I hate phone calls! Mar 18, 2024

I JUST HATE PHONE CALLS

In the last two days I've worked with two separate clients and they both hate making phone calls.

When exploring the discomfort of his phone experiences, I asked Client A if he ever called his mom. "No, I just see her around town. Do you text instead? I...

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Quick Tip! Invest in donors you want to retain! Feb 12, 2024

If you're up on the latest findings from the Fundraising Effectiveness Project (FEP), you already know that while overall philanthropy giving is dipping, the share of major gifts is growing.

Major and Supersize gifts - representing gifts of $5,000 and more - comprise 76% of total...

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What do donors owe us? Jan 29, 2024

 I was honored to be invited to give the opening keynote at Food for the Poor. I had the good fortune to work with Barbara Mari in the past and her new role at Food for the Poor is Senior Director Major & Regional Giving.

One of the questions that was asked afterwards was, "When we call...

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Quick tip! Ask > Thank > Report > Repeat Jan 22, 2024

Mostly, we get the Asking on lock.

We get around to the Thank at some point (great thanks can really set your nonprofit apart and BOOSTS your fundraising results).

And we Report - sometimes we just lump it in with a newsletter or annual report and call it good - but...

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Quick tip! Permission-based language for the win Jan 15, 2024

If you know me, you know I prefer using permission-based language with donors and prospects. I listened to a great podcast by Nikki Rausch, "When not to say, 'Thanks for Your Patience'."In it, she talks about the phrase, which I have used before.

"...There's such a difference between ...

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Is Multitasking Secretly Sabotaging Your Success? Jan 09, 2024

Should you stop multitasking?

I honestly think multitasking has saved my life many times. Or maybe it has just saved me time, and in that time of my life, I craved the ability to create more time out of thin air.

I was raised in a family where being as productive as possible was highly valued....

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Jump-starting Year-End Gift Conversations fundraisers fundraising major donors major gifts philanthropy relationships Nov 30, 2023

"Donor, would today be the right time to speak about your impact with [charity]? Our impact continues to [impact]."

If you still have donors or prospects on your list who you meant to ask, tried to ask, or have been trying to have a conversation with... now is the time to get engaged in...

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All the gifts my first boss gave me... career fundraisers fundraising leadership Aug 17, 2023

Sometimes, you only understand how good a thing is when you look back on it.

Such is the case with the boss in my very first job - Cliff Sanderlin.

My first fundraising job was at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, Washington. What a great mission, what great healing, what changed...

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"That donor I don't have to worry about..." donors fundraisers major donors major gifts relationships success Aug 08, 2023

One of the great joys I have, being a fundraiser, is meeting donors who are true fans of our mission. 

You may have had donors like that - they're supporters and they give regularly. They may attend events or volunteer. They talk about your work to others. You may not even realize how much...

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Conversational Asking: Building Donor Relationships communications donors fundraisers fundraising major gifts relationships success Jul 17, 2023

"So if you aspire to be a good conversationalist, be an attentive listener. To be interesting, be interested. Ask questions that other persons will enjoy answering. Encourage them to talk about themselves and their accomplishments.” 

This quote from Dale...

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Fundraising: Beyond the Numbers to Meaningful Connections donors fundraisers fundraising major gifts philanthropy success transformational gifts Jul 10, 2023

As a fundraiser, I've come to realize that I'm more than a connector to charitable gifts. I'm a catalyst for change.

As fundraisers, we take the hopes and aspirations of supporters and prospects - their desire for a better world - and connect them to the life-changing missions...

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Want Loyal Donors? Communicate Well communications donors fundraisers fundraising major donors relationships Jul 03, 2023

I believe that the most effective fundraising is connection-based fundraising.

Sure, you can "get donations in the door" with simple transactions. But most nonprofits are in it for the long haul, to create lasting, positive change in the world. So you want lasting donor...

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