Frontier FM

Making a great first impression is important for any brand or organization, charities included! And in the digital age, there is no better way to do that than with an email welcome series. On this episode, Matt takes the helm to discuss welcome series best practices, pitfalls, and how to turn a donor's first few emails into a life-long relationship. You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...

• Opting out of the Meta-verse [4:34]
• Engaging donors through surveys [6:43]
• What is a welcome series? [9:48]
• Using a welcome series to develop a long-term donor relationship [12:42]
• How to make your welcome series stand-out [22:06]

Resources & People Mentioned

• Email Matt and Ben YOUR fundraising questions at [email protected]!
• A Complete Guide to Email Acquisition for Nonprofits (Article)
• New Donor Welcome Series Guide
• 5 Tips for Developing a Successful Email Welcome Series (Article)

Connect With Frontier

• https://Frontier.io
• Frontier on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/frontiermarketingco/

Let's face it: most people are terrible at negotiating. They let the fear of conflict keep them from asking for exactly what they need. It's time to stop settling and start negotiating! On this episode, Ben sits down with Mark Raffan of Negotiations Ninja to discuss the importance of negotiating personally and professionally in the charity world as well as tips for anyone to become a master negotiator.

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...

• Getting to know Mark Raffan [1:59]
• Tips for negotiating a personal salary [6:31]
• The pitfalls of negotiating with charities [16:06]
• Equipping your team to negotiate effectively [17:51]
• Why email is a negotiator's Achilles heel [22:49]
• Why being a digital thought leader is critical for charity heads [27:02]

Resources & People Mentioned

• Email Matt and Ben YOUR fundraising questions at [email protected]!
• Digital Body Language: How to Build Trust and Connection, No Matter the Distance

Connect with Mark Raffan

• Follow Mark on LinkedIn
• Negotiations Ninja
• Content Callout

Connect With Frontier

• https://Frontier.io
• Frontier on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/frontiermarketingco/
• Frontier on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/frontiermarketingco/

Facebook is making headlines again for all the wrong reasons and Matt and Ben are here to talk about it. On this episode, the guys dive into why Facebook isn't the digital fundraising home it seems to be, how to cultivate generosity during the pandemic, and why pre-selected donation amounts can hinder online giving.

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...

• Pop culture check-in (because who ISN'T watching Ted Lasso?) [2:56]
• What's ahead for Frontier FM and recapping Joshua Harris [5:13]
• Cultivating generosity during the pandemic [9:03]
• Why asking for specific donation amounts may be counterproductive [12:43]
• Why Facebook shouldn't be a fundraiser's primary digital home [15:37]

Resources & People Mentioned

• Email Matt and Ben YOUR fundraising questions at [email protected]!
• Nonprofit Innovation & Optimization Summit (NIO)
• Does Online Advertising Deliver the Target Audience (Article)
• How Effective Is Third-Party Consumer Profiling and Audience Delivery?: Evidence from Field Studies (Article)
• Report: Location Targeting Ecosystem Suffers from Inaccuracy (Article)
• 64% Of Tracking Cookies Are Blocked, Deleted By Web Browsers (Article)

Connect With Frontier

• https://Frontier.io
• Frontier on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/frontiermarketingco/
• Frontier on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/frontiermarketingco/

Deconstruction is an altogether popular and controversial buzzword found in church spaces lately. Even though many find the process helpful on a personal level, it can be scary to go through when you still work for organizations that make it feel as though believing the same thing spiritually is a loose requirement. On this episode, Ben interviews former pastor Joshua Harris about his deconstruction journey, the art of questioning faith while working with faith-based organizations, and how to clarify your message.

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...

• Joshua Harris' journey from pastor to marketer [2:45]
• Reflecting on the evangelical cultural dominance of the 1990's [6:25]
• Deconstructing faith while remaining in faith spaces [10:15]
• Going beyond the commonality of faith in fundraising [15:36]
• Examining the generational technology divide [20:37]
• The importance of clarity in messaging [25:56]

Resources & People Mentioned

• Email Matt and Ben YOUR fundraising questions at [email protected]!
• Clear & Loud
• Joshua Harris Coaching

Connect with Joshua Harris

• Follow Joshua Harris on Instagram
• Follow Joshua Harris on Twitter
• Like Joshua Harris on Facebook

Connect With Frontier

• https://Frontier.io
• Frontier on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/frontiermarketingco/
• Frontier on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/frontiermarketingco/

Nicole Mucci of Union Gospel Mission joins Ben to discuss how she helped pioneer a brand update to adopt person-centered and trauma-informed language at her organization. They take a deep dive into the impact of language, the power of personal stories, and the growing shift from donor-centered to community-centered fundraising.

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...

• Getting to know Nicole Mucci [1:00]
• How Nicole came to work at Union Gospel Mission [4:28]
• The power behind a brand [6:59]
• Recognizing the need for change [8:46]
• What it means to be person-centered and trauma-informed as a brand [10:06]
• Shifting from donor-centered to community-centered fundraising [12:23]
• Changing brand guidelines from a staff perspective [18:03]
• Writing a person-centered redemptive arc [21:32]
• Executing a change in brand guidelines [26:14]
• Why language matters [32:01]

Resources & People Mentioned

• Email Matt and Ben YOUR fundraising questions at [email protected]!
• This Is The Most Fun Way To Make Your Life Awesome (Article)
• The Shape of a Good Story (Article)
• On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction (Book)
• Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action (Book)

Connect with Nicole Mucci

• Follow Nicole on LinkedIn
• Union Gospel Mission

Connect With Frontier

• https://Frontier.io
• Frontier on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/frontiermarketingco/
• Frontier on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/frontiermarketingco/

As leaves begin to change and the weather begins to cool, Matt and Ben want to help listeners get ready for the Fall fundraising season. On this episode, the guys take some time to catch up while also discussing the best language to frame fundraising appeals, why donors give, and why they don't. Start the season off right with another great episode of Frontier FM!

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...

• Catch-up time: sports, politics, and everything in between [0:18]
• Using surveys to re-engage a disconnected audience [12:27]
• Modifying appeals to match current events [14:45]
• Framing appeals to clearly communicate the message [17:15]
• Why donors give (and why they don't) [21:22]
• Creating a frictionless donation form [23:33]
• Should accreditations be a permanent fixture in your footer? [27:13]

Resources & People Mentioned

• Email Matt and Ben YOUR fundraising questions at [email protected]!
• Reminding vs. Informing (Article)

Connect With Frontier

• https://Frontier.io
• Frontier on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/frontiermarketingco/
• Frontier on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/frontiermarketingco/

Do charities need legacy giving strategies? Spoiler alert: YES! On this episode of Frontier FM, Ben is joined by Julia Magnuson-Ford to discuss some of the best practices for effective legacy giving cultivation and the conversations fundraisers can't afford to avoid.

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...

• Getting to know Julia Magnuson-Ford [1:04]
• What it means to outsource legacy giving [4:42]
• Uncomplicating legacy giving [6:39]
• Developing a legacy giving strategy [13:32]
• Keeping a donor centric attitude towards legacy giving [18:37]
• Teaching generosity and staying connected as an organization [25:01]

Resources & People Mentioned

• Email Matt and Ben YOUR fundraising questions at [email protected]!

Connect with Julia Magnuson-Ford

• Follow Julia on LinkedIn
• PGgrowth.com

Connect With Frontier

• https://Frontier.io
• Frontier on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/frontiermarketingco/
• Frontier on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/frontiermarketingco/

Fundraising content should be raising money for the charity. If not, then it's just communication. Newsletters should be no exception! On this episode of Frontier FM, Matt and Ben dive into all things donor newsletter as they discuss effective newsletter content, working newsletters into an overall fundraising strategy, and who should receive newsletters in the first place.

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...

• Matt and Ben's thoughts on the previous episode with Tim Kachuriak of NextAfter [0:32]
• Matt's fall update [2:35]
• The exciting things ahead for Frontier FM! [6:59]
• 2020 Frontier newsletter statistics [9:37]
• What effective donor newsletter content looks like [11:45]
• How newsletters fit into an overall fundraising strategy [16:05]
• Who should and should not receive a newsletter [18:49]
• Donor newsletter best practices [22:59]

Resources & People Mentioned

• Email Matt and Ben YOUR fundraising questions at [email protected]!
• A Million Dollar Match: How Frontier built UGM's annual match campaign (Case Study)
• Who to Mail Your Newsletter To (Article)
• Yes, Your Non-Profit Newsletter Can Help You Raise Money. Here's How. (Article)
• 10 Steps to Create a Money-Raising, Donor-Delighting Print Newsletter (Book)
• Follow The Domain Formula For Donor Newsletters (Article)
• Donor-Centered Fundraising (Book)
• Is Your Newsletter Putting Your Donors to Sleep? (Article)
• 10 tips for great newsletter interviews (Article)

Connect With Frontier

• https://Frontier.io
• Frontier on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/frontiermarketingco/
• Frontier on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/frontiermarketingco/

The O.G. digital fundraiser, Tim Kachuriak, joins Ben for a multi-faceted conversation on all things digital marketing. The two discuss how Tim built his company NextAfter from the ground up, the fallout from Apple's security update, and what's next for marketers exploring the digital frontier. This is a can't miss episode filled with sage wisdom and insight from a pioneer of fundraising!

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...

• The NextAfter journey [1:06]
• What does having a "digital first" agency mean? [8:39]
• Managing relationships between clients and other agencies [10:29]
• How Tim is still exploring the digital frontier 20 years later [13:06]
• The role behavioral science plays in digital marketing [16:32]
• How legacy giving impacts digital marketing [18:31]
• The iOS security update fallout for marketers [20:55]
• The cost and logistics of donor acquisition [23:58]
• Unleashing the most generous generation in the history of the world [29:48]

Resources & People Mentioned

• Email Matt and Ben YOUR fundraising questions at [email protected]!
• Nonprofit Innovation & Optimization Summit
• Neuro Web Design: What Makes Them Click? (Book)

Connect with Tim Kachuriak

• Connect with Tim on LinkedIn
• Follow Tim on Twitter
• Follow NextAfter on Twitter
• Visit the NextAfter website

Connect With Frontier

• https://Frontier.io
• Frontier on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/frontiermarketingco/
• Frontier on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/frontiermarketingco/

What are QR Codes? How do they work? Can they help increase the effectiveness of a fundraising campaign? These are the questions that charities and marketers alike should be asking! Join Matt and Ben on this episode of Frontier FM as they explore the answers and share their thoughts on how QR Codes could impact the future of fundraising.

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...

• Fundraising strategies amidst Canadian wildfires [1:44]
• Why data analysis is over-hyped in the nonprofit world [6:14]
• Fun life and podcast announcements from Matt and Ben [8:16]
• The origin of QR Codes [14:04]
• Applications for QR Codes in fundraising [17:55]
• Ways to make QR Codes engaging for readers [21:00]
• Why Matt and Ben are proponents of QR Codes [26:28]
• Matt's summer campaign update [29:15]

Resources & People Mentioned

• Email Matt and Ben YOUR fundraising questions at [email protected]!
• Tim Kachuriak and NextAfter
• CBC News Feature on QR Codes
• In 2020, QR Codes finally became cool Modern Retail: In 2020, QR Codes finally (Article)
• Greta Thunberg QR Code Cross Stitch (Reddit)
• Lego-loving couple creates working Covid QR code model for brick show sign-in (Article)
• QR codes | Examples of their creative use and design (Article)

Connect With Frontier

• https://Frontier.io
• Frontier on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/frontiermarketingco/
• Frontier on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/frontiermarketingco/