Author: Steven

Steven Screen is Co-Founder of The Better Fundraising Company and lead author of its blog. With over 30 years' fundraising experience, he gets energized by helping organizations understand how they can raise more money. He’s a second-generation fundraiser, a past winner of the Direct Mail Package of the Year, and data-driven.

The Simple Shift in Perspective That Will Help You Raise More in 2019

Steven  |  Ask
Ask ?

It’s the first week of 2019.

We’re spending the month blogging about what worked best in 2018.

And I want to start with one simple thing that’s done by every effective fundraising organization I know. They ask themselves the following question:

What did we do last year that worked best, and how can we do more of that this year?

That’s contrary to how, in my experience, most nonprofits think about their fundraising year:

  1. Either they “wipe the slate clean” and start over, inventing and creating new letters and themes and ideas all year long.
  2. Or they “do mostly what we did last year because that’s what we always do.”

But the most effective organizations all tend to do one thing you can learn from: they rigorously look for what worked the year before, then look for more times/places/channels to use their success.

Here’s what that looks like:

  • Your spring appeal worked great? Fantastic. Send an additional letter a month earlier, with the same offer, to see if it will work then, too.
  • You had a campaign that went really well? Add three more emails to that campaign in 2019, and try a smaller version of the campaign in a different season.
  • Did the three emails you sent at the year-end deadline work really well? Add a firm deadline to another campaign, and send three emails right at that deadline, too.

The Simple Perspective Shift

The big difference between these organizations and smaller shops is simple perspective.

The smaller shop tends to think that a success was great, and they don’t want to “wear it out” – they assume that it wouldn’t work again.

The more effective fundraising organizations think the success was great, they know that something it about engaged their donors and caused action (which the donors loved taking), and then they look for other opportunities to try the same approach as soon as possible.

If your organization will take the second approach, I basically guarantee you’ll raise more money in 2019 – and every year after that.

So go look at what worked well last year. Then look for ways to do more of it this year!

Happy New Year!

Steven  |  Uncategorized
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Happy New Year!

We trust that your year ended on a high note – both personally and with a rush of donations!

You and I both know that nonprofits, and great fundraising for them, are needed more than ever right now. It’s up to you, me and others like us to do what we can.

So here’s to a fantastic year of fundraising in 2019 – and doing more good than ever in the lives of beneficiaries and donors!

Merry Christmas!

Steven  |  Uncategorized
<Other

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

We hope today is a day of wonderful celebration, gift giving, and gift receiving!

You’ve worked hard this year, and you’ve made a difference. It’s a gift to be able to do this fundraising thing with you!

So have a great day today. And tonight we’ll raise a glass to all the good you’ve done this year!

With gratitude for you and what you do,

 

Jim, Steven, and the entire Better Fundraising Team

Your Nonprofit Is a Gift to Your Donors

Steven  |  Thank
Thank

Your organization is a gift to your donors.

You help each donor to do good that they could not do by themselves.

Because your donor doesn’t have programs. She doesn’t have program staff. She can’t do all the things that you do.

Your donor has not organized her life – as your organization has – to help people as powerfully as you do. What a gift that you’ve created this organization for your donor to tap into!

You help each donor experience the joy of giving.

Remember, your donors LOVES giving. Gets a real joy from it. So when she makes a donation to your organization, she benefits, too!

Off the top of my head, remembered from peer-reviewed research I’ve read:

  1. Donors are physically healthier than non-donors.
  2. Donors feel more connected than non-donors.
  3. People who donate are more likely to earn more the following year than non-donors.

(I wish that more Fundraisers – and their bosses – remembered this more often. When you own the idea that donors love giving, it makes you approach fundraising differently, and causes you to raise more money.)

You are her partner.

As much as I rant against using the word “partner” … I think that most donors, if they really sat down and thought about it, would think of the charities they give to as their “partners.”

(But always remember, from her perspective, who is partnering with whom.)

And you know what? You are her partner. She’s able to do far more to make the world a better place with your organization in her life.

She’s on a quest to make the world a little better, and you are her needed partner on her quest.

So in the craziness of year-end fundraising, remember that your organization is a gift to each of your donors.

You’re helping each donor make the world a better place – and helping each donor be happier and healthier – one gift at a time.

Don’t stress about your year-end emails, watch this video

Steven  |  Ask
Don’t stress about your year-end emails, watch this video

It’s easier than you think to write year-end emails that work like crazy.

I’m talking about those three emails you send on the last days of the year that work so well.

If you are still working on your emails, here’s a short video I made for Movie Mondays with an easy template to follow for your year-end emails.

You’ll learn the five things you need to include, the order to put them in, and how to EASILY create your 2nd and 3rd emails.

Sneak peek: you only really need to write one email!

The video takes 7 minutes; you’ll save hours of time, and you’ll raise more money.

Pretty good deal, no?

So go watch the video!

Uncertain?

On a completely different subject, small nonprofits come to us all the time because they are uncertain.

Uncertain because they need to raise more money and they don’t know the best way to do it.

Uncertain because there are so many options for what they can do next… but no one at their organization has the experience to really know which one is best.

And they end up feeling stressed. (“Stressed” is putting it mildly, in many cases.)

It’s a joy to help those people! You should see their faces light up when we tell them the best thing for them to do next and why it will work.

If you’re uncertain about 2019 – or if you just want to take your fundraising to the next level – keep reading.

So how would it feel if you could hand off your problem to a team of experts who will solve it for you? A team who could create your fundraising communications in a way that would raise more money immediately and keep your donors for longer?

If you’re interested, go here and fill out a simple form. Takes two minutes.

There’s too much stress on small nonprofits already. So outsource your core fundraising communications to experts – that’s what our team does all day, every day.

If you work with us, your organization will raise more money by asking your donors to help your cause or beneficiaries in powerful ways. You’ll thank your donors in ways that show them how important they are to you. And you’ll retain more of your donors than ever because you’ll report back to donors so they see the good work (that you do) that their gift made possible.

All of it will follow the tested and proven Ask, Thank, Report, Repeat communication rhythm. Each piece of communication you send out will be easier to make because a) you won’t have to make it, and b) you will enjoy working on other important things while we make it for you!

So fill out the form. Find out more. Ditch your uncertainty and your stress. And if you sign up before the end of the year, you’ll save $3,500!

You’ll do less work, you’ll free up time to work on other important things, and your fundraising will raise more money.

Imagine starting 2019 knowing that your appeals, e-appeals, and newsletters are in great hands – and knowing you don’t have to do them yourself.

Say These Three Powerful Things

Steven  |  Ask
Say These Three Powerful Things.

Here are three powerful phrases you should say directly to your donors.

We work these ideas into almost every appeal and e-appeal our clients send out. And I’m certain they’re a part of our clients’ success.

Here’s the list:

  1. “Your gift is needed”
  2. “You and your generosity make a real difference”
  3. “I’m thankful I can write to you about this”

Your donor almost never hears these things from the charities she supports!

And if you say them, you’ll raise more money. Let’s take them one by one.

“Your gift is needed”

Most nonprofits don’t ask directly for gifts. They’ll share a story of a person the nonprofit has already helped. They’ll talk about all the good work the nonprofit is already doing.

And then they’ll ask for “partnership” or “support.”

I’m here to tell you that you will raise more money if you directly say to your donors, “Your gift is needed right now.”

Your donors are hearing from lots of nonprofits today. Many of them are talking about the good work that the nonprofit has already done. But if you’re asking for a gift and if you make a good case for why her gift is needed today, and tell her that her gift is needed today, you’ll be overjoyed at the response you receive.

And your donors will love giving the gifts. Because they love to feel needed.

“You and your generosity make a real difference”

Again, this is something most donors never hear directly.

I think that nonprofits feel like they are saying this all the time. But they aren’t – they’re usually talking about what the organization has done, not what the donor has done.

So when you directly say to your donor, “You and your gift make a real difference,” you’ll probably be the only nonprofit in her portfolio that’s telling her.

When it comes time for her to give her next gift, do you think the nonprofit that’s made it incredibly clear to its donors that they and their gifts make a real difference has the best chance of getting that gift?

You bet.

“I’m thankful I can write to you about this”

This is one of those powerful ways you can show your donor that you don’t take her for granted.

Take off your “fundraiser” hat for a second and put your donor hat on.

Wouldn’t you love to hear, regularly, that the organization writing you is thankful even for the opportunity to write to you?

If they’re thankful to be able to write and talk to you, how thankful must they be when you give them a gift?

And if they are that thankful for you – if you mean that much to them – doesn’t that make you more likely to give them another gift?

Personally, I think this is such a powerful idea that I’ve put it in every appeal and e-appeal I’ve written recently.

You can think of all three of these ideas as clearly and quickly communicating ideas that matter to donors.

In today’s world of harder donor acquisition and dropping retention rates, isn’t telling your donor that she’s needed, that she makes a difference, and that you’re thankful for her – isn’t that more important than ever?

I believe it is. So I say it all the time. And it works.

Good Fundraising Habit #57: Always Give Your Donor Reasons to Give Now

Steven  |  Ask
Good Fundraising Habit #57: Always Give Your Donor Multiple Reasons to Give Now

The appeal letters and e-appeals that do the best tend to have something in common: they give donors multiple good reasons to give a gift right now.

This highlights a really good habit to get into as a Fundraiser: any time you’re asking for money, give your audience multiple reasons to give a gift right now.

And here’s a list of “reasons to give today” that routinely cause donors to take action:

  • A matching grant with an expiration date
  • A deadline of any kind
  • A shortfall
  • A need facing beneficiaries or the organization right now
  • Telling donors they will love how they feel when they give
  • Stating what will happen if beneficiaries are not helped

Contrast this to what most nonprofit appeals and e-appeals do: tell a story about a person or thing the organization has already helped, and ask the donor to “continue this good work” or “join us as we do more of this.”

If you read those appeals carefully, you’ll see that there’s no reason that the donor’s help is needed today.

And if your donor had two appeals in her hand – and she has at least two on most days – which do you think she’d respond to? The one that asks her to “continue this good work” or the one that gives her several reasons why her gift is needed today?

You know the answer.

So for your next appeal or e-appeal, be sure to include multiple good reasons for your donor to respond immediately after reading it.

You’ll be glad you did because you’ll raise more money.

And believe it or not, your donors will be glad you did, too. They love knowing what your organization and your beneficiaries are facing now, and they love being able to help with a gift!

Sale!

Would you like to start 2019 knowing that your appeals, e-appeals and newsletters are going to work better than they ever have?

Wouldn’t that make you breathe a little easier? Would more money help meet your fundraising goals and enable your organization to do more good?

A team of experts from Better Fundraising can create your appeals, e-appeals and newsletters for you. You’ll free up time to focus on important things that aren’t getting done now, and your fundraising will raise more money. It’s like an “EASY” button for your fundraising communications, and your first month is free – an average savings of $3,500. Wonder if it’s a fit for your organization? Fill out this super-short form and we’ll get in touch!

Act Yourself into Gratitude

Steven  |  Thank
Act Yourself into Gratitude.

Two simple quotes for you today about gratitude.

First, from Millard Fuller, the Founder of Habitat for Humanity:

“It is easier to act yourself into a new way of thinking than it is to think yourself into a new way of acting.”

Second, from yours truly, who stumbled onto the same idea on Twitter a few months ago:

“Most people think that it takes a happy organization to show real gratitude to their donors. In my experience it’s the opposite: the organizations who choose to show real gratitude to their donors become happier.”

Look, there are lots of ways a fundraiser can show real gratitude to their donors. Off the top of my head, look up @LeahEustace on thank you calls increasing donor retention, or @johnepp and @agentjenlove on their incredible “Gratitude Reports” (instead of “annual reports”), and of course @thattomahern on donor-focused newsletters that give credit to donors.

But I’m not talking about that now.

I’m talking about what’s holding your organization back from doing those things.

I have two words for you…

Just Start!

You won’t be great at it at first. But your donors will feel it.

You’ll stumble. But your future fundraising results will improve.

You’ll even shoot yourself in the foot by saying things like “Thank you for supporting us as we do incredible things…“

You can make all kinds of errors. You can be the most self-centered Thanker of all time – and still you’ll raise more money! Why? Because…

Donors Love to Feel Needed and Important

Showing real, emotional gratitude is one of the primary ways you can make a donor feel needed and important.

Get good at that, and you’re on your way to raising a lot of money.

So start! Start acting grateful to your donors, and sharing your organization’s gratitude, and you will become a more grateful organization.

Are your receipts and thank you letters dripping with gratitude, or filled with marketing copy?

Is your newsletter about what the donor did, or about what your organization has been busy doing?

Just start! And I suggest that this January, immediately after a lot of your donors have just given, is a great time to start!

We’re Having a Sale

Would you breathe a little easier as you start 2019, knowing that your appeals, e-appeals, and newsletters are going to work better than they ever have before?

How about also knowing that you won’t have to do them yourself? And that you’ll have time to work on other important things – and you’ll save thousands of dollars?

A team of experts from Better Fundraising can create your appeals, e-appeals and newsletters for you. You’ll free up a time to focus on important things that aren’t getting done now, and your fundraising will raise more money. It’s like an “EASY” button for your fundraising communications, and your first month is free – an average savings of $3,500. Wonder if it’s a fit for your organization? Fill out this super-short form and we’ll get in touch!

A Procrastinator’s Guide to Year-End Fundraising

Steven  |  Year-End
<Other

Just getting started with your year-end fundraising?

Here’s a quick list – my best tips – for what to do with your remaining weeks before the end of the year.

Make a Plan to Start Earlier Next year

First, the hard news: if you’re just starting now, you’ve left money on the table. You could have raised more.

That is a harsh truth. Many people won’t like to hear it. But it’s true. And for the moment, don’t worry about it. But right now, go set a calendar reminder to start earlier next year.

Seriously, set a reminder.

I’ll wait.

It’s that important.

The organizations that start their year-end fundraising earlier tend to raise more money.

What to Do Now

Do as many of the following things if you can. And here’s the order I’d prioritize them in:

Identify and contact your major donors who have not yet given a gift this year.

Don’t do what most nonprofits do, which is hope that their majors give a gift before the end of the year.

If you haven’t already, identify exactly which of your major donors have not given gifts. Then reach out to each of them to ask for a special year-end gift to help your beneficiaries (not to help your organization). Do it in person if you can; phone is the next best way. Tell them their gift is needed now, and tell them their gift will make a difference!

Write and send your year-end letter.

Send out a direct letter that powerfully asks donors to give a special gift before the end of the year. Tell them their gift is needed now, and tell them their gift will make a difference!

If you use a mail house and it’s going to take too long to get a letter produced, here’s what to do:

    1. Figure out how many letters you could print and send using your in-house process.
    2. Start sending those letters to your top donors, starting at the top of your file and working down.

Write and prep your year-end emails.

Be sure to have at least three emails prepped for the last three days of the year. Remember that you do not have to reinvent the wheel: the emails should be VERY similar to your letter, and the emails should be very similar to each other. Repetition is the most effective tool you didn’t know you have!

Tell them their gift is needed now, and tell them their gift will make a difference!

Update your website to ask for a year-end gift.

Make an update so that the first thing users see on your home page is a clear call-to-action and a large “donate” button.

And … wait for it … tell them their gift is needed now, and tell them their gift will make a difference. You will raise more money than you expect.

That’s it! Do as many of those as you can, starting from the top of the list.

Do a great job on each one before doing anything else.

And if you can only do three things, do the top three. If you can only do two, do the top two. You get it.

Remember: year-end is the easiest time of the year to raise more money than you expect!