Marc A. Pitman's Blog, page 49

How you can add an extra month of fundraising in 2013

As we start 2013, I thought I’d share with you an idea from the beginning of my latest book, Fundraising Kick: how you can create an additional month of fundraising this year.

Sounds over the top, doesn’t it?

But if you devote 1 hour a day for each work day to fundraising, you would be devoting up to around 250 hours a year. That’s more than 31 work days!

That’s one month. An entire month!

How would your fundraising program improve by your adding a half hour in the morning and one in the afternoon, solely dedicated to working with donors?

What if you could only devote 1 hour a week? That would still be more than 6 work days! How many asks could you make in an hour? How many major gift visits could you set up? 2? 3? 10?

Do it now!

This is going to be a tough fundraising year. But only those dedicated to asking will be successful. So today, I challenge you to block one hour a week as a repeating event on your calendar.

(c) The Fundraising Coach, LLC

Get 100 donors in the next 12 weeks? Learn how: 100 Donors in 90 Days!

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Get a free month of 501 Mission Place!

Put together the pieces of the Donor Retention Project in 2013

I am working with the folks that created the 100 Donors in 90 Days program on a new product that will be released in the first few months of 2013.

Labeled “The Donor Retention Project,” we’re interviewing a dozen experts to give very practical insider information, designed to put the pieces of the puzzle of donor retention together for small shops. Last week, I got to interview Adrian Sargeant for the project. He says that even a 10% increase in donor retention can have a 50% to 100% increase in donations over the lifetime of your donors.

Could that kind of increase help your fundraising?

To find out more, sign up for notifications about The Donor Retention Project at: http://www.501videos.com/cmd.php?Clk=4909436

(c) The Fundraising Coach, LLC

Get 100 donors in the next 12 weeks? Learn how: 100 Donors in 90 Days!

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3 ways to make the most of the last days of December

For most of the thousands of people receiving this email newsletter, there are only 5 or 6 business days left in 2012. This is typically an odd time for fundraisers: we’re stuck between the sense that everyone is celebrating a holiday and the reality that a large percentage of gifts are yet to come in.

While I’m a huge proponent of taking time off, this isn’t the time to take entire weeks off. You need to make sure that your donors can get timely information on how to make a gift, whether cash or stock. So be sure to work at least half days during the week between Christmas and New Years.

But in reality, that week will be quite slow. So now is a great time to get a jump start on 2013! Use this time to

Clean up your prospect lists

At this point in the year, you probably have multiple prospect lists. Now is a great time to go through them to create a list for you to use in January. This exercise will probably remind you of a few people you need to call before the end of the month!

Sketch out a plan for next year

What theme will you use in your fundraising letters next year? It’s a great time sketch them out. Whether you send 3 or 13 letters, I find it’s easier to write them if I have a common thread I can refer to. Just the simple act of jotting this down on paper can help you immensely when it comes time to write the letters. (And if you’re truly ambitious, or truly bored, why not take a stab at writing each of the letters now. How much is really going to change between now and whenever you plan on sending the letter?

Plan a retreat

Whether it’s you getting an hour or two at a local cafe or your team getting a day offsite, a retreat in January can be time and money incredibly well invested. This time helps clear the air and get your whole team (even if it’s just a team of 1!) on the same page.

If this is normally a more relaxed few days of the year, enjoy it. And make them a springboard for your 2013!

(c) The Fundraising Coach, LLC

Get 100 donors in the next 12 weeks? Learn how: 100 Donors in 90 Days!

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4 Tips for Successful Online Fundraising this December

Are you looking at the next 3 weeks as time wasted for fundraising? Are excuses like “Everyone is going to a holiday party” and “No one will want to hear from me” filling your mind and mouth?

Stop it.

A recent seven year analysis of online giving conducted by Network for Good indicates that over 30% of all online giving happens in December. Better still, people that made their first gift in December gave 52% more over the next three years.

This is a month to be paying attention!

4 of the most important things to do this December

Keep making phone calls and visits


Last week, I reminded my Fundraising Kick subscribers to keep up the habits they been building all year. Whatever your normal phone calling and visit rhythm has been, keep it up in December. It’s easy to lie to yourself that people aren’t around. But they are. And many of them are working most of the month. So go out and meet with them while they’re at their most generous! They may not give to you when you meet, but they will always be able to give to you online when they get back to the office.

Polish your online system


Make sure your online giving is an easy process. Go ahead and try it right now.

Is your donate page easy to find?

Is the link to that page easy for you to copy and send to a friend?

Can you put in your credit card information within 1 or 2 clicks from every page of your site?

What does the overall experience feel like to you? And what might it feel like for a donor stumbling on your site or referred to you by a friend.

According to the Network for Good survey, the primetime for online giving is December 31 between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. in the donor’s time zone. Take time this week to make sure your system is ready for them.

While you’re at it, make sure the information for making a gift of stock is clearly detailed on your site somewhere easy to find. (I wouldn’t put it on the donation page itself.) Be sure to include your broker and account numbers. Ask yourself, “Does this page have all the information I would need to be able to make a gift of stock at 3 a.m. in the morning on December 31st?” If the answer is “no,” fix it.

Clean up your email signature block


I’ve been an advocate for years about effectively using your email signature block for fundraising. The signature “block” is the information that appears after your message. When you look at a message you sent, what is below the “Sincerely, [Your Name]“? That’s your signature block.

While you want to keep it brief, you should have a “call to action” in your file. Somethings as simple as “Give today!” with a link to your donation page. I love switching my “call to action” in my email signature to reflect the next big thing (a special project, a fundraising event, the theme of the direct mail appeal, etc.)

Bonus tip: Be sure to include your email address in your signature file. Even though it will appear at the top of the message, people often look for it down with the contact information in the signature block.

Give your donation link out in your voice mail


When I worked as a nonprofit employee on the fundraising staff, I knew that I wasn’t going to get a full week of vacation between Christmas and New Years. Others would, but not me. This is prime fundraising time.

Hordes of people won’t come into your office, but the few that do, or the few phone calls you receive, will make your time well worth it.

For the times you’re not in, be sure to add to your voice mail message

“If you’d like to make a year-end gift, go to [specific URL of your donation page]. If you’d like to make a gift of stock, go to the [general fundraising section name] of [your organizations general URL].”

You not only want to make it incredibly simple for people to make a gift. This strategic use of your voice mail will plant seeds for people who hadn’t yet considered making a gift. When they’re at their most generous time of the year.

What else do you do?

Those are my four tips for making sure your online giving is ready for the larger proportion of gifts this month. What advice would you add?

Tell us in the comments!

(c) The Fundraising Coach, LLC

Get 100 donors in the next 12 weeks? Learn how: 100 Donors in 90 Days!

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Renew The Heart & Soul of your Non-Profit for a Chance To Win $10,000

From time to time I introduce you to my friends on this blog. This post is from John Haydon, a great guy and a social media whiz! Enjoy!

By John Haydon, www.JohnHaydon.com

If you’re like most people who work at nonprofits, you’re inspired by quietly changing the world each and every day.

But sometimes it’s not easy to stay inspired – especially because you’re a human being with good days and bad days!

Zig Ziglar, the world-famous inspirational speaker, passed away last Wednesday.

Here’s what he had to say about renewing one’s inspiration:

“Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem. We all have twenty-four hour days.”
“Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem. We all have twenty-four hour days.”
“People often say motivation doesn’t last. Neither does bathing—that’s why we recommend it daily.”
“Remember that failure is an event, not a person.”

Re-inspire your sense of mission by participating in the Heart & Soul grant

The CTK Foundation has just launched the 2012/2013 Heart & Soul Grants, with over $55,000 to assist nonprofits like yours in accomplishing your mission.

But, more important than the money is the process for applying, which is unlike any other grant program!

How do you apply for these grants?

All you have to do is submit a 4-8 line poem expressing the heart of your mission at www.communitytech.net (orgs must be US-based 501 c3s).

The intent behind submitting a poem is for you to refresh, nurture and reawaken your sense of mission!

The Grant Application opens today (12 noon CST on 12/3/12) and closes at 12 noon CST on 1/7/13.

The Heart and Soul grant will provide one eligible nonprofit organization to receive the main award:

A $10,000 cash and
A professionally written and recorded song by the Grammy Award-winning group, The Original Blind Boys of Alabama.

Both the song and the accompanying $10,000 grant will help the selected nonprofit to better accomplish their unique mission in their community.

If you have questions about the grant, please see the FAQ page on the Heart & Soul site.

Additional 2012/2013 Heart & Soul Grants include:

$10,000 HHS Grant — available to an Austin, TX-area nonprofit specializing in the provision of At Risk Children and Families — a gift from the Cipione Family Foundation of Austin, TX
Two $5,000 Grant Awards to 2 US Nonprofits
Five $1,000 Grant Awards to Community TechKnowledge, Inc. customer organizations attending the 2013 Outcomes Immersion Certification Training
$20,000 in matching cash grants to nonprofits for CTK software purchases
Three autographed guitars: one by The Original Blind Boys of Alabama, one by Los Lonely Boys, and one by Sunny Shipley

What is the CTK Foundation?

The CTK Foundation was established by Community TechKnowledge, Inc., to recognize and celebrate the work nonprofits do and seek to promote the use of technology in managing the accomplishment of their mission.

For regular updates or questions about the Heart & Soul grant submissions and awards, check out the CTK Facebook Page.

(c) The Fundraising Coach, LLC

Get 100 donors in the next 12 weeks? Learn how: 100 Donors in 90 Days!

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EXTENDED THROUGH GIVING TUESDAY: Amazing Cyber-Monday Offer on Fundraising Training Tools

UPDATE: This offer is extended through midnight “Giving Tuesday,” November 27!

Cyber-Monday seemed like a great excuse make an offer on fundraising training.

Today only, when you purchase

the Ask Without Fear! DVD set,

the Board Retreat Party Pack,

the Board Bundle of Ask Without Fear!, or

an annual subscription to Fundraising Kick

you’ll get a free full length coaching session with me.

For all the details, go to: http://fundraisingcoach.com/cyber-monday/

Hurry, it’ll be over at midnight!

(c) The Fundraising Coach, LLC

Get 100 donors in the next 12 weeks? Learn how: 100 Donors in 90 Days!

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Amazing Cyber-Monday Offer on Fundraising Training Tools

Cyber-Monday seemed like a great excuse make an offer on fundraising training.

Today only, when you purchase

the Ask Without Fear! DVD set,

the Board Retreat Party Pack,

the Board Bundle of Ask Without Fear!, or

an annual subscription to Fundraising Kick

you’ll get a free full length coaching session with me.

For all the details, go to: http://fundraisingcoach.com/cyber-monday/

Hurry, it’ll be over at midnight!

(c) The Fundraising Coach, LLC

Get 100 donors in the next 12 weeks? Learn how: 100 Donors in 90 Days!

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Are you using “the phrase that pays”?

A couple weeks ago, I got to lead a storytelling training with presidents of community colleges from around the country and their board chairs. They were a refreshingly lively group!

As these board presidents shared, many of them told stories of students who’d attended their institutions and done fabulous things. The stories were powerful because they were:

about one person—people can connect with one person so they get into the story much easier

about overcoming odds—stories are more compelling if there’s conflict in them

and they were rich in details—each president talked about specific details of students (what building they had a key conversation in, what routine a student used to successfully complete her degree, how children responded to a parent going back to school)

As they were rediscovering stories to help with fundraising, you could see them grow in confidence and enthusiasm. It was as though they were saying, “Of course people want to give to help make that happen for more people!”

The Phrase That Pays

As I listened to them, I was reminded of a concept I learned from Doug Stevenson, called “the phrase that pays.” He teaches organizations to look for a phrase that can be used to make the ask.

For example, one of the stories was about a man how worked construction but decided he wanted to become a doctor. The president talked about the man walking into the construction supervisors’ office to give notice. He could’ve easily added a detail like, “Juan went into the office, put down his hammer, and gave notice.”

Then when he was done the story, he could turn the to the person he was addressing and say, “Now will you help other Juans put down their hammer too? Would you consider a gift of $10,000?”

Using a “phrase that pays” reinforces the story and invites the listener to become an active participant in the story. And it doesn’t feel like you’re changing gears. It doesn’t feel like a bait-and-switch. The ask naturally flows from the story.

What is your phrase that pays?

Take a moment today to think about the last story you used for fundraising (whether in a letter or in a talk). What action oriented phrase could you use to easily lead to an ask?

Please share your insights in the comments!

(c) The Fundraising Coach, LLC

Get 100 donors in the next 12 weeks? Learn how: 100 Donors in 90 Days!

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A 2-step fundraising letter audit

With Thanksgiving sixteen days away here in the USA, it’s a great time to do a quick 2-step gratitude check.

Pull out your most recent fundraising letter. (You sent one in September, right?) Or your next one. (You have one queued up for late November/early December, right?)

With a green Sharpie circle all the times you use words like “thanks” and “you.”

And with a red Sharpie circle all the times you use words like “we,” “us,” and “ours.”

If the green is more prominent than the red, you’re writing your fundraising letters correctly. Tests done by fundraising writing experts like Tom Ahern and Jeff Brooks shows the green words and phrases lead to more “green” – more donations.

But if the red is more prevalent, you may be heading for fiscal hardship. Donors are increasingly not interested in your charity. Donors are interested in learning what difference their gift is making in the lives of those you serve.

So tell them.

As we move into the last few weeks of the calendar year, it’s easy to get lost focusing on our “need” and forget about the donors that brought us where we are. Don’t let that happen to you. Let your donors know that you know that without them, your nonprofit wouldn’t have any impact.

Tell them even if you don’t feel it

Don’t just do this when you feel flush with cash. Do this even if things look financially tight; even if the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy is wrecking your fundraising goals; even if you’re in dire straits. One of the best things we get to do as fundraisers is to express gratitude to people who have invested time and money in our organization.

This week, in the midst of all the year end deadlines, challenge yourself to write one thank you note a day. And make it handwritten. It doesn’t have to be long to be effective. But don’t let the sun go down without your saying “thank you” to at least one donor.

Try gratitude for a week

Do this for a week and then let us know how you feel afterwards. And how your fundraising goals are going. You can use the comments right here. I bet you’ll be pleasantly surprised!

(c) The Fundraising Coach, LLC

Get 100 donors in the next 12 weeks? Learn how: 100 Donors in 90 Days!

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3 Ways Google Plus can Drive Donors to Your Nonprofit’s Website

I was honored to see my 3 Ways Google + can help drive donors to your website featured today on MovieMondays.

Clicking on the image will take you to the video.

In this short video, I share why Google+ can be one of the most important parts of your nonprofit marketing. It was filmed a little while ago so the reference to “+1″ has changed a bit but all three are still applicable.

If I convince you to at least check out Google+, I’d be honored to connect with you. I’m at: Marc A. Pitman’s Google+ Profile.

If you want a detailed how-to-guide for getting your nonprofit on Google+, check out my not-creatively-named book Google Plus for Nonprofits. If you want to get more movies like this delivered to your inbox every week for free, go to: MovieMondays2.com.

(c) The Fundraising Coach, LLC

Get 100 donors in the next 12 weeks? Learn how: 100 Donors in 90 Days!

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