2 min read
Do you find that first conversation with a donor you haven’t met to be a bit, well, scary? I don’t mean shaking in your boots terrified. But enough that you have to inhale-exhale before you start...
2 min read
How many times has someone asked “How are you?” in greeting? How often was there any real interest in your answer? Now, I realize that there may be some caveats to that, especially for southerners...
3 min read
Talking is a big part of what a relationship fundraiser does. I wrote about that recently in a blog that focused on ensuring your “conversations” are not effectively serial monologues. I’m going to...
2 min read
As a Veritus coach, it seems like leadership and fundraisers are obsessed with speed. How can we make the research go faster? How can we get the data faster? How can I find information faster? This...
2 min read
I was reviewing some of my go-to coaching resources recently and came across a great article from the Harvard Business Review on talking too much. The author refers to career coach Marty Nemko’s...
2 min read
Gifts of stock are not as complicated as you might think. Yes, there are some technical aspects. But just like every other kind of gift, it starts with knowing your donor: what they care about, what...
3 min read
There is a growing industry in the philanthropic world. And I don’t mean Donor Advised Funds (DAFs)—although they are growing exponentially in number and value. According to the most recent Annual...
2 min read
I wish it were true that breaking up is hard to do. But it’s not. It can be as easy as not reporting back on the impact of a 2025 gift to a donor who has supported an organization for 10 years!
3 min read
It’s January, and 2025 giving is still being processed. This means you’re not 100% sure which donors did NOT give last year. It’s a common problem. And it’s a real problem. But if you’re managing a...
3 min read
There’s a moment in every fundraising shop when you can feel a shift. Conversations deepen. Meetings become easier to secure. Donors begin volunteering information that helps you serve them better....
2 min read
There is a high turnover rate in relationship fundraisers. Statistics tell us, most leave within an average of 18 months. There are a lot of reasons for that… But for those that stay, there is a...
