All stories are not the same. In fact, your stories should be different - very different - depending on your audience. Data may tell, but it's your stories that sell. Your grant proposals will include lots of data, but your direct appeals to individual donors won't. So what kinds of stories should you tell, especially in your year-end donor appeals? (read more)

Twitter recently increased the number of characters per tweet from 140 to 280. Just because you can say more, should you? The same question holds true for grants. If you're writing an online application and the response allows 300 words, do you need to use all 300 words? If it's a paper application, and you're allowed 5 pages, do you need to fill every page? And what about your donor appeals? What's the right length of the fundraising materials you write for your nonprofit? (read more)

I'm sharing the most-read posts of the Let's Talk Nonprofit blog from the last decade. I re-read them all, and they're just as relevant today as when they were originally published. My goal was always to provide information that would help nonprofits grow and thrive. I'm grateful for all of the readers who made these posts so popular. Here's your top 10! (read more)

You have to love a book that's titled "All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten." That got me thinking about the simple fundraising truths that I learned early on in my fundraising career. Things that still guide me every day, in every word I write for nonprofits. This post shares 5 of the best pieces of fundraising copywriting advice you'll ever get, from some of the most respected names in the sector. (read more)

What do fly fishing and fundraising have in common? More than you think! To be successful - whether fishing or raising money - it helps to follow the AIDA formula. Even if you have no interest in fishing, this post will tell you why you want to get Attention, keep Interest, build Desire, and drive Action. Follow the formula and you'll get the results you want from your donors. (read more)

Chances are, so__ething is missing from your f_undraising appeals. Here's a formula: simply combine 'you' copy, 'me' copy, and 'it' copy with two envelopes, and you're on your way to a winning appeal. This post explores those three types of copy and the two envelopes you need, using a real-life example from my mailbox. (read more)

When you think about grammar, you probably think about subject-verb agreement, correct comma usage, and such. The problem is good grammar doesn't make for very good fundraising writing. Of course, there are still rules and best practices that fundraising writers should follow. But other rules were made to be broken. This post addresses the latter. (read more)

In case you missed a post (or just want to re-read a favorite), here are the top 5 nonprofit newsletter articles from 2020. Rankings are based on email open rates and social shares. (read more)

Before you sit down to write your next fundraising letter, think about this. It's more than a "letter" - it's a package. Yet there are key elements that many nonprofits overlook when writing their appeals and putting the package together. I've written before about small things that can make a big difference in your next fundraising appeal. This post will look at four big things that can make an even bigger difference in your campaign results this year. (read more)

A funny thing happens when you ask donors to "Please send $1000, $500, $250, $100, or $50." Fewer people respond, and gifts are lower. Here's why. Smaller donors might think their gift can't help. (Because they see those big numbers first.) And larger donors, who could give more, often give less. (Because you "only" asked for $1,000. True story.) Instead, there's one number that all of your donors can relate to: your core number. And that one number can help you raise more money. (read more)

New year, new goals! Are all of your board members "on board" with making an annual gift to your organization? If not, this is a great resolution for your nonprofit. Every nonprofit should strive for 100% board giving, every year. This post will help you and your board members understand why this is so important (especially if you're a grantseeker). You'll also learn how to get to 100% board giving. (read more)

In case you missed a post (or just want to re-read a favorite), here are the top 5 nonprofit newsletter articles from 2019. Rankings are based on email open rates and social shares. (read more)

Fundraising is never "one and done." And that's especially true for your year-end campaign. Successful campaigns will use a multi-channel approach. The big 3? Direct mail letters, emails, and phone calls. This post will look at how you can use each of these three to your advantage to help you have a successful campaign - and a great start to the new year! (read more)

Nonprofits want to hear more donors say "Yes!" (Yes? Yes!) So why do so many nonprofits miss the mark in their fundraising letters? Before you send your next appeal letter to the printer, take a minute to see if you can say "yes" to these three simple questions. You'd be surprised at how many fundraisers can't say their letters do these three things. (read more)

Have you heard of the 40-40-20 rule? It has HUGE implications for your fundraising success. For years, direct mail marketers and advertisers have followed this cardinal rule. The "40-40-20 rule" states that the success of any campaign ultimately depends on these three factors: 40% on the audience, 40% on the offer, and 20% on the creative. This post will show you how to turn a good fundraising offer into a great one. (read more)

Even if you've never seen "The Godfather," you probably know its most famous line. Marlon Brando, as Don Corleone, utters "I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse." Take away the sinister tone, and you have a brilliant piece of fundraising advice. Your "offer" is a key part of any successful fundraising appeal. Yet far too many nonprofits fail to make any sort of offer at all. This post explores "offers," what they are, and how to use them in your next fundraising appeal. (read more)

It's almost time. The time of year when your donors' mailboxes are filled with year-end fundraising appeals. If you haven't gotten your year-end appeal out the door yet, be sure to take a few minutes right now and read this post. Instead of things to do, you'll find three things you don't want to do. (This post was inspired by Steven Screen and The Better Fundraising Co.) (read more)

Here's a little fundraising inspiration from the football field. Bear Bryant, legendary coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide, once said, "Little things make the difference. Everyone is well prepared in the big things, but only the winners perfect the little things." That's true for your fundraising appeal, too. Yes, there are best practices in letter writing - those are the big things. This post shares 5 simple "little things" you can do to make your next fundraising letter stand out. (read more)

There's a saying in fundraising: You'll raise more money when the right person asks the right prospect for the right amount at the right time. While that's true for major donors and capital campaigns, it's also true for your general donors and your annual fund as well. This post explains 4 "right" ways to make sure you're writing a terrific fundraising letter, every day. You'll learn how to write a better fundraising letter for your year-end campaign - and any campaign, any time of year. (read more)

After a disaster, people want to help. And donors to the relief efforts are very likely donors to other organizations - including yours. If you're not a relief organization, are you worried how Harvey (and now Irma) may impact your donations? Are you concerned about donor fatigue? That donors will be overasked and overcommitted by the end of the year? (read more)