The Magic Bullet of fundraising [COMMANDMENT 10]

A ten-week series on things you should know about fundraising.

The closest thing to a magic bullet is sticking to the basics.

This may be the most annoying and disappointing of the commandments.

Because there just isn’t any way out of the hard and ongoing work of raising funds.

There are helpful new tools, but they only work when you apply them to the basics.

Which include…

• Stay in touch with your donors.
• Make your messages readable (both with the writing and the design).
• Ask with emotion.
• Tell stories (avoid statistics).
• Speak to donors in their language and through their knowledge and experience.
• Thank donors promptly and with excellence.
• Report back on the impact of their giving.
• Encourage donors to increase their giving through larger amounts and/or monthly giving.
• Make sure you find and cultivate those donors who will include you in their wills.

Some amazing new social media phenom may or may not be useful for your fundraising, but it will only work if you apply the basics to it.

AI can be a helpful tool, but it doesn’t release you from the basics.

Stick to the basics, and you’ll do well.

The rest of the commandments.