Most people are shocked to hear that I recommend spending a minimum of 10% of their overall marketing budget on SEM preparing for the last week of the year! That’s right. If you are spending $100,000 annually on (non-staffing) fundraising and development costs at least $10,000 should be ear marked in the 4th quarter for promoting your web site through search engine marketing and digital techniques. And yes, if you are spending $1 million a year on fundraising and marketing costs, then at least $100,000 should be earmarked for 4th quarter search engine marketing.
FIT Fundraising Articles
Fundraising Tips and Strategies.
4th Quarter Check List – Visit Your BIG Donors, Right Now!
As a matter of fact, major donors expect to be “insiders”. Most would truly be upset to find out that you were struggling to make ends meet at year-end without asking for their help.
The 4th Quarter Check List – Have your “monthly donors” been sent the best appeal of 2011?
It doesn’t matter whether you call it a pledge program, recurring gift program, monthly giving program, sustainer program or preauthorized gift program it is the same technique and, as you know, they all add up to a huge additional revenue stream for every organization or charity.
The 4th Quarter Check List – Golden Week 2011 – Are You Ready?
By any metric or system of measurement in fund development the last week of the year is by far the most profitable week for any not-for-profit organization. I often refer to this week as “golden week”.
Major Gifts & Capital Campaigns- Not The Same
Capital campaign donations usually happen from people outside the charity’s donor base. That is right… new donors.
“INTEGRATION” is the Key to Meeting Major Donors
The day of single channel communication is over. If you are just using the telephone to schedule meetings STOP IT! Rest assured, I am not saying to stop using the phone, but what I am saying start using the phone AND OTHER COMMUNICATION TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES.
Are You Creating “Memories” for Your Donors?
Events are the glue that holds your major gift program together. Events create memories for your donors. Memories that will last a life time… memories that can be good or bad.
Sometimes the truth works…
Your supporters do not give because you are successful, or because you are a great manager, or because you have met your quarterly budget…
Legacy Giving in the 4th Quarter
“When you get to my stage in life you begin thinking about your footprints,” said the gentleman, “It is not about what you keep, but what you can give away… It is not about how much money you make, but what you can do to keep impacting the world after your time is up… you have to leave some footprints.”
Are your donors climbing the ladder?
It is very difficult to take a donor who has been giving just $1,000 and upgrade them to $25,000, even if you know they have the money. You have to move donors to higher giving levels incrementally, one rung at a time.
