Sue’s Muse

Last week I shared with you the results of a recent survey conducted by Roger Craver and Tom Belford. 

Roger and Tom asked participants:

“What is the single biggest challenge your fundraising program faces in 2010?”  And the number one answer was: 

Getting board members involved and energized!

For those of you in the Washington, DC area … there is an exciting upcoming session focusing on this very issue, sponsored by Booze Allen, in partnership with a number of professional fundraising associations. 

You can find out more information and how to register for this event on the Nonprofit Conference on Fundraising Development Speaker Series site.  This looks like a great opporutnity to hear from those who have sucessfully “been there - done that” and you can’t beat the price!

Regards,

Sue

Fundraising gurus Roger Craver and Tom Belford recently conduced a survey, polling 235 nonprofit fundraisers about their plans and perceived outcomes for 2010.  Reporting results on their daily blog The Agitator, Tom and Roger conclude what they call Creeping Optimism amongst participant responses.

They also asked fundraisers, “What is the single biggest challenge your fundraising program faces in 2010?”  Answers included:

·         Getting board members involved and energized

·         The perception that direct mail doesn’t work and investment in

        acquisition isn’t worth it

·         Panic and short-sightedness of top management

·         A board that doesn’t get it

·         Persuading management to try new approaches and techniques

Many of these challenges have been a barrier to fundraisers for years … now add in the “panic factor” and they seem even more pronounced.

What is the answer?  There is no quick “down and dirty” … but a couple of things to keep in mind … use data driven decisions to build your case and reassure senior leadership that you are moving in the right direction … educate board and staff on why we do the things we do … don’t get caught up in the panic around you - you still need to raise dollars for your mission … and be certain you have covered all the basics of good fundraising techniques, along with incorporated some great new ideas.  You will prevail!

I hope each of you has a wonderful turkey day!

Sue

Like most fundraisers, I stay on the lookout for the next “BIG” thing.  Something that will give me an edge to raise those dollars. 

We continue to hear statements like … Direct Mail is DEAD … eMail is DEAD … TV is DEAD. 

R-I-G-H-T.

Reams, both real and virtual, have been written on blogs and industry publications to debunk these myths such as:

1- Direct mail still raises more than any other direct response vehicle (The Agitator);

2- eMail is still the #1 form of reaching people online (yes, even young people - eMail Insider ); and

3- TV viewership is up 1.5% over 2008 - great news for DRTV - nielsenwire).

So what is the next “BIG” thing?  Who knows … after all, were you participating in social networking sites five years ago? 

One thing that did catch my eye recently was a piece on the Today Show talking about Augmented Reality.  (Yea, I still watch Meredith, Matt, Ann and Al.) 

David Granger - editor of Esquire Magazine - unveiled their December issue (due out next week) that, when held up to a web cam, will play a video on your screen of Robert Downy Jr. and other celebrities on inside pages.  Mr. Granger explains that this technology isn’t designed to change the essence of the magazine, rather it is there to enhance the user experience.

Kind of reminds me of the newspapers in the ‘Harry Potter’ movies, where photos move around as the reader scans the pages.

The technology is not simple (and I would surmise not cheap)  … it requires layers of data … but thinking about how far online communications technology has progressed since I first tried e-mail fundraising in 1996, imagine this becoming accessible to the masses … it could bring a whole new meaning to interactive marketing.

Regards,

Sue

Email fundraising has been around for quite a while … okay, not as long as direct mail … but for a while.  I can remember trying to raise funds back in the 90s using names purchased from Juno. 

So when I read a recent article in AFP’s eWire, about a survey of 50 nonprofits conducted by email service provider Return Path, that concluded nonprofits were missing out on the power of email marketing … I was not totally surprised.

As fundraisers, we know that successful philanthropy is about building relationships by first capturing a donor’s interest and then ensuring ongoing cultivation and stewardship for continued support.

Major gift folks target donors’ sweet spots, and ensure that they continue to receive information and updates centered on THEIR interests.  But, for years, those of us in direct marketing have had to cast a wide net hoping to capture a potential donor’s interest by listing numerous programs and services provided by an organization.

Online now provides direct marketers the tools needed to make that personal connection – without having to meet face to face … but it appears the majority of nonprofits are still not taking advantage of curent technology beyond a personal salutation.  What a waste!

So why the reason for missing such a great opportunity … especially now?  Could it be that someone other than fundraisers are creating and sending emails … or is it a matter of not enough resource of time, staff and money to make it happen?  

Whatever the reason(s) … nonprofits should evaluate the effectiveness of their current online programs … and start making the changes necessary to recruit and retain their online donors.  After all, your donors are more important to you than you are to your donors.

Regards,

Sue