Where do BIG donors come from?
This might surprise you: Your next generation of mega-donors are not hiding out at the country club or in CEO suites at the tops of the tallest buildings in town. They may or may not be at those places. But…
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Using Christmas or Holiday Campaigns to Deepen Donor Relationships
In some countries, and for some charities, Christmas (or Holiday) appeals are the biggest fundraisers of the year. They also offer a wonderful opportunity to strengthen relations with some of your most generous and wonderful donors. Try these ideas for…
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The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Major Donor Fundraising, Part 2
A few years ago I was telling my Hitchhiker’s Guide to Major Donor Fundraising story to Amnesty International Canada. We were looking together at their major donors, identifying potential people and then going through the hardest bit: asking. I play a…
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The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Major Donor Fundraising, Part 1
For my birthday a few years ago, I got Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – the full Boxed set of BBC Radio CDs. Brilliant. Listening to them on my iPod on the way to a major donor…
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How You Can Have Your Own Ice Bucket Challenge-like Success
It’s easier than you think! Remember the Ice Bucket Challenge? It happened in the Summer of 2015 when the ALS Association in the US (and a number of related organizations around the world, where ALS is often called motor neurone…
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How a Smart Fundraiser Turned a $2,000 Donor into a Source of $60,000
You know how we all worry about overheads? Well, Josh O’Rourke, a relationship fundraiser from Amnesty International Australia, had a good approach with one of his mid-value donors. Having met up with a mid-value donor who had given gifts up…
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If Shakespeare Wrote about Fundraising
It would be a tragedy! And it might look like this … The Capulets (The DMs) In the red corner, we have the mass-marketing Capulets. The direct marketeers (DMs). They look after the majority of donors. They deliver mass-produced communications, but…
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The Weird Power of Long Fundraising Letters
Long letters work better. But don’t just take it from me. Dr Barnardo wrote a four-page appeal letter in London in the 1880s using classic direct mail techniques: Underlining, urgency, dollar handles, specific ask and a clear reference to what…
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Who is Most Likely to Give You $5,000?
Quiz question: Who is most likely to donate $5,000? Picture this scenario. You have two donors. Donor A Kate (and her husband, Clarke). In their mid 40’s, with two kids. They donate automatically every month through their credit card. They…
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The Missing Millions in YOUR Charity’s Database
You could be raising a lot more money than you are. Maybe millions more. Where are these missing millions? In your database. Really. It’s the money people would donate if only you gave them the right opportunity. The problem is…
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How to Respect Your Time, and Help Your Boss and Colleagues Respect It Too
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7 Ways to Encourage Your Donors to Upgrade Their Giving
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Discover the Power of Inclusive Fundraising for ALL Donors
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Worried about “donor as hero” fundraising? Here’s another way to think about it
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The Overhead Myth, and the Pie Chart Solution
