Fundraising is Beautiful

Raising funds around disasters is very different from everyday fundraising. We talk about the differences, and what you need to know to be successful -- including when a disaster is not a disaster. Plus the two things to look for if you're wondering whether something truly qualifies as a disaster in the fundraising sense.

Many people at nonprofits live in fear of donor complaints. This fear has a corrosive effect. In this program, we talk about how to turn a complaint into a positive, how to deal with complainers, how not to deal with them, and a few simple things you can do to decrease your number of complaints.

Sometimes we're tempted to mail the kitchen sink to our donors -- communications that will inform, educate, inspire, motivate ... and, by the way encourage them to send a gift. In this podcast we talk about the importance of one thing at a time when you want to influence donors. Plus, we tell you the one type of mail your donors want to receive.

Is there anything you shouldn't show or describe in effective fundraising? Short answer: Yes. We look at this complex issue with some guidance that can help you make good decisions in this difficult and controversial area.

Many organizations working in the social service sectors hobble their fundraising by focusing excessively on the "dignity" of those they help. We'll show you how that not only hurts fundraising but actually hurts those you seek to "protect." If you can change your focus from protecting their dignity to telling the truth well -- you'll see your fundraising effectiveness zoom into the stratosphere!

Guest Bob Ball (creative director at Merkle) joins us for a lively discussion of the amazing parallels between fundraising and romance. If you be yourself, be real, focus on the person you're talking to, and follow your heart (and hers), you can't go wrong. In either area.

Learn about ten of the main reasons donors stop supporting a charity and what you can do to prevent those things in your relationships with donors. Includes four practical tips for keeping donors happily involved with your organization.

A lot of fundraisers live in fear that they'll talk to their donors too much and cause them to "burn out" ... dry up and blow away ... get annoyed and give less ... or even stop giving forever.

Good news! That doesn't really happen. In this program, we take a look at the grains of truth in the donor burnout myth that you should be paying attention to. But more important, we'll help you break free from this debilitating belief that could be costing you a lot of revenue and donors.