Have you ever felt like you've made a huge mistake when agreeing to something? Steve did at around the 8:45 mark in this episode he agreed to do.

You've probably heard the fundraising phrase, "People give to people". It's true, but not just about the people (or animals) your organization is trying to help. "People give to people" also applies to the person signing the letter from your organization.

Also on this episode:

Ryan wonders if he's bitten off more than he can chew.

Why you should give to other organizations (and which ones).

(Most of the regular segments were skipped this week because we knew it was going to be long)

We created a guide to developing Leader Voice for your organization after the recording of the episode. If the strategies we talked about sound interesting but you're not sure how to apply it to your leader and organization, email [email protected] and we'll send you the guide. 

In this episode, Ryan and Steve talk about why email shouldn't be a fundraising afterthought anymore. 

Also:

A couple episodes ago, Ryan and Steve ticked off designers by explaining that good, beautiful design isn't effective design--now it's the copywriters' turn to send in angry emails (to [email protected])!

Having the best idea, compelling offer, and attention-grabbing lede doesn't mean anything if the writing in your appeal isn't effective for fundraising. That doesn't mean your English professor would give it an "A", but your donors' opinion matters more anyway. 

They also discuss:

Organizations that over-email

The best way to write is with your voice

A daily habit to become a better writer

Can you have Newsletters that raise significant amounts of money while still engaging donors and informing them about what's going on at your organization?

Yes...as long as it's easier to read than the example letter Ryan has in Mail Call.  

Getting a gift from a donor is amazing, but it's even better when you can have that gift matched. 

Ryan and Steve discuss how best to talk about matches to donors, and how you can use matches to increase results in both cultivation and acquisition.  

Mail Call: 

"This month at [organization name]" 

Dollar bills inside envelopes?

Something You Should be Doing If You're Not Already: 

Evaluating your ask amounts

On Your Radar:

How to Lie With Statistics

If your organization has been around for more than 12 months, you have lapsed donors. "That's all well and good," you say. "But how do I get them back?" Ryan and Steve discuss reactivating those donors, an email data fail, and more. 

Ryan and Steve talk about telling fundraising stories, mail that's (literally) hard to see, and why you should plan your fourth quarter fundraising now--even it's April or May. 

Major Donors. You know you need them, but how do you find them? In Episode 2, Ryan and Steve talk about how to acquire major donors...and cooking recipes.  

When a donor gives you a gift, you're probably responding with "Thank You". In person, in writing, or both. But...is that the best thing to do?