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MarketSmart + The Giving Institute
iMarketSmart
OCTOBER 15, 2019
In case you couldn’t tell from the title of today’s blog post, we have some exciting news to share with you! MarketSmart is the newest member of The Giving Institute.
iMarketSmart
The 80-20 Rule is DEAD!
iMarketSmart
OCTOBER 17, 2019
It’s no longer 80-20 but, rather, 70/.7. According to our research, tons of nonprofits spend most of their fundraising budget on efforts focused on acquiring low dollar donors. Yet they only make up 7% of all donation revenue year after year.
Introducing, Louis Diez— The Checklist Guy for Fundraising Excellence
iMarketSmart
OCTOBER 1, 2019
Some people really know how to be givers. You know what I mean don’t you? From time to time all of us come across people who simply want to help others without seeking anything in return. Don’t you agree? That’s how I found Louis Diez.
How to Improve and Develop Process at Your Nonprofit
iMarketSmart
SEPTEMBER 25, 2019
Developing process is tricky. In the world of for-profit businesses there are myriad books , webinars , and even conferences you can attend to help you become a “process” master. Yet, when it comes to nonprofit organizations the literature is fewer and farther between.
One Simple Tactic You Can Use to Be More Effective at Everything
iMarketSmart
SEPTEMBER 20, 2019
I wish I didn’t have such a “clickbait” title. Even I’d think twice before reading a blog post that suggests it can make you more effective at everything… But, before you press the back button or open a new tab, please hear me out.
Brand new digital body language filters
iMarketSmart
SEPTEMBER 5, 2019
Filter by Digital Body Language. Digital body language is integral to understanding how supporters are engaging with your organization online. You can now filter by certain activities, such as microsite engagement, cultivation email engagement, recency of digital engagement, notes, and more!
3 Reasons Why You Should Market Charitable IRA Rollovers (And What They Are)
iMarketSmart
SEPTEMBER 4, 2019
What would you do with $2.5 trillion? Retire? Buy a beach house? Travel the world? Develop a marketing strategy for Charitable IRA Rollovers? Probably not the latter). The options seem limitless, and, in fact, they most certainly are if you were to come across that much money!
Could this be the true cause of high fundraiser turnover?
iMarketSmart
AUGUST 26, 2019
Recently a lot of people have been writing about the high level of turnover among fundraisers in our field.
The power of convenience: A follow-up to my post about online will-writing tools
iMarketSmart
AUGUST 23, 2019
The power of convenience as an influencer and motivator of outcomes is enormous and should never be underestimated. Ours is a culture of convenience; we expect it in every area of our lives. Amazon.com is growing and profiting because it provides astounding levels of convenience to its customers.
How to ask for a gift: Do you really have to ask?
iMarketSmart
AUGUST 20, 2019
At MarketSmart, we don’t close sales and we don’t close deals. When it comes to how to ask for a gift, you’ll see there’s a parallel with how we conduct sales, and how nonprofits should raise funds.
Online will-making tools: My pros and cons.
iMarketSmart
AUGUST 14, 2019
Brace yourself. . This is a long post because there’s a lot to be said. . I wrote it because digital will-writing tools are popping up to help your supporters facilitate their planning conveniently online. That’s creating both opportunities and challenges for fundraisers.
Are your letters to major donors and donor prospects any good?
iMarketSmart
AUGUST 7, 2019
Direct mail is NOT dead! However, ‘ spray and pray ‘ direct mail should be! Long live one-to-one, highly relevant, personalized communications— including direct mail letters! Direct mail letters are powerful because, when done right, they make donors feel good.
GUEST POST: A Great Idea… Connecting With Donors Through Photo Books
iMarketSmart
AUGUST 5, 2019
This is a first! I’ve never had anyone write a guest post for my blog. But when I saw what Daphne Powell was doing to grow relationships with her donors, I reached out to her to see if she might consider telling you her story.
If you like VERITUS GROUP and you like me… now you can get both together!
iMarketSmart
AUGUST 1, 2019
Alignment. Have you ever met someone for the first time but felt like you had known them forever? Like you had a mysterious connection instantly? That’s how I felt when I first met Richard Perry and Jeff Schreifels (from Veritus Group) in Philadelphia years ago.
At last, the Fundraising Report Card is now 100% free for nonprofits
iMarketSmart
JULY 31, 2019
In case you’ve never heard of it… The Fundraising Report Card is a little application I had my staff build a couple of years ago.
A perfect example of ‘spray and pray fundraising’
iMarketSmart
JULY 26, 2019
This email wasted my time and annoyed me because… I don’t know this person. I don’t know this organization. I didn’t give her or them permission to email me. I have no connection whatsoever to this cause or this organization.
Top 10 Reasons Why Fundraisers Might Be Uncomfortable ‘Making The Ask’
iMarketSmart
JULY 21, 2019
Let me know what you think about my top 10 reasons why some fundraisers might be uncomfortable making the ask : 10. They are in the wrong job and should be doing something else; 9. They are poorly trained (or not trained at all) and, therefore, don’t know how and when to do it; 8.
Why your capital campaign feasibility study could be leaving a lot of money on the table.
iMarketSmart
JULY 16, 2019
I think most campaign feasibility studies leave a ton of money on the table. Here’s a hyper-simplified description of how it usually works. You hire a consultant. Together, you conduct the feasibility study and review the results.
A digest of last year’s best blog posts (titled ‘The Best Of SmartIdeas’) is now available… for FREE.
iMarketSmart
JULY 10, 2019
If you’ve ever hoped for a digest of my best posts, today is your lucky day! Each year, my staff review the data to determine which posts were viewed and shared the most. Then they pull the copy from the most popular articles to create a brief, easy-to-read digest. You can get it now, for free.
3 reasons why I use curse words (but only one that matters)
iMarketSmart
JUNE 6, 2018
She told me others would say I was unprofessional. I was asked to lead a roundtable discussion at a conference recently. So I did. And afterward one of the attendees approached me as I got a cup of coffee in the sponsorship expo room.
Here’s what’s missing from moves management.
iMarketSmart
JULY 8, 2019
Something about the term moves management has always made me feel uneasy. When I first heard the phrase I figured it was all about managing the moves fundraisers make to get donors to move forward in the decision-making process, and I was right.
How to get your donors to respond to you WITHOUT asking them to respond to you
iMarketSmart
JUNE 25, 2019
Does polite persistence really work any more? When I first got into sales, my uncle told me that polite persistence was the key to achieving results. He said that I needed to be gentle but tenacious. Like water dripping on a rock again and again until it finally wears away the stone.
Are you a dictatorial boss or a dynamic nonprofit leader?
iMarketSmart
JUNE 24, 2019
I think too many nonprofit leaders don’t really know how to lead. Instead they just boss people around. Having a title means you have authority. But authority isn’t the same as leadership. In fact, too often people get into positions of authority only to become dictators, not leaders.
Giving increased.7% but you won’t hear anyone celebrating and that’s really too bad
iMarketSmart
JUNE 18, 2019
Remember when the Lilly School predicted at least a $13 billion drop in giving due to the Trump Tax Cut (which would have taken us to $376 billion)? Instead, we saw a.7% rise in real dollars to $427.71 billion. They should have egg on their faces for their doomsday prediction.
Why major and legacy donors think your fundraising communications stink!
iMarketSmart
JUNE 17, 2019
First, it is not all your fault. Well then, can we blame it on leadership? Leadership should share the burden of blame because fundraisers tend to feel a lot of pressure to do what’s always been done. In many cases they are driven (by leadership) to avoid trying anything new in case it doesn’t work.
Why major and legacy donors think your fundraising sucks.
iMarketSmart
JUNE 17, 2019
First, it is not all your fault. Well then, can we blame it on leadership? Leadership should share the burden of blame because fundraisers tend to feel a lot of pressure to do what’s always been done. In many cases they are driven (by leadership) to avoid trying anything new in case it doesn’t work.
Engagement Fundraising in Action with Erin Troia (EF-S03-E03)
iMarketSmart
AUGUST 23, 2018
Greg interviews Erin Troia about her “Engagement Fundraising” experiences. Erin recently finished reading an advanced copy of Engagement Fundraising and tried out some of the concepts she read about in the book. Learn more about MarketSmart at [link].
Now Available: Executive Summary (PDF) of My Webinar On ‘Fundraising Climate Change’
iMarketSmart
JUNE 11, 2019
A few weeks ago I hosted a webinar about Fundraising Climate Change (a term I developed some time ago and included in my book titled Engagement Fundraising ).
16 Simple Things Your Best Donors Want
iMarketSmart
NOVEMBER 5, 2018
Here’s my list of essential major donor needs that you must aim to fulfill: 1. Your best donors want you to do the important work they can’t or won’t do. Your best donors want you to give them the credit and praise for your achievements. They want to be the hero in the story, not you.
10 traits of terrible major and legacy gift fundraisers
iMarketSmart
MAY 30, 2018
Sadly, I’ve witnessed all of these but I truly believe #1 is the worst. Here are my top 10 traits of terrible fundraisers that drive major donors away: . Showing up late; 9. Failing to do something that was promised; 8. Talking about how great they are at raising money; 7.
When you should NOT conduct face-to-face fundraising
iMarketSmart
JUNE 4, 2019
Essentially, there are two types of face-to-face fundraising. When fundraising staff meet with highly qualified, major and or legacy gift donors and/or prospects; When part-time staff stand on street corners interrupting passersby asking them to give (I call this ‘street spam’).
Why You Need Tech-Enabled Donor Discovery
iMarketSmart
MAY 29, 2019
For decades, fundraisers have sought a ‘magic box’ to identify the most ideal donor prospects for outreach, relationship-building, and solicitation. Of course they do. Who wouldn’t want one? With a ‘magic box’ a fundraiser could become much more efficient and effective.
Top 7 Fundraising In’s and Out’s for 2018
iMarketSmart
JANUARY 2, 2018
OUT: Making donors feel bad , twisting their arms, telling them to give ’til it hurts and shaming them. IN: Making donors feel good , treating them like people (not ATM’s), partnering and giving them the value they want.
Engagement Calling Metrics for Lead Outreach Associates Tasked With Arranging Meetings With Major Donor & Legacy Donor Prospects
iMarketSmart
MAY 21, 2019
Engagement calling, not cold calling! About 1 1/2 years ago I introduced the concept of Engagement Calling as the best way to land appointments with highly qualified, major gift donor prospects (much better than cold calling). But back then I failed to provide metrics for managing the process.
Cold calling major donors to arrange appointments doesn’t work— but this method does
iMarketSmart
DECEMBER 11, 2017
No one likes getting cold calls and you probably don’t like making them.
7 Data Points That Prove ‘Fundraising Climate Change’ Is Real And Happening Now
iMarketSmart
MAY 15, 2019
What’s in a name? In my book (titled Engagement Fundraising ) I briefly described the changes affecting nonprofits and their fundraising staff. The label I applied to the trend was ‘Fundraising Climate Change.’
Why hardly anyone reads your planned giving newsletter (and what you can do about it).
iMarketSmart
MAY 13, 2019
Confusing? Too often planned giving newsletters are written by lawyers and the lawyers at nonprofits think they are just dandy. However, most of your supporters are not lawyers. Did they opt-in? Your planned giving newsletter is designed to educate people about planned gifts, right?
Top 2 cringeworthy things some fundraisers say to major donor prospects (and what they might want to say instead)
iMarketSmart
JUNE 1, 2018
“I’d like to meet you to update you / tell you what we do / tell you what we’ve been doing , etc.” ” I’ve had fundraisers approach me this way. It’s all about them and their organization.
All About Fundraising Climate Change (And What You Can Do About It)
iMarketSmart
MAY 9, 2019
The world of fundraising is facing a climate change. For years, the environment has been shifting. The storm clouds have been gathering. I’ve been talking about this for approximately 10 years. And now, finally, the day of reckoning is upon us.
A bunch of reasons why January is NOT necessarily the best time to ‘hit your donor’s mailbox’
iMarketSmart
NOVEMBER 19, 2018
Recently I saw a question posted on a discussion board that was inspired by a blog (NOT mine) titled: WHY YOU NEED TO HIT YOUR DONOR’S MAILBOX FIRST THING IN 2019. The question was: Planned/legacy giving marketing – when do you mail? Here’s the response I posted.
18 takeaways from my recent appearance on the Giving Back Podcast
iMarketSmart
MAY 5, 2019
This was a super-fun interview on The Giving Back Podcast. But if you don’t have time to listen to it, here are some notes my staff wrote down after listening.
Musical chairs, your donors, and fundraising?
iMarketSmart
MAY 2, 2019
I think fundraisers should recognize that donors are playing a lifelong game of musical chairs. The people you consider to be YOUR donors are circling around many other charities and, from time to time, they ‘sit’ with one that engages them properly and makes them feel good.
Why treating philanthropists like s#!t is hurting our society.
iMarketSmart
APRIL 29, 2019
From bad to worse. When I first saw the pictures of the flames engulfing Notre-Dame, I thought to myself, “That’s terrible.” ” But now, that the fire has been extinguished, I’m feeling like something else is even worse.
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