely asks that I support it. Since September, I have received 23 emails from this organization. Eight of those emails had the word "buy" or a cash prize for something in the subject line...
