I am a big fan of the TV program The Profit. In this show the successful entrepreneur Marcus Lemonis sets out to rescue ailing family businesses. Ideally, he sees a bright future and invests his own money in exchange for a share in the company. In the process of making such an offer, he tries to get all the information on the table. And the numbers are always a part of that.
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Have you heard about Dan Pallotta's new online training? In line with his views as presented in his now famous TED talk (The way we think about charity is dead wrong) and book (Uncharitable) he has given trainings to nonprofit boards and directors worldwide in recent years. He has now translated that training into an online format.
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In the income analysis that I've published in December it was very clear that some organisations in The Netherlands show impressive income growth in the past decade. Compassion Netherlands, Save the Children Netherlands, Stichting Vluchteling (IRC), AMREF Flying Doctors, Milieudefensie (Friends of the Earth) to name just a few. But I'd like to zoom in on one specific organisation: KiKa (Children Cancerfree).
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The other day a starting fundraiser asked me for general tips and tricks on how to improve his fundraising skills. It got me thinking: what would I tell myself if I was able to go back in time? In random order a list of 10 things I would tell my younger self.
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If you are able to keep your donors longer, you will raise more funds for your cause. Simple as that.
The simplest way I can explain it:
Read MoreWe invest in our staff and our fundraising programs. This should result in the best possible experience for both potential and existing donors. This influences satisfaction, commitment and trust, which constitute the donorβs attitude towards the charity. In other words: increased donor loyalty. This leads to the desired behaviour: higher retention rates. In turn this results in more income, which can be invested again. In projects for our beneficiaries, in staff and our fundraising program. And repeat.
Iβm celebrating my 15 year anniversary as a fundraiser!
In a blog post 5 years ago I wrote about the best strategic ingredients for a successful fundraising program. Letβs try that again and see if I want to change my perspective now Iβve grown olderβ¦
Fundraisers are gold. Quality fundraising staff makes all the difference. Without the right staff you can forget the rest of this post. And your fundraising results. Hire great professional fundraisers. Now.
Next year I wish you to be the blue fish. Charities need to break free from the uniformity. If you want your charity's story to not only reach (potential) donors, but actually be remembered a day after donors have read/saw/listened to them, something needs to change.
If you pick up a stack of direct mail appeals, or newsletters, or see 10 nonprofit e-mail bulletins next to each other, they are pretty much the same. Admit it. The logo might be different, but otherwise it's more or less the same. You see the differences, but your audience can't tell.
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Exactly 10 years ago, I started my first job as a fundraiser! And from the beginning I was hooked. I love fundraising, because it enables change. Vision and passion combined with great fundraising enables important change. And as a fundraiser you play an important part in that change.
So, looking back over those 10 years, what did I learn? Iβve listed the most important strategic ingredients for a successful fundraising program.
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