What happens after that mailing pack lands on the mat?
TNT Post have just released the results of a poll on the importance of direct mail for raising funds. They surveyed 2,000 British adults and found that: One-third of people who give to charity are prompted to do so by receiving direct mail appeals. 57%...
Ten (eleven) best practices for online fundraisers
Sean Powell has just published a rather useful free e-book that will point anyone who isn't well versed in online fundraising in the right direction. His key points are: Set up a listening post (I'd addsamepoint.com to Sean's recommendations). Re-purpose your content (what works in...
Where are you on the remarkability curve?
Whenever we undertake research with donors, we rarely hear them question the grass roots work of the charities they support… "The trouble with that charity is they aren't that good at drilling wells.""I'm not sure if the housing they provide is good enough." "I know...
Understanding the barriers to giving
Donors don't particularly like to say no to charities. That's because charities are great. When you give to them, you demonstrate to yourself and others that you are both kind and generous. But what does refusing to give say about you? It might be something...
Putting the power of mums to work
Nick Clegg is off to the UN Summit in New York at the end of September andSave The Children want to put some pressure on him to encourage world leaders to refocus their efforts to ensure we achieve the Millennium Development Goals. Getting help from...
Why have just one supporter, when you could have a whole group of them?
This is a quick follow-up to my recent post about lendwithcare.org. Even though it's still in beta, the site has started to generate a fair degree of interest and I wanted to share an example of how one supporter turned in to a whole group...
What can a few billionaires teach you about fundraising?
Bill Gates and Warren Buffett have put together a group of 40 billionaires who have promised to give away at least half their wealth to philanthropic causes. That's pretty good news. But unless your charity is in line for one of the resulting gifts, you...
How many times do you have to ask for help?
Many years ago I worked with a charity that used to recruit new supporters through display and insert advertising. At one point they stopped advertising for about six months. When they started again, nothing worked! Banker ads in banker publications were generating a tiny number...
The strategic importance of valuing your donors
Strategy is a complicated beast at the best of times. Try developing one for a charity and you really start to understand the meaning of the phrase 'a little tricky'. Most organisational strategies tend to concentrate on how the charity is going to tackle the...
Create great appeals using T.R.U.T.H
There's a handy mnemonic that's taught to trainee journalists to help them identify a good story. Journalists, just like fundraisers, can't just write about what interests them, they have to focus on what will interest their readers. As a result, the mnemonic works for us...
The Essentials
Crack the Code to Regular Giving: Insights, Strategies, and a Special Giveaway!
‘Tis Halloween. Keep to the light and beware the Four Fundraisers of the Apocalypse!
Why do people give? The Donor Participation Project with Louis Diez.
A guide to fundraising on the back of a postcard
What does the latest research tell us about the state of fundraising?