Viken Mikaelian

Clients and friends often ask if including a reply mechanism on their planned giving postcards is worth the added expense. It depends on the circumstances, but generally, I do not feel it’s worth it. As we all know, planned giving is a low-response business. So even with the most successful direct mail programs, we see very few reply cards actually filled out and returned. However, this does not mean your information is not getting read. It’s just that most people

When donors don’t understand, they hesitate. When they hesitate, they procrastinate. When they procrastinate, you lose gifts. It’s that simple. Eliminate the confusion. Use straightforward language. Make calls to action crystal clear. Focus on the emotion, not the process. And above all, keep it simple. Because the mind hates confusion—and confused donors don’t give. Take a look at your current fundraising materials. Everything. Are they clear? Simple? Easy to act on? If not, start simplifying today.

Political shifts spark fundraising panic, but it’s not the end of the world. Every politician exaggerates, and tax laws change—like the SECURE Act and the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act—but nonprofits with a strategic, balanced approach thrive regardless of who’s in office. Planned giving is the key to stability, shielding organizations from volatility and donor hesitation. Fear repels donors; confidence attracts them. History proves planned gifts endure economic downturns. Now is the time to act—secure commitments, diversify funding, and plan ahead. Stop worrying and start building a future that isn’t dictated by political tides.

  Don’t Keep Them Bottled Up! Some of you who never read Forbes Magazine might think it’s just a stuffy business periodical designed for men in gray suits who dream in pie charts. But how stuffy can a magazine really be when it runs a glowing feature on “investment-grade” Scotch whisky? That’s right. Investment-grade. As in, the kind of Scotch that doesn’t go in your liquor cabinet so much as your portfolio. Because apparently, in today’s world, a bottle of