Skip to content

Who wants $8 Trillion Dollars?

Who wants $8 Trillion Dollars? I honestly can’t think of a nonprofit organization in the world that would say no to that question. But the sad truth is, many organizations are still forgoing significant revenue because of their failure to invest in marketing planned gifts. An estimated $8 trillion is expected to pass to charities…

Read More

The Election is Over, Now What?

The Election is Over, Now What? In theory, a webinar held 2 weeks after election day on learnings from this cycle, should have delivered the “over” in terms of the final result. Unfortunately, this was not to be. While all the votes were cast, the counting continued and even now the efforts to change the…

Read More

The Digital Fundraiser’s Blind Spot

The Digital Fundraiser’s Blind Spot You may not realize it, but you and I have blind spots. And I don’t mean metaphorically (at least not yet), I mean your eyes literally have areas where they can not see. Most of the time, our blind spots are unrecognizable—but they are very real—and I am about to…

Read More

DM 201: Stop Getting Comfortable and Start Innovating

DM 201 is an intermediate-level course that’s perfect for anyone who already has some direct marketing experience under their belt—whether at an agency, nonprofit, list broker, production company, or analytics firm—and wants to go beyond the basics. Somewhere between being a total newbie and seasoned vet things start to fall into place. We get comfortable…

Read More

Reaching donors when you don’t have an “Aunt Bertha”

I had the pleasure of attending the DMAW Annual Meeting and hearing from keynote speaker Nancy Harhut about how to hack the brains of donors, members, and other humans. It was fascinating! Nancy shared a story about where her interest in fundraising began – at age eight when, incentivized by a banana-seat bike prize, she…

Read More

Key Takeaways – National Association of Charitable Gift Planners 2018 Conference

Last month, I attended the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners Conference in Las Vegas. This is the premier national gift planning conference, with three days packed with presentations on all aspects of planned giving. I’ve been happy to see an increasing number of panels and discussions focused on marketing – the main driver for…

Read More

Online Fundraising Best Practices for Nonprofits

Best Practices and Bold Innovations: Recapping the Best of Bridge Lunch and Learn If you missed out on the 2018 Bridge Conference like me, I hope you made a point to attend DMAW’s Best of Bridge Lunch and Learn on October 18th! At this Lunch and Learn, one of the most popular sessions from this…

Read More

How Will Tariffs Impact Your Direct Marketing Program?

Many in our industry are concerned about the trade war between the US and China… but what does it mean for you and your business? Since January 22, 2018 this war has been escalating regularly with Trump and Xi firing salvos back and forth in hopes of gaining the best economic position for his nation. …

Read More

Gain & Sustain: Tips for Long-term Growth and Success in Nonprofit Monthly Giving Programs

DMAW Sustainer Day, September 2018, was an opportunity to listen to experts from some of the most respected and relevant nonprofits in the U.S., including ALSAC/St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, Humane Society of the United States, and The Nature Conservancy, answer questions and share success stories about monthly giving programs. The day was fast-paced, fun…

Read More

It’s not your grandma’s telefundraising anymore!

When I talk to younger fundraisers, they often say: “Why would I use the phone? I never answer it.”  Not surprising –  they’re just like our sons, who are now 29 and 31 years old. But herein lies the problem. What you as a (young) person may think to be true may not actually be…

Read More