Does Personalization Work?
“This year, we are asking the board to personalize our appeal letters (beyond the major donor) and, in connection with discussion about the extra staff time, logistics, etc., a new board member asked if we knew what the difference was in response rate. I remember you giving us information indicating an increased response to personalized as compared with non-personalized appeal letters during the fund raising seminar you led for us but cannot find it. Would you do me the favor of sending me that...
Read MoreDecember is for Saying Thank You
The more I work with land trusts, the more I work with non-profit organizations for that matter, the more themes emerge that seem common to nearly all of them. One of them that seems universal is that Board members are not as engaged as they should be in fundraising. Are you as engaged in fundraising as you should be? If not, December is a great month to change that – by saying thank you. It’s easy: Look over a list of members in your area and identify at least ten members that you would be willing to call (as in – on the telephone). Make a note of their names, phone numbers, and...
Read MoreIs your lapsed member letter getting a response rate that is too good?
The following is an updated version of a post I wrote in October 2009. I recently completed a Development Audit for an organization whose Lapsed Member renewal letter returned a whopping 15 percent. When I dug a little deeper, I learned that they typically send out two renewal letters, both fairly short and to the point (half-page with a response coupon printed along the bottom). The renewals were done monthly. Unresponsive members were dropped until the end of the year when a two-page Lapsed Member letter (We miss you!) was mailed. Members who typically renewed between October and December...
Read MoreDonor Loyalty Programs
Several clients have asked me recently about establishing donor clubs based on cumulative giving. In general I recommend against it, unless the organization already has a well-established system for recognizing annual donors. Your priority should be to establish donor clubs and recognition events at the $100 and $1,000 levels first, to encourage annual giving at those levels. Even one at $10,000, if you have a critical mass (8 or so) beginning to give at that level. Then look at a legacy club for people letting you know that the organization is included in their will. After that, so-called...
Read MoreAre You Communicating Wins?
I read with interest this article from the Harvard Business Review, Three Ways to Turn Setbacks into Progress. The article builds on research from Teresa Amabile and Steven Kramer on the “power of small wins” in motivating employees. I read it thinking about motivating land trust donors. Here’s what Amabile and Kramer say: “The progress principle: Of all the things that can boost emotions, motivation, and perceptions during a workday, the single most important is making progress in meaningful work. And the more frequently people experience that sense of progress, the more likely they...
Read MoreDavid Allen, Development for Conservation LLC
I am a fundraising consultant who has devoted the majority of my professional career to the service of land conservation. This blog is intended to help conservation organizations and land trusts pursue excellence in all aspects of their conservation endeavors. I welcome your comments and feedback to these posts. 