When #GivingTuesday started in 2012, it was an innovative way for the world to show we were more than self-absorbed consumers. Since then, we have proven that we still like to overbuy on Black Friday whether in June or November. Yet, we can… [Read more…]
Even though I write and edit appeal letters every year — often for multiple organizations — I still think it is important to make sure I know the Latest and Greatest appeal letter trends. Yes, I did mean trends. There was a point… [Read more…]
By David A. Mersky My friend Mark Satterfield and I worked together many years ago. He is a marketing guru whose focus of late is in helping professionals in “the art of marketing to the affluent and high-net-worth clients.” Recently, he said, “rich people are not interested… [Read more…]
It was also an example of how easy it is to do a quick thank you video for donors. And I am hoping YOU will make one of your own today. This article is not going to teach you how to set up… [Read more…]
Last week, in a meeting with a prospective board member, the person was surprised at the minimum I had mentioned as the suggested donation for her to join the board. In the past, nonprofits had said that as long as she was giving… [Read more…]
The “how many letters should I send” debate is back in session. If you are like most organizations, you continually have the same conversation every year. It’s summer, when you take the time to plan your ”End of Year” Appeal Calendar, and someone… [Read more…]
By David A. Mersky Recently, I reached out to a former client, now friend, as she was about to experience an important moment in her life — her eldest child was graduating from middle school that evening. I’ve known her and her family for years… [Read more…]
Way, way back in 2019, we could predict fundraising trends for individual nonprofits. Using the standard KPIs like previous giving history, the number of donors, and retention rates for various donors, helped form a reliable path to your goal. There was always testing… [Read more…]
By David A. Mersky I spend a great deal of time thinking about and helping organizations increase their fundraising results. By achieving ever greater results and revenue, they can expand their mission and fulfill their vision. But, much has changed during my career, especially… [Read more…]
If I asked you to list five facts about each of your top 20 donors, could you do it? Could anyone in your organization list five facts about those donors? If not, it’s time to start putting your notes and update your CRM*.… [Read more…]