Do You Lead with your Heart? January 17, 2012 By Ewlacasse

When you’re creating your next campaign or appeal, remember that all donors do not react equally to a wounded dog, a starving child, or dying wetlands.  Yes, these appeals seem to capture the imagination of a portion of the population (maybe a majority in the past).

But, don’t forget to include in your appeal content attractive to others whose prime motivator may lie along another line.

Intellect leads the decision-making of a large number of people.  The answers they are looking for are:  Would a gift to this organization be a solid investment?  Is this organization well-organized and well-run, with solid programs and credible identification of needs?  Will I be proud to be associated with this organization?

Gut reaction means the most to others.  Do I have a good feeling about this organization?  Are these people my kind of people?  Does this appeal go right to the top of my personal philanthropic priorities?

Heart strings, while maybe the most obvious, is a tried-and-true route to go.  Although, today’s public has been so inundated with this emotional appeal, it’s hard to invent a new way to play it out.

No one approach is guaranteed.  The test of a good appeal is: how well it combines just the right amount of each.  Look back at some of your past appeals and evaluate what you’ve been doing.

Welcome to the New Year - GiftWorks in 2012 January 13, 2012 By Steve Fafel

On behalf of the entire GiftWorks team, I want to thank all of you who use GiftWorks and those who are considering GiftWorks.  2011 was a great year for us because of you.  I saw a multitude of those who lead, work and volunteer for nonprofits begin to excel with GiftWorks by more efficiently tracking and managing your fundraising efforts.  As a result, we watched as numerous nonprofits grew in 2011 with some help from GiftWorks.  GiftWorks also grew stronger in 2011 and continues to be well positioned to provide great products and services for nonprofits everywhere...for years to come.

I was also blessed to be able to work side by side with all the members of the GiftWorks team - most who have been with GiftWorks for many years and a few who joined the GiftWorks team this year. Every day they come to work supporting our community of nonprofits by selling, developing, support or promoting GiftWorks to continually advance our products and services with the utmost goal of making a difference.

This year we plan on introducing brand new products that will equip GiftWorks users in new and powerful ways.  We also will be adding new features and improving existing GiftWorks capabilities so that you can get the most out of the time you spend using GiftWorks.  Over the next couple months, we’ll talk more about the new and improved products that you'll see from GiftWorks in 2012.

The GiftWorks team is excited and eager to kick off the new year with you. I trust that 2012 will be fruitful for you, your families and your organizations.

Steve Fafel
CEO, GiftWorks

Handle Donors with Kid Gloves; Handle Donor Data with Double Checks January 10, 2012 By Ewlacasse

A good way to start the year is with a staff review of the Most Common Missteps you can make to turn off otherwise-happy donors.  You might want to lighten the atmosphere by making up examples in the extreme.  People learn better in a cheerful atmosphere than with a knife being held to their throats..

Not necessarily in Disaster order, since in each case, it all depends on the generosity of the donor and the perceived flagrancy of the staff member.

 In the category of database negligence:

• You misspell the donor’s name
• You misspell the donor’s wife’s name
• You misspell the donor’s child’s name
• You address “Vaughn Hanline” as Dear Sir, when Vaughn is a lady. You address “Marian Thomas” as Dear Madam, when Marian is anything but a madam.
• A donor’s name got duplicated in the database; you mailed two appeals to the same donor at the same address before the donor asked you to stop (if you’re lucky!)
• You address a 10-year donor as “Dear Friend.”

 In the category of more personal negligence:

•  A thank-you letter (gift acknowledgement) arrives a month after the receipt of the gift.
• The donor asked for no more phone calls and the receptionist phoned her to say OK.
• The donor asked for no more fundraising appeals by mail, but someone decided that Christmas was an exception.
• A donor’s  spouse died and left you a large bequest.  Direct mail appeals continue to be addressed to “Mr. and Mrs.”
• The donor asked that his gift not be acknowledged in the annual report, but it was.
• You promised to follow up with a donor in a week, but (for whatever reason) you did not.
• A major donor asked the Development Assistant to send him your audited financial statements, but it never happened.
• You engraved your wealthiest donor’s name on the donor wall, at the wrong giving level.  
• A donor who attended last year’s gala was not invited to this year’s gala.
• Your new Major Gift Officer sat next to your most generous supporter at the gala and didn’t say a thing.
• Your on-hold music/radio station plays “Give it to me one more time."

In most cases, the misstep is not intentional, but the damage can spread farther than just a disgruntled donor.  It’s clear that you need to develop (and reinforce) systems of “check” and “double check” to avoid these potential catastrophes.  Making all staff aware of the danger of a moment’s inattention can save the day all around!

Year-End Reports: Beyond LYBUNT January 5, 2012 By Ewlacasse

GiftWorks Certified Consultant Sally Funk offers some insights into making your year-end reports work for you.  Based in Colorado Springs (CO), Sally is Donor Systems Specialist with McConkey-Johnston International, a fundraising and marketing consulting firm for nonprofit organizations.

You’ve finished entering gifts for 2011. Now’s a great time to run “big picture” reports to help you plan better and work smarter in 2012.

But which reports?

Remember, the main purpose of any report is to answer a question. With that in mind, what questions are the most important to ask – and answer – about your fundraising efforts last year?

The first thing that comes to mind is usually something like “How did we do last year?” or other performance-related questions. Basically, you need to know: “Did we work the plan?” and, “Did the plan work?” This translates into a number of comparison reports: actual to goal, this mailing vs. that mailing, this year vs. last year, etc. Use your Appeal and Campaign reports to get this information, but you’ll also need to gather data like expense and number mailed/invited to get the clearest picture.

The next question should be, “Did it make a difference?” Did your efforts to acquire new donors actually bring donors in the door? Are your continuing donors increasing, both in numbers and in giving amounts?

Think of the different steps donors can take with your organization. How many signed up last year? How many gave their first gift (and how much)? How many continued giving from 2010 to 2011? How many lapsed? How many lapsed donors came back on board? Of your continuing donors, how many gave more – or less?

You can use Smartlists to create these reports, and then you can compare growth – or lack of it – to your efforts last year. Here’s a sure way to focus your efforts for the year ahead.

 

Keeping your Nonprofit's New Year's Resolutions January 3, 2012 By Kaitlan Mitchell

Something happens as that glistening ball gracefully descends from the New York skyline.

We hold our breath and we make a pact to ourselves.

We promise to put down the cigarettes and pick up the weights. We promise to spend more time with our children and spend less on brand-name accessories.  

At that moment when everyone screams zero, caught in a whirlwind of confetti, we are filled with hope that tomorrow is going be a catalyst - bringing a world of change.

But what New Year’s resolutions do you have for your nonprofit? Rescue more animals? Support those men and women serving overseas?

Whatever your goal, it all stems from fundraising and donor management. GiftWorks wants to help you meet and exceed those resolutions without breaking your budget.

Try our Free 30-Day trial to see what we mean. Register here at: http://www.giftworksconnect.com/download

With GiftWorks, you can check off all of your fundraising tasks with just one solution - regaining time and money to recentralize focus on your mission.

And that’s a present your organization won’t be able to fit under the tree.

Wishing you and your staff a spectacular New Year from the GiftWorks Team!

 

Increases in Giving When Cash is Tight? December 20, 2011 By Ewlacasse

When the Chronicle of Philanthropy consulted 400 groups of top fund-raisers from private sources, they found many are struggling to grow their annual giving in this tough economy.  Not surprised at that, are you?  But, the Chronicle notes, two types of nonprofits are prospering in this struggling economy:

      Groups who receive the bulk of their contributions in the form of donated products, such as international charities or antihunger organizations, are seeing increased giving.  This confirms what we are all seeing internationally and in our local communities. The public’s response to natural disasters, unemployment, and increases in those needing a safety net is vigorous this year.  Not just the wealthy, but most who can afford to rush to the support of the less-fortunate. 

      Why?  Perhaps, as we feel the pinch, we are better able to imagine how others are affected.  Appeals for assistance from these groups are highly visible, visual, and immediate. (A lesson to be learned here!) And, the need in these cases extends beyond individuals to entire communities and societies.

      Another sector seeing increases are groups that raise most of their money in stock gifts.  Why?  Perhaps because, when other markers were lagging, the market revived last year. (Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund [No. 3.], which raised $1.3 billion, more than any other time since it was created two decades ago.)  Donors may feel more comfortable making gifts of stock when cash is tight. Does developing a strategy to encourage gifts of stocks make sense for your organization?

      One of the only ways to profit from the current situation is to understand and explore the new insights it provides.

      Are you finding donor strength in unexpected places? Consider if that suggests a new or revived strategy for the long term.

Engagement: Keys to Success in Fundraising Today December 9, 2011 By Ewlacasse

Fundraising guru and GiftWorks friend Mal Warwick takes a fresh look on donor engagement.  From Mal’s newsletter:

In recent months, I’ve been developing a new perspective on fundraising, born of the increasing frustration I’ve felt trying to understand today’s fundraising environment through the lens of yesterday’s truths. To understand the concept of Engagement, you need to get your head around a new way of looking at donors.

Most of the time, we think of donors as just that: people who send us money. But donors may have multi-faceted relationships with us—for example, as volunteers, as former staff members, as providers of in-kind products or services, or as direct beneficiaries of our work. For them, and possibly even for us, those other aspects of their relationships may be even more important than their financial support. And even donors who are now only donors may be able to contribute more meaningfully to our work in non-financial ways than they do as donors. So, don’t think of Engagement in a narrow way as a means to get more money from them. Take a holistic view. Think of the possible benefits for both parties in a broader relationship.

Four routes to donor Engagement

• Volunteering. First, if your organization offers volunteer opportunities, you have one of the easiest and sometimes the fastest routes to donor Engagement. People who volunteer for a charity are three times as likely to contribute funds as those who don’t. But that’s only one aspect of the picture. Most analysts in the U.S. value volunteer service at $15 per hour, so a person who volunteers, say, three hours a week throughout the year is giving an extra contribution worth more than $2,000 that year. However, some volunteer programs require highly trained and specialized skills that may be worth many times that much. That’s probably a lot more than the value of all their financial contributions.

As you know, running a volunteer program isn’t easy. And it’s absolutely essential that your volunteer program provide a rich and rewarding experience. That takes skill and entails management and training costs. But take care: A badly run volunteer effort can turn people off just as quickly as a good one can turn them on.

• Advocacy. Now, the second route to donor Engagement is advocacy. Increasingly, with the continuing growth of email and the Internet as an inexpensive way to involve supporters, grassroots advocacy efforts, or campaigning, is becoming an ever-more familiar way for charities to recruit new supporters. It’s become equally important as a means to broaden their relationships with people who already support them. But it’s a mistake to think of advocacy as consisting exclusively of sending out email action alerts. There are far more meaningful ways for your donors and other supporters to engage in advocacy on your behalf. For example, they might print out, sign, and mail actual letters—on real paper! Or make telephone calls. Or attend meetings or rallies or demonstrations . . . or walk picket lines . . . or join delegations of citizens to visit legislators . . . or even climb up the side of a high-rise to hang a banner! All this is advocacy—and those few people who choose one of these more active ways to support you are worth their weight in gold. They’re certainly worth paying a lot of attention to!
• Consultation. Yet another route to Engagement is to consult your supporters. Keep in mind the old axiom about major donors: “If you want advice, ask for money. If you want money, ask for advice.” Donors always feel appreciated—and more involved in your work—when you solicit their views. And of course you can do that not just by phone but by email, direct mail, face-to-face at events, or in informal focus groups.

But don’t limit yourself to asking for your donors’ opinions. Use the most appropriate channel to acquire meaningful personal information: what motivates their giving . . . which of your programs is most important for them . . . whether your organization is a top philanthropic priority. In other words, the sort of information that will help you tailor your fundraising appeals more closely to their individual interests and giving habits.

• Access. For some donors, however, there’s simply no substitute for face-to-face contact. Giving them access to staff members, or in some cases the members of the board, can be a huge incentive for some people to give, or give more. And supplying them with the email address and direct phone number of their own personal contact on the staff will enhance their feeling that their support is truly valued.

Direct access like this won’t just pay off in increased giving. Perhaps equally important, it will lead to positive word-of-mouth for your organization. Favorable “buzz” like this can be invaluable—1,000 times as valuable as any advertising you might pay for. That’s what we’re learning from studies in the new field of word-of-mouth marketing. Buzz leads to wider public awareness of your work and even to new donors. Remember: People will listen to friends and acquaintances with less skepticism than they will if you’re making the same claims!

Visit www.malwarwick.com to access Mal’s other thoughtful insights.

It’s not over till it’s over! December 9, 2011 By Ewlacasse

One of the beauties of email solicitation/online giving is that it’s NOW.  No need to plan for a print and mailing schedule in addition to the usual preparation time.

Most donors and prospects are expecting you to ask for their support at this time of year.  Many are feeling philanthropic, have a reduced work schedule, and may be thinking ahead to April 15 and taxes.  A great percentage of donors give in the last few days of the year.  Be sure you’re top-of-mind when this activity occurs.

Use this chance to contact those who gave last year, but haven’t yet given this year.

Ask volunteers who have not yet made a gift. You know they support your cause; they just may not have thought of supporting you financially.

Most nonprofits receive up to 40% of their annual budget in the last quarter; report your success from this period last year to encourage others.

Think it through, just as you do your traditional annual solicitation.  What will inspire that donor to act now?  Is the tone of the ask in keeping with the persona of your organization? What ways of giving are most expeditious at this time of year.

One consultant suggest a series of three emails throughout December, each building on the momentum and urgency of the last.  The final email should arrive on the morning of December 31 with that irresistible subject line:  Last Chance to Give in 2011!

This is a great way to nudge those who have not yet responded to you this year.  Many will be glad to be reminded and to be able to donate before the clock strikes 2012!

GiftWorks' CEO is a Jukebox December 8, 2011 By Kaitlan Mitchell

The GiftWorks' CEO is a jukebox

One day it’s Brown Eyed Girl, the next it’s Bieber.
Regardless of the day’s choice, our CEO comes into work singing.

It’s frankly one of the first things I noticed – a singing CEO, huh.  But as the weeks went on, I learned a position of leadership extends further than approving paychecks and establishing budgets.  You’re creating a culture. Show your team you have an absolute passion for your cause, not just from assumption but well, with your song.

Going around and asking your group how their weekend was, offering to take them out to coffee, a “Great job connecting with our donors yesterday!” can make such a difference. 
Sure it’s a simple act, a tiny detail.  But it is in life’s details where we render the most meaning.

Those smiles your colleagues are now sporting because of your simple act will transition into your cause – their work ethic, their energy.  And that small compliment, that tall vanilla chai turns into so much more.

No, don’t make it routine. Don’t give out these words excessively and without warrant but sporadically, at random times and their value increases. What a difference you can make outside of conferences and roundtables.

Right now, believe it or not, as I’m writing this, he’s singing the Little Drummer Boy.

And as I look around the office, we’re all smiling.

 

 

Tom Iselin Webinar: “Why You Need to Evolve" December 5, 2011 By Kaitlan Mitchell

Concert. Show. Webinar.

Everyone knows that finales are always the best. 

And before the curtains draw on the last portion of the "First Things First" series,
Tom Iselin is going to leave you with more than one reason for a standing ovation. 



Please join Tom and the GiftWorks Team tomorrow as we present Tom’s final webinar in his "First Things First" series titled “Why You Need to Evolve.” Here Tom will teach you how simple technology strategy and a handful of practical tactics will help you increase productivity, reduce cost, and avoid a host of technology landmines. It can be a best friend or your worst nightmare. Have more control in your relationship with technology. The "First Things First" attendance has been out of the roof - ranging from 500 to 600 registrations. So reserve your seat, get ready to learn and just enjoy the show.  

We look forward to seeing you tomorrow, Tuesday December 6th at 2 p.m. EST
Register here for this webinar: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/475291009

Tom is enthusiastic and eager to share his 20 years of diverse business experiences to aid early-stage nonprofit and for-profit organizations. He assists nonprofits' noble missions more efficiently and effectively with a lot fewer headaches. Click here to find out more about Tom: http://www.tomiselin.com

When you sign up for the webinar, you will be asked about your interest in 
GiftWorks fundraising software. If you indicate that you are interested in finding out more, you can expect to hear from our sales team soon.  You can always download a free 30 day trial of GiftWorks and also consider attending a 1-hour tour of all that GiftWorks has to offer.

See you tomorrow!

The GiftWorks Team