Donor stories are among the most effective ways to reach and engage with your audience. That’s why it’s important to have a system in place to pursue, record and share donor stories.

Personally, I don’t want another paperweight, it just makes my trashcan heavier. But if someone brought me the best baklava money can buy, that would go in my belly quickly — and be greatly appreciated.

How do you thank your donors? We give them gifts. Every year. These can range from the mundane (a printed calendar) to the ridiculous (a bobble-head doll), to the more expensive-and-mundane (an engraved glass mug or paperweight.)

Like dating, you have an ongoing relationship with your donors, and there is a right way and a wrong way to treat them — to keep them happy; to show you truly appreciate them; to “keep the romance alive.”

Loyal donors are more likely to make a planned giving. Nurture your loyals who gives once or twice and they will give lifetime.

Did you know your tone of voice is even more important than your words? Have you ever given much thought to your tone of voice? I wrote this post after I was inspired by Your Tone Matters by Benjamin Case published by the Center for Major Gifts. In my business, we put a lot of […]

The planned giving world is inundated with so much legalese and technical jargon, a simple fundraising letter usually reads like a privacy statement sent out by a credit card company. It’s enough to send a corporate lawyer straight to sleep — and those are the folks who write privacy statements! Appeal to emotion.