I recently saw an old commercial with individuals singing on a hilltop for a cause and wondered how music was used for charity. In “When Music and Charity Collide,” Reason Digital made the case that it’s natural to use people’s love of music to do good. Here are six key points (and real-world examples) if you plan to use music for charity efforts, as specified by Reason Digital...
"We need money! Can you send out an email/mailing/newsletter?" Have you heard some variation of that in your career? It’s tough enough doing a great job when you can plan a project, but when you have no time for the "luxury" of rumination, take a few minutes to answer these five questions to help your direct response fundraising be as effective as possible...
At the Bridge Conference last week, I had the opportunity to attend several breakout sessions. Like any conference, there were hits and misses, but I learned a few things, was reminded of many things and had some other things I was convinced of confirmed. So, all in all, it was a good investment of time and money...
One trip, three brands and personal communication that went in opposite directions...
How many emails did you wake up to this morning? If you’re like me, it was a lot. Dozens, maybe even 100 or more. But how many did you really read? Unfortunately, communication from nonprofit organizations—even those we support and really care about—can end up quickly deleted. There’s simply too much going on in our lives to treat every piece of communication equally...
If your job title falls under the category of “one-person development department,” it’s very likely that, sometimes, you feel like a chicken running around with its head cut off. Ah, the pressure. How on earth is a smart development director to do it all? Brace yourself for the big news, folks: You shouldn’t want to focus on all of that stuff, because you don’t have to focus on all of that stuff. Just look at Trader Joe's...
We were meeting with people at the Atlantic City Rescue Mission to help them build a major-gift program and start developing real relationships with donors. The rescue mission has some really faithful donors, but many of them have not been challenged to make a real investment in the mission...
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...
A dollar bill’s value is very different depending on the state where it is being used. So, are charities getting the most bang for their donor-contributed bucks? Because of the variability of the dollar, and the always-increasing need for programs and services by charities, one obvious solution is to stay ahead of the curve by continuing to increase donor gift size...
