Dynamic Nonprofits

When it comes to caging donor data, time and accuracy are money and delays and poor data hygiene can cost non-profits a lot in revenue and delayed decision making. 

The importance of lockbox and caging services have come to the forefront for many organizations since the start of the pandemic, but the mechanics of these vital services remain a blind spot for many seasoned fundraisers. 

Since 2005, Engage USA has been striving to provide clients with "obsessively accurate data" through the use of innovative technology, transparency, personalization, and a never ending mission to change expectations about data quality in the non-profit space. 

Their founder, Dennis Hoffman, joins the show to give DNP listeners an education in Caging-101 and talk about the role cagers can play in breaking down data and strategy silos. 

Topics Discussed Include: 

- How Dennis' experience as a direct mail fundraiser inspired his pursuit to perfect non-profit data hygiene

- A 101 overview of how caging and lockbox services work (including, "Why do they call it caging anyway?")

- The role technology has played in creating faster, more accurate caging 

- Data which cagers can help capture (in addition to donation) that can help streamline and integrate fundraising (For example: Did you know cagers can help retain and catalog survey responses and comment mail?)

- How cagers can help nonprofits take advantage of emerging payment methods such as e-wallets 

- The answer to the TRIVIA QUESTION: What percentage of donations are still made via check? (Listen through the entire interview for an answer which may surprise you)

- Plus, much more

If fundraising is a V8 engine, caging is the oil which keeps it going. Enjoy my conversation with Dennis Hoffman as we shine a light on a part of the industry which is sometime unsung but is always absolutely vital to the success and optimization of nonprofit fundraising. 

Show Notes:

Dennis Hoffman 

Founder & CEO

Engage USA

[email protected]

https://engageusa.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sdennishoffman/

John Lepp, Founder of Agents of Good, returns to the program to talk about his exciting new book "Creative Deviations" and the 12 deviations which hold the keys to unleashing the non-profit sector's full potential. 

Topics Discussed Include: 

- The inspiration behind "Creative Deviations" and what John hopes the industry takes away from the book

- Why non-profit "branding" is a myth

- Why outer envelopes are so critical for success in fundraising and how to fully optimize their impact 

- Tips for expressing gratitude to donors

- Is storytelling "dead"? 

- Why the best direct mail design may be the one your boss hates 

- And, so, so, much more

My discussion with John is guaranteed to change the way you think about direct mail fundraising and you'll definitely want to listen with a legal pad next to you in order to capture all of the great test ideas. 

It's a chat that is definitely worth an hour of your time and one you'll probably want to listen to again to make sure you don't miss anything. 

John's passion for fundraising is contagious and his drive to help other fundraisers learn is inspiring. We appreciate him taking the time to stop by the show to talk about "Creative Deviations" 

If you're inspired by our conversation, please help inspire others by subscribing to the Dynamic Non-Profits Podcast, sharing our content, and by rating and reviewing the show. DNP content has been downloaded by nearly 5,000 fundraisers and we couldn't have gotten there without the support and enthusiasm of our loyal listeners. Enjoy the show and thanks as always for listening. 

Show Notes: 

Help support publishers which support the non-profit sector by buying directly from John's publisher:

https://agentsofgood.org/creative

Creative Deviations is also available through Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Creative-Deviations-storytelling-fundraising-creativity/dp/1927375819

Get in touch with John at:

https://twitter.com/johnlepp?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnlepp/?originalSubdomain=ca

https://agentsofgood.org/

Listen to John's first appearance on Dynamic Non-Profits:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dnp-deep-dive-the-science-of-direct-mail-w-john-lepp/id1458121528?i=1000505805557

Mike Duerksen, Founder of the BuildGood Agency and Host of the Build Good Fundraising Podcast, returns to the show to discuss his advice for fundraising when the world is a mess. 

With a backdrop of war, record inflation, division, and a possible looming recession it's a question on the mind of most fundraisers. 

It's a conversation which will help you plan with certainty for the uncertain times today and those ahead. 

Show Notes:

https://buildgood.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeduerksen/?originalSubdomain=ca

https://buildgood.com/category/podcast/

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/donor-growth/id1621409443

Hear Mike's First DNP Appearance!

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/covid-19-special-interview-justin-streiff-partner-american/id1458121528?i=1000469154328

Label and paper availability have been among the biggest headwinds facing fundraisers in 2022. We wanted to know where things stood and where they were going so we decided to go straight to the source. Alan Rich has been President of Nova Label Company for close to 4 decades and knows the ins and outs of labels as well as anyone in the business. 

Alan was super generous with his time and shared his comprehensive knowledge on a number of topics including: 

- The state of label availability along with the root causes of the shortage

- Tips for planning around label availability issues 

- Why a labor strike in Finland (Yes, Finland) is impacting your mailer's ability to get labels 

- Why labels are here to stay as a fundraising premium (Hint: There's a group of donors who LOVE and value them) 

- Trends in label artwork, why more mailers don't experiment with their artwork, and test ideas for art

- The false choice between Art versus Science in fundraising and how the right artwork can expand the reach of your mail piece 

- Why it's beneficial to include your production partners in your strategy discussions 

- Plus, much more! 

An experienced voice can be reassuring during uncertain times and we thank Alan Rich for lending his to Dynamic Non-Profits listeners. Fundraisers who mail packages that use labels will benefit from Alan's advice and perspective, but so will other fundraisers who want to better understand why labels are so effective in fundraising. 

If you get value out of our conversation with Alan Rich, please pay it forward by sharing it with friends and colleagues or by rating and reviewing the Dynamic Non-Profits Podcast. Rating, reviewing, and sharing the show really do help more fundraisers discover our work and is the best way to support the DNP mission to provide value to the non-profit sector and advocate for an unsiloed approach to fundraising. 

Show Notes: 

Alan Rich

President

Nova Label Company

[email protected]

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ilabelu/

https://www.novalabel.com/

Over the course of Olga Moshinsky Woltman’s career she’s led multi-channel fundraising campaigns for some of the nation's most well known non-profits. Today, she's an industry thought leader, content creator, and Founder & Principle of LemonSkies a digital agency which helps organizations execute fundraising campaigns, provides them with marketing and communications solutions, and is an overall problem solver with the goal of helping great non-profits and businesses "shine brighter". Olga also hosts the new live stream "People of Substance" which highlights interesting and insightful fundraisers working in the sector (Dan was honored to be a recent guest on the show, we'll link to that episode in the show notes). 

After their conversation on "People of Substance" Dan was excited to invite Olga onto the program to share her wisdom about the most important trends in digital fundraising / marketing and her own experience as a non-profit content creator and influencer. 

Topics Discussed Include: 

- Olga's path into fundraising (Mini-Spoiler: She's our first guest whose path crossed through the CIA...)

- Her opinion on the differences between fundraising and marketing

- The benefits of "unsiloed" coordination between the two

- How to facilitate collaboration internally at non-profits and externally amongst the vendors that serve them

- Olga's take on the most important trends in digital fundraising today

- Her journey into content creation and what led to Olga starting "People of Substance" 

- Advice for fellow fundraisers about the benefits of thought leadership and why showing your personal side should be a pillar of your content 

Plus, much more in this fantastic discussion which was filled with a ton of substance itself. Digital fundraisers and marketers will benefit from hearing tactical tips from one of the industry's most respected digital talents and aspiring thought leaders will receive first-hand advice on how to start a content journey of their own. 

If you get value from Dan's chat with Olga, please pay it forward by subscribing to and rating / reviewing the Dynamic Non-Profits Podcast. It really does help other fundraisers discover the show and helps advance our mission to provide value to the non-profit sector and advocate for an unsiloed approach to fundraising. 

Show Notes: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/olgawoltman/

https://www.lemon-skies.com/    

https://www.linkedin.com/video/event/urn:li:ugcPost:6910227168824320000/

Founder of Frontier Marketing and Host of the Frontier FM Podcast Benjamin Johnson joins the show for a candid and wide ranging conversation about the state of fundraising.

Dan and Ben start out by discussing the crisis in Ukraine and implications for the non-profit sector. Then, Ben shares his thoughts on the most important trends in digital fundraising and how to bridge the divide between direct mail and digital fundraising. 

This is an interesting discussion with one of the most original and insightful podcasters in the non-profit sector. Hear more of Ben's insights by subscribing to the Frontier FM Podcast and checking out his content on LinkedIn. 

Thanks to Ben for being so generous with his time. If you get value from the interview, please rate and review the Dynamic Non-Profits Podcast (it really does help others discover our work) and share it with your friends and colleagues. Enjoy the show! 

Show Notes: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrbenjohnson/

https://www.frontier.io/

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frontier-fm/id1525595398

Anthony Jones has been a digital trailblazer in his two decades as a fundraiser. During his 19-years with Ducks Unlimited, he led a digital marketing team which raised over $40 million and amassed over 2 million social media followers. In the process, he helped establish Ducks Unlimited as an online authority for waterfowl hunters. Anthony also pioneered the use of LinkedIn for the organization, creating a forum for his team to authentically share their work and enthusiasm for the cause. 

Today Anthony joins the show to discuss his new venture, The LinkedIn One Percent Club, which has a mission of helping fundraisers and professionals establish powerful personal brands and create new opportunities for themselves through networking on the platform. 

Topics Covered Include: 

- Why LinkedIn is such a powerful platform for networking and personal branding 

- The importance of building a network BEFORE you need one 

- Key pillars and strategies for creating original content on LinkedIn 

- Why LinkedIn is uniquely positioned to help fundraisers 

- The benefits of thought leadership and personal brand even if you're not looking for a new job

- Why companies and non-profits should encourage their employees to build personal brands online 

- And much, much more....

Anthony also shares his thoughts on how non-profit organizations can better utilize LinkedIn for building their own brands. Plus, we learn about his passion for hunting and more during our "5 Asks" closing segment. 

This is a valuable discussion for anyone who is thinking about launching their own LinkedIn content journey or taking their LI brand to the next level. Whether you're an early career fundraiser who is looking to enter the marketplace of ideas or a 40-year vet who wants to share your valuable knowledge with others, your career can benefit from listening to this conversation. 

Thanks to Anthony Jones for sharing some of his valuable time with us. If you get value from the interview, please rate and review the Dynamic Non-Profits Podcast and subscribe to the show on Apple, Spotify, Google, or where ever great podcasts are heard. 

As always, thanks for listening and for helping to support our mission to provide value to the non-profit sector. Enjoy the show. 

Show Notes: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnanthonyjones/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXooQoX0nq4HY-bdo2Wrmzg

https://linkedinonepercentclub.com/

[email protected]