Marc’s Musings

My Fundraising Blog

• Fundraising Secret #30: Write for ACTION
  If you’re not reading Seth Godin’s blog, you may want to make it a New Year’s Resolution to start! He recently had a pithy blog post on improving copywriting using the slogan on the sign in a Peets’ Coffee store “Unlike Any Coffee You’ve Ever Tasted Before.” He proceeds to take out banal words, which makes it [...] Other Possibly Related posts:How to write a thank youFundraising Secret #28: Nobody wants to buy a drillCalls to Action
• New Fundraising Training Resources for 2009
  2009 looks like it’ll probably be a challenging year. Since many are having their education budgets cut, I’ve put several tools up on the web. These are packed with incredible content and are conveniently available for you to learn without leaving your office! Last issue, I mentioned Who’s Telling Your Story?. Storytelling is the best way to [...] Other Possibly Related posts:Fundraising Training and Nonprofit Leadership SeminarsWho’s Telling Your Story?
• Thoughts on fundraising “sales”
  See’s Chocolates sent me a tin of chocolates they use for a chocolate fundraiser. I told them my blog doesn’t talk about fundraising sales, but they insisted and who am I to turn down free chocolate? The tin came yesterday. I was pleasantly surprised by both the assortment of chocolates in the tin and [...] Other Possibly Related posts:Why most sales pitches to nonprofits don’t workMore thoughts on Rainmaking
• Bernard Madoff and the Double Standard of Scrutinizing Nonprofits
  I sure love the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s “Give & Take” roundup of nonprofit blogs. Today I found a gem from fundraising consultant Tom Belford on the Madoff ponzi scandal. Tom writes on a pretty obvious, but unspoken, double standard: every few years, nonprofits are called to account for their actions and donations but large players in [...] No related posts.
• Fundraising Secret #29: Ask businesses
  The end of the year is coming upon us with unrelenting speed. Even if it’s not the end of your fiscal year, this is a tremendously important time. And there’s just over 2 weeks to go. I tend to focus on soliciting individuals…or rather “inviting people to invest in your cause.” And with good [...] Other Possibly Related posts:Fundraising Secret #14: Don’t be hard on local businessesAmericans continue generous givingSeth’s Blog: The 80/8 Rule
• What if nonprofits did fundraising like the Big 3?
  Like many Americans, I’ve been inundated with news stories about the Big 3 automakers attempts to get a federal loan of billions of dollars. Yes, billions. So I started wondering, what if the Big 3 were to teach nonprofits how to fundraise? Some of the humorous answers included: Lose touch with your donor base: Ignore the fact that [...] Other Possibly Related posts:More Twitter for NonprofitsEven MORE on Twitter for NonprofitsTwitter for Nonprofits
• FREE: “Join” the FundraisingCoach.com & connect with others raising money for their cause!!
  I love the benefits of social media: the ability to make connections, meet people I’d never meet staying here in Maine, two-way conversation rather than simply one-way broadcasting, etc. So I’ve added Google FriendConnect to my site. Just go to www.FundraisingCoach.com and you’ll see the group on the left side of the screen. (I’m assuming you’re [...] Other Possibly Related posts:Feeling guilty about not raising enough money?More Twitter for NonprofitsFundraisingCoach.com’s Privacy Policy
• Tips for Fundraising in a Recession
  A reporter interviewed me earlier this week for a story on fundraising in a recession. As a follow up, he asked if I had tips to give nonprofits. Here’s what I wrote. I hope they’re helpful! Keep Asking! Treat your donor like an adult and let her make the decision about whether this is a good [...] Other Possibly Related posts:Recession-proof FundraisingReally Tweet Twitter Tips from Anne JacksonNew Author Gives Three Ways to Recession-Proof Your Nonprofit
• Fundraising Secret #28: Nobody wants to buy a drill
  In Secrets of Closing the Sale, Zig Ziglar says: Each year over 5 million quarter-inch drills are sold, yet it’s safe to say that nobody wants a quarter-inch drill. They want a quarter-inch hole. Isn’t that great? We do that in fundraising too. Donations are our “drill.” We spend lots of time talking about donations and ways [...] Other Possibly Related posts:Fundraising Secret #26: You gotta do it yourselfFundraising Secret #25: Keepers of the LoreFundraising Secret #3: Nobody “owes” you anything