If you find yourself in the discussion of new money or “what have you done for me lately, major gift officer,” then, hopefully, the content of this post will be helpful to you. If nothing else, I hope it will serve as a reminder to seriously value the good donors who are currently in your care. They are good people who have made a commitment to you. They deserve your careful attention, respect and love. Let me explain...
I was sitting in my office the other day when a staff member wanted to meet with me. This individual came in to submit his resignation—he had taken a position at a different institution. I had hired this person and it was a joy to work with this individual. This employee has all of the…
Emails released based on real-time behavioral data have been shown to increase open rates by 50 percent and conversion rates by 350 percent. Last week, I wrote about the Great Reformation, which is the impending destruction of your organization’s org chart due to the advent of new technology that delivers the statistics above. First, online fundraising platforms put traditional marketing tools into fundraisers’ hands, and now automated marketing platforms are dissolving the line between lead generation and closed deals, also called donations. Our world is changing...
My question to you is, are you really thankful for all of your donors? Do they know how much they are loved and appreciated? Do your donors feel cared for? Here are two true stories that show why the question is so important...
Recently I met with a client—one of the top 10 health care nonprofits in the U.S. I asked for a meeting with its marketing and donor acquisition staffs. Much to my surprise, this was the first time this group had been brought together in the same room. At another client, recently an entire layer of the marketing department had been released, with new personnel being brought into the development department to do marketing....
We were sitting in a room discussing how to approach various businesses and corporations in the community. The director of development and several major gift officers (MGOs) were having quite a debate about the subject with the prevailing argument being that we needed to lead with a compelling need the business would be interested in...
Many nonprofit executives are lucky if they can spend 10 percent of their work year on vacation. This 10 percent could easily affect the 90 percent left on the job. Be sure to take your vacation and try to take it the right way. How? Focus on body, mind and spirit...
We are working with a client who is undergoing a CEO transition. Over the past two years, this organization had invested in a master planning process and also an extensive strategic planning process. When asked if it should pause while searching for a new CEO, our response was an emphatic "No!"...
If football coaches do not recruit well, their teams will not have winning seasons. In the nonprofit world, a losing fiscal year could mean a reduction in programs, services and staff. If you have too many losing fiscal years, you could end up looking for another position at another nonprofit...
Why would the answer to, “Does it matter why people give?” ever be "no"? Because from a nonprofit professional’s perspective, it is not our job to judge people’s motivations for giving. It is our job to be the vehicle that enables a donor’s or volunteer’s gift of time or money to support the important work of our organization...
