Giving is Good
“I don’t know.” This phrase provides a reason to circle back with the donor (if needed). Just as importantly, this phrase builds trust because it positions the gift officer as a professional who is confident and humble enough to admit there is something they don’t know. “It occurs to me. . .” This is a…
“Donors won’t be able to give because inflation is too high.” “The stock market’s downturn will cause donors not to give.” “There is a recession coming so this isn’t a good time to start a campaign.” You’ve probably heard Board members, donors, or well-meaning colleagues make statements similar to these when the idea of a…
If the only people who are involved in major gifts discussions are the major gifts officers, silos will be built. If the only people who pay attention to advancement budgets are the accounting and finance professionals, disconnections and confusion will emerge. If the only people with a focus on recruiting attendees to an event are…
Not long ago I had the good experience of listening to Adam Weinberg, president of Denison University address parents and families of current students. He delivered prepared remarks for about 15 minutes (no powerpoint) and he spent another 45 minutes addressing questions from the audience. Here are 3 things president Weinberg said that struck me:…
Most advancement leaders agree: Major and principal gifts most often emerge from longer-term, trusting relationships built with donors on a foundation of personalized, face-to-face interactions. Annual giving programs are most effective when they are built on a foundation of consistent, multi-channel direct invitations to give. Special events should be few and are inefficient for fundraising….
Ocean waves are constant. If you’re like me, that constancy is big part of the allure of a beach vacation. The dependability of both the visual and aural “white noise” of waves at the beach cause an immediate sense of peace and calm for me. But ocean (or Gulf) waves are more essential than providing…
If you are seeking a service, a product, or an experience, you can find an online review as quickly as you can access Google. Of course, finding online reviews quickly is not the same as trusting online reviews. In fact, it is estimated that between 30 – 50% of all online reviews are fake and…
“Trust-based philanthropy,” is all over the business news pages these days. Essentially, in a trust-based model of giving, donors embrace three perspectives regarding their support: Unrestricted giving, when done through helpful nonprofit partners, offers the best type of philanthropic support to make a difference; Helpful nonprofit partners are those who are willing to be transparent…
“It’s not about me.” If there is a bigger lesson life’s developmental process is designed to teach us than that statement, I don’t know what it is. From infancy to childhood to adolescence to middle age to growing older, our lives are broken down into various moments and seasons of re-learning this fundamental lesson. Siblings…
You’ve heard the expression in advancement and development circles, “We can’t keep going to the same donors over and over again. The well will go dry.” That’s not altogether true. But since it’s such a widely-used analogy, let’s play with it a bit. Certainly real water wells can “go dry.” So, that part is accurate….