Grow Gelt

Anything you do more than once, you should stop and think about how to make it easier the next time, so you don't have to figure it all out again. I share what I learned from a letter folder that jammed, a mail house that didn't want to personalize, and a four-page cleaning checklist that I still use years later. Then I bring it to AI.

0:00 Intro

0:15 Why you need systems

0:37 The bulk mailing and the letter folder

2:16 Mistakes are tuition

2:46 Moving to a mail house

3:38 The cleaning checklist

5:51 Using AI the same way

6:14 What to ask AI

7:39 Planning for next time

Music: "Inspired" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

AI is changing the way we relate to each other, and that changes how we cultivate donors. In this episode I talk about the three ways people are using AI, why a letter from 1800 got more attention than an email does today, what happens to phone calls once AI reminds everyone to make them, and why the time you spend face to face with your donors is going to matter more than ever. There's also an action item for your December fundraising. And yes, after almost a year away, I'm back, and AI is the reason.

0:00 Where I've been

1:16 How AI is changing the world

2:42 The three ways people use AI

4:48 A letter in the 1800s, and why effort matters

7:58 What AI does to personal messages

8:59 Why phone calls matter, and an action item for December

11:05 More time for one-on-ones

12:36 An example: the $18,000 donor

14:30 Wrapping up

Music: "Inspired" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0

Inside your brain is a chip designed to believe when someone says nice things to you. GPT knows this, and tells you what you want to hear. It's not helpful. Don't believe me? Here are two words you can tell your GPT, and it will tell you some stuff that you need to hear instead of stuff that you want to hear.

You meet someone and you know if you like them. You walk into a store and you know what the bathroom will look like. We make snap decisions all the time, based on how we instinctively feel. Your donors do the same. Today we will discuss how a real human voice matters and how people can tell when you are using AI.

You sent a message to your donor but they don't respond. Your mind starts whirling, about what you said and about what they are thinking. Days pass. Still nothing. You are left on read!

What do you do? Take them off the list? Stop talking to them? Give them time?

FInd out in this episode.

In this episode, we will dive into the three silent yet powerful aspects of communication that impact your fundraising: the messages we think but don’t say, the donor reactions we never hear, and the unspoken “elephants in the room.”

Learn how to turn mental clock-ins into real connections, why consistent outreach matters, and how addressing the hard truths can accelerate your donor relationships.

Bold Symbols, Realistic Goals: Lessons from Dixville Notch & a $20 Decillion Fine

In this episode, we dive into the necessity of excitement and creativity in your asks. Learn how Kamala Harris's entry into the DNC race sparked a record-breaking $81 million in donations overnight, and discover the secrets behind UC Berkeley's "Light the Way" campaign that raised over $7 billion by focusing on positive achievements and future potential.

Say goodbye to the annual gift trap and hello to unique experiences, personal touches, and compelling stories that make donors feel genuinely invested in a hopeful future. Tune in to energize your fundraising!

There is a mistake in how we approach digital communications.

Learn what it is and how we can navigate you past your instincts.