Soapbox Engage Blog

Issue 012

I had a chance to join a great virtual fundraising gala tonight, and it reminded me of the creativity of our community to think on our toes. With many folks working all day in a virtual meeting environment already, providing an hour of entertainment to raise money for your organization isn't easy. If your organization is looking for online gala tips, feel free to drop me a line and I'd be happy to share all the creative ideas I've heard!

Meanwhile, I've got another batch of fantastic fundraising ideas and contributions from the community to help keep you energized as you dive into the deep-end of the fundraising season. Soak in the autumn season crispness (northern hemisphere friends), cozy up in your hygge setup (definitely worth looking up), and enjoy this week's round-up of knowledge.

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Great Fundraising Posts

My Nonprofit Uses Microsoft. Should We Adopt Dynamics 365 for Fundraising?

Katie Ciszek (Soapbox Engage)

There’s been a lot of buzz around Microsoft since their release of Fundraising and Engagement for Dynamics 365 Sales. It’s an open-source fundraising application designed entirely for nonprofits! This blog has some great tips about how to use Dynamics witch the Microsoft tools you’re already using to give your organization a productivity and effectiveness boost!

Segmenting Your Donors is More Important Than Ever

Ann Green (Ann Green’s Nonprofit Blog)

It’s tempting (especially during busy end-of-year fundraising) to send all your donors the same fundraising appeal or thank you note. But the truth is your donors aren’t the same and shouldn’t be treated as such! In fundraising, there’s really no “one-size-fits-all” content. Keep reading to learn why and how to segment your donor list and create the right types of fundraising letters!

Things That Really Don’t Matter In Fundraising: Part 9: Your Logo

Jeff Brooks (Future Fundraising Now)

Nonprofits (and lots of businesses) put emphasis on the wrong things that really don’t matter in the grand scheme of things. Surprisingly, your logo doesn’t matter quite as much as you might think (perhaps with a few minor exceptions). Though a short blog, it has some excellent points that might save your organization a lot of time and energy.

5 Ways to Follow Up with Your Donors When They Are Unresponsive

Amy Einstein (Amy Einstein Consulting)

If you’ve been fundraising for more than two weeks, you’ve probably asked for a donation, and then… crickets! The potential donor doesn’t respond to messages, emails, or other forms of communication! What’s the right next step?! This incredibly helpful blog post has some great ideas about how to follow up with unresponsive donors in ways that build trust and continue the relationship.

See How Giving Your Donors Some Fun Can Inspire Them To Give

Pamela Grow (Pamela Grow Consulting)

Have you ever given a call to action that includes an enjoyable activity for your donors? It’s a great way to draw people in and remind supporters of what their money is doing in the world. This short blog includes a case-study of an excellent call to action that includes an activity. It’s a fun little post that will hopefully get your creative juices flowing about how you can spice up your next fundraising appeal.

Your Donors Don’t Care

Jeff Schreifels (Veritus Group)

It’s really hard to hear, but your donors really don’t care how much money you need to raise or the upcoming purchases you need to finance or other things you’re telling them about your nonprofit. They’re really most concerned about the problems your organization is solving--the ones in our communities that they are passionate about! This “hard truth” blog post packs a really helpful punch and can help you find the right things to talk about in your next fundraising communication.

How To Write Something Worth Reading

Mary Cahalane (Hands On Fundraising)

Whether you enjoy writing or not, some days it can be really hard to find inspiration to write a good email update or fundraising appeal. Mary reveals some of her secrets in how to write stories, fundraising appeals, and other content that people actually want to read. We find this blog post particularly helpful because it applies to anyone, whether you consider yourself the next Shakespeare or you absolutely detest writing.

Deepen the Donor Relationship by Focusing on the Donor Journey

Sandy Rees (Get Fully Funded)

We hate to sound like a broken record, but just like Sandy, we believe a strong relationship with a donor can make all the difference in the world. And, just like any other relationship, your connection with your donor should be mutually beneficial! This blog post has some excellent insights into how fundraisers can cultivate strong, mutually enjoyable relationships with their donors.

Why “Does this sound like us?” Is Not A Good Question

Steven Screen (The Better Fundraising Company)

Do you ever find yourself asking “does this sound like our organization?” when reading a fundraising appeal or some other content for your nonprofit? There’s a more effective question you should be asking yourself to ensure you write clear, relevant, authentic content. Fundraising expert, Steven, shares why “Does this sound like successful direct response fundraising?” is a much more effective question to ask.