3 min read
It’s Not Enough to Say Thanks
You know that when a donor gives a gift, your first job is to say thank you, as quickly as possible. Amazingly, colleagues in our industry (including Richard and myself) have written, conferenced,...
Passionate Giving BlogTM
Relationships
2 min read
Express Gratitude to Donors Daily
One thing that’s difficult for me to do is to focus on the positive things people do. Jeff and my wife both tell me regularly that I am too problem-oriented. There is good and bad news to this...
2 min read
You’re Using Campaigns as a Crutch!
If your non-profit has done more than two capital campaigns in its history, it’s most likely because you don’t have a strong major gift program and/or you’re using it as a crutch not to develop...
4 min read
Changing Your Major Gifts Program from Transactional to Relational
I was told about this experiment back in 1986, and it has stuck with me all these years. A teacher was given false information about the IQ and abilities of her classroom students. This changed her...
2 min read
Being a Frontline Fundraiser is NOT a 9 to 5 Job!
Recently, we shared on Facebook and our other social media about a free white paper of ours called, “Six Secrets to Becoming an Extraordinary Major Gift Officer.” One of the six secrets is that if...
2 min read
3 Meaningful Ways to Say Thanks
Many of us in the U.S. are getting ready to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday tomorrow. But gratitude is a year-long practice, not an annual feast. Studies have shown that practicing gratitude makes...
1 min read
Write Your Major Gift Message with Emotion and Heart
Maybe you’ve heard that old adage: information tells, emotion sells. I suggest you print that out and put it in front of you when you’re writing, so that you make sure you start with emotion and then...
2 min read
You Need ‘Your People’
When I was a development director, there were times that I felt really alone. Especially when I was struggling. I didn’t have many people I could bounce ideas off easily. And at that time, it wasn’t...
2 min read
Setting Boundaries with Donors
I think if there is one thing that you’ve heard us say more than anything in the Passionate Giving Blog it’s that you need to establish solid relationships with your donors. There is no question...
