Soapbox Engage Blog

Issue 36

As more people across the world gain access to Covid-19 vaccines, there’s a glimmer of hope that we will be able to return to in-person fundraising events. But keep in mind that virtual fundraising will always be a relevant and useful skill for any nonprofit! This week on the Fundraising Weekly, we have blog posts covering all kinds of skills— from building donation pages, to writing fundraising letters, to leveraging social media, and more!

And, if I may share, we have some very exciting news over at Soapbox Engage! Our Donations app is now the first tool of its kind to integrate with Microsoft Fundraising and Engagement, Microsoft’s free, open source fundraising application built for nonprofits. The Soapbox Engage Donations app can send data to Fundraising & Engagement in real-time so donor and transaction information is instantly available with no manual entry. We’re just a little bit stoked!

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Great Fundraising Posts

Online Donations Integration with Microsoft Fundraising and Engagement

Amanda Cunningham (Soapbox Engage)

Soapbox Engage is thrilled to announce that their Donations app is the first solution of its kind to fully integrate with Microsoft Fundraising & Engagement! No more manual entry or tedious imports; the app sends data to Fundraising & Engagement in real-time so your donor and transaction information is automatically up to date and available. Just think how much time and energy your team will save! This blog has all the great details.

10 Donation Page Best Practices (& Examples!)

iATS Payments (iATS Payments)

Arguably the most important page on your entire website is your online donation page. Online fundraising is only becoming more popular for donors in all demographics. It’s worth the time and energy to create a high-quality donation page to streamline online giving and make sure it’s a positive experience for your donors from start to finish. This blog will help you optimize your donation page for best results.

The Best Way to Write the Lead for Your Fundraising Letter

Pamela Grow (Pamela Grow)

The opening line of your fundraising appeal letter or the subject line of your next email should “hook” your reader and make them want to keep reading. But writing a great lead-in can be very difficult. This blog includes some great tips from a copywriting expert to help you write better leads and subject lines for your fundraising content.

Elevate Your Existing Direct Mail Plan for High-Value Donors: 5 Tips

Megan Carder, VP & Managing Director (Heroic Fundraising)

Sometimes effective communication with donors requires creating custom content. And sometimes it’s just as impactful to just tailor your existing communications with a few extra features and treatments. Some of these higher-touch treatments cost a little more, but are far more cost-effective than creating an entirely new custom campaign. This blog offers five ways you can take your existing direct mail content and use it for your high-value donors, too.

Using Social Media to Engage Your Digital Donors

Julia Claire Campbell (Marketing for the Modern Nonprofit)

With the rise of social media fundraising (especially through Facebook and Instagram), it’s increasingly critical to develop a consistent and effective presence on your social media pages so you can maintain healthy relationships with your current donors and attract new ones. This blog has some great tips and tricks to help you use social media to engage digital donors.

Talk and Write Like a Real Person

Richard Perry and Jeff Schreifels (Veritus Group)

Do you ever catch yourself talking or writing in a formal, tight manner that’s just not “real”? Fundraising experts, Richard and Jeff have observed that many development professionals tend to slip into very formal, but ineffective speech and writing when talking to donors or other fundraisers. Maybe we think that’s what people expect, but if we want to develop authentic relationships with donors, we need to communicate like a real person.

Good Writing vs. Good Fundraising

Jeff Brooks (Future Fundraising Now)

This may come as a horrible shock to English teachers and writing professors everywhere, but proper writing isn’t always best when it comes to fundraising. Often, writing in fundraising contexts requires breaking a few rules. In short, fundraising comes with its own writing style and this blog has some examples of how to write for fundraising compared to what English writing experts would consider “good style.”

The Best Data to Capture from Donors and How to Use It

Aly Sterling Philanthropy (Aly Sterling Philanthropy)

Gathering the right data about your donors is one of the best ways to streamline and customize your communication with each supporter. Over time, gathering and using the right information can strengthen your relationship with your donors. This blog will help you identify which data to collect, the best collection processes, and how to apply that data to improve your fundraising strategies.

10 Reasons Donors Give Up on Giving

Dena Weigel Bell (Greater Giving)

Donors dropping off is just part of the fundraising cycle. But it’s easy to ask yourself if it’s something about you or your nonprofit that caused the donor to stop giving, especially if you start seeing a trend of lapsed donors. This blog has some helpful questions to consider and insights to help you uncover why donors stopped giving and how to prevent them from leaving entirely.

Is It Time to Recruit New Talent?

F. Duke Haddad (NonProfit PRO)

Are you preparing to hire some new talent for your fundraising team? It can be a long, challenging process to find the right person to fit your needs and your team, but it can be a smooth, positive experience for everyone involved! Head over to this blog where F. Duke Haddad offers some insights into the most effective way to hire new talent for your nonprofit.