Soapbox Engage Blog

Issue 79

Happy February! And Happy Lunar New Year! If your January was busy, take this as an opportunity to check in and center yourself for the year to come. Luckily, we have new beginnings and new chances to set goals and reflect on growth all the time.

No shortage of inspiration in this edition of the Fundraising Weekly! Learn how to apply job interview skills to fundraising, measure the ROI of your nonprofit’s stories, or boost your online engagement with some digital advocacy. Enjoy!

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Great Fundraising Posts

How to Boost Nonprofit Fundraising Event Ticket Sales

Tim Forbes (Soapbox Engage)

Many nonprofits rely on ticket sales to ensure they'll reach their minimum fundraising goal for a fundraising event. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, many organizations shifted to more virtual or hybrid events, which raises the question, "how do you successfully sell tickets for fundraising events that might include virtual or hybrid options?" Check out these nine strategic steps to help you boost ticket sales for your next fundraising event–whether it's in-person, hybrid, or entirely virtual!

Now is the Time to Focus on Donor Retention

Duke Haddad, Ed.D (NonProfit PRO)

Donor retention entails engaging existing donors, so they willingly continue to support your organization year after year. Retention includes ongoing engagement strategies so each donor feels appreciated and valued. After all, it's almost always more effective to keep current donors than to recruit new supporters. Since the goal of every nonprofit is to have a high donor retention rate, now is the time to focus on donor retention. This blog gives a bit of insight into why donor retention is so critical and a few ideas of how to focus on donor care at this point in the year.

4 Ways Tech Can Elevate Your Year-End Giving

WPEngine (WPEngine)

Year-end fundraising in 2021 was unique as nonprofits continued to navigate the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. As you evaluate your results, it's clear that planning ahead for the 2022 year-end giving season will be essential. There are a variety of was that your nonprofit's technology can improve your year-end fundraising strategies. This blog highlights four ways that technology can elevate your year-end fundraising.

How to Apply Job Interview Skills to Fundraising

Claire Axelrad (Clairification)

Have you ever stopped to consider that the advice you might give someone who is interviewing for a job also applies to fundraising? It might have been a while since you went to your last job interview, but Claire unpacks some of the most valuable wisdom that applies to both interview skills and fundraising alike!

The Small Nonprofit’s Guide to Inspiring Calls to Action

Guest Author (Get Fully Funded)

If you work for a small nonprofit, you may not have the resources or time to reach out to all your donors and supporters personally. You likely rely on digital communication channels to stay connected and engage them in your activities. Therefore, your calls to action must be clear and compelling to ensure you're using your online platforms to support your fundraising efforts. This guide includes proven tips for creating more inspirational calls to action.

How to Write a Successful Appeal for Ongoing Programs

Steven Screen (The Better Fundraising Company)

Unlike nonprofits that have one big need, it can be tough to know how to write an effective appeal letter for a program that runs year-round. The key is to narrow your focus on what's happening at your organization about six weeks after you mail your appeal. This blog includes specific examples of how this kind of appeal for year-round programs can work effectively.

Why Monthly Giving is Important for Your Nonprofit Organization

Ann Green (Ann Green)

If your nonprofit doesn't have a monthly giving program (or it's a fairly small program), now is a great time to start or grow your monthly giving. Check out this blog to learn why recurring giving programs are essential for nonprofits and how to nurture a monthly giving program for the best outcome.

Digital Advocacy Strategies: 5 Tips for Online Engagement

Julia Claire Campbell (Marketing for the Modern Nonprofit)

Advocacy campaigns have evolved over the years. While traditional advocacy strategies still have their merits, nonprofit organizations and other advocacy grous can find greater success and online engagement through digital campaigns. This article explores five strategies for engaging supporters online to help your nonprofit improve its digital advocacy campaigns.

Storytelling Tips: Measure the ROI of Your Non-Profit’s Stories

Vanessa Chase Lockshin (The Storytelling Non-Profit)

Understanding the return on investment is important for all aspects of fundraising–including storytelling. It can help you understand which stories best connect with your audience and mobilize them to action. It's important to set yourself up for measurement success from the very beginning because it's difficult to measure the success of your story if you don't identify your desired outcomes. Keep reading to learn how to create a story measurement system and track your data.