Marc’s Musings

My Fundraising Blog

• 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 [...]
• Online fundraising idea for Black Friday & Cyber Monday
  I love The Boston Project. They do amazing work and have a long track record of effectiveness. They’re also one of the best I’ve ever seen at telling stories that reinforce their mission. Readers of my blog know that I’m a fan of good nonprofit storytelling! Today I woke up to find this fundraising email in [...]
• Donor-centered fundraising or schpeal-centered?
  Does your fundraising conversation with donors look like this: Or is it more like this? We tend to sell tools: tax-deductions, planned giving tools, stock transfers. We get all wrapped up in them. Fundraising tools should always be secondary. Donors are more interested in, and motivated by, the why. As you set your goals for 2009, why [...]
• Americans continue to be generous
  The Chronicle of Philanthropy highlighted an article in the Washington Post: Americans still giving, despite economic meltdown. Kudos to the Washington Post and the AP. It’s great to see more media outlets talking about fundraising in a recession using the actual data of how we behave, rather than whipping up fear and panic. Here’s a great [...]
• Thoughts on generational fundraising
  FundRaising Success has a nice summary of a talk given by Blackbaud’s Samantha Cohen. As I Gen-Xer myself, I found this quote particularly compelling. “Tell them you want to end world hunger, and they’ll say, ‘No, you’re not,’” she said. “Tell them you want to put a piece of fresh fruit in every child’s lunch bag, and [...]
• Fundraising Secret #27: The basics ARE extreme
  Last week, Lois Lindauer summed up some fundraising advice as: Keep Your Friends Close and Your Donors Closer: At a recent gathering of executive-level fundraisers in Boston, the following suggestions and thoughts for working during these uncertain times were elicited: Stay close to donors. Listen carefully to their interests. Place an emphasis on stewardship and reassure [...]
• Whining is not a fundraising strategy
  Debra Blum of The Chronicle of Philanthropy has a great summary of comments from Reynold Levy, president of the Lincoln Center, told participants of the Independent Sector annual conference. According to the Chronicle, Levy exhorted the attendees that: “Great fund raisers don’t whine about the economy. They believe in Noah’s principle: No more credit for predicting [...]
• Fundraising Secret #26: You gotta do it yourself
  This week I’ve had two conversations with founders of nonprofits. I’ve had to tell both the unwelcome truth: you’re going to have to do the fundraising yourself. This was a bitter pill for both of them. You see, they’d created their nonprofit because of their passion. They saw a need and they filled it. And they [...]
• “Survival” is NOT a fundraising appeal
  Today the Chronicle of Philanthropy reported on a seemingly provocative comments from the head of the Wal-Mart Foundation, Margaret McKenna. According to the Boston Herald, she said some charities should fail. I whole heartedly agree. Some nonprofits should fail. Just like some businesses should fail. Aren’t you tired of receiving fundraising appeals with a message of “If [...]