Donor Acquisition ― Lessons Learned
One of the sessions I attended at the 2011 Bridge Conference was, “Donor Acquisition in the New Normal.” The speakers shared ideas, methods and strategies on how they’ve created and/or maintained...
View ArticleWant more donors or members?
You need to play by THEIR rules if you want more donors or members for your nonprofit. They’re in control. Not you. Therefore if you want to acquire AND retain supporters, you need to consider why...
View ArticleRetention is the New Acquisition
You’ve likely read the stats: It cost 5-7 times as much to acquire a new donor or member as it does to retain them. Not only that, but in recent years it has simply become harder to acquire them. That...
View ArticleBest Time to Ask a Major Donor for that First Gift
If you’re trying to get that first gift from a prospective major donor, what’s the best time of day to meet with them? Based on research outlined in Neuromarketing blog, avoid the times right before...
View ArticleWelcome. Thank you. So glad you’ve joined us…
Your fall, holiday, and end-of-year campaigns are underway. You’ve carefully integrated your direct mail with email, telemarketing, your website, social media, press releases, and possibly mobile....
View ArticleStretch Your Nonprofit Acquisition Budget
I continue to be surprised at the number of nonprofits who don’t have a control. I’m referring to a direct mail letter (or email) for acquisition of new donors or members. Having a control has always...
View ArticleMessage testing the cost-effective way
Goal: To know before mailing that your message and offer will inspire donors to give. That’s what I bet you would love to experience with each direct mail campaign and email appeal – whether it’s...
View ArticleAre you SURE we know “Who your nonprofit is and what do you do?”
Far too many folks at nonprofits think tidbits of copy are the answer for all communications. They believe no one reads more than a few sentences of anything, anywhere for any reason. First – that’s...
View ArticleYour Funnel Leaks
Whether you view it this way or not doesn’t matter – you do have a sales or lead generation funnel for your nonprofit fundraising. My question to you is: When did you last examine your funnel for...
View ArticleAvoid Lapsed Donors
Hmmm. What does that headline mean? It means doing whatever you can to retain the donors you gain through acquisition marketing. It means doing whatever you can to prevent them from lapsing in the...
View ArticleSilver Bullet for Your Fundraising Program
Is your fundraising program struggling? Not raising enough revenue? Trying all sorts of new tools hoping to find that silver bullet? Still looking for a silver bullet to fix your fundraising program?...
View ArticleAcquisition through donor and member reviews
Have you ever bought something based on a friend’s recommendation? Or based on all the positive reviews you read on the ecommerce site? This is the prevailing trend in the marketplace for retailers...
View ArticleThank you gifts LOWER donations [Study]
A number of charities try to encourage donations by offering a reward – a thank you gift. Examples include National Public Radio (NPR), Public Broadcasting System (national, regional and local PBS...
View ArticleDon’t fundraise alone. Instead consider . . .
Team up to get exposure to new audiences. To acquire more donors. To raise more funds. Who might you team up with? How about an e-retailer? An article in InternetRetailer.com is on this very topic....
View Article13 Quick Tips on Acquisition and Retention
Entire books are written on the subjects of acquisition and retention for both charities and membership associations. Yet we all can benefit from a few reminders from time to time. That’s what I have...
View ArticleHow to Prospect for New Donors
When prospecting for new donors, don’t write about what you [the nonprofit] want. Instead, your copy ought to address what the prospective donor wants. That’s a great way to frame any acquisition...
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