Donor Insight. Fundraising Action.

I'm trying to drink a gallon of water a day. Quite a feat for a gal whose primary hydration source was coffee or diet coke. 

Guzzling 128 fl oz of H₂O wasn't easy [at first]. Hydration benefits aside, I needed a way to motivate myself and track progress. The solution:

Topics: donor file growth, benchmarks, Lifetime Value, fundraising metrics

I've waited  213 days for tonight.

Topics: Ask Strategies, Major Donors, Moves Management, donor upgrading, Upgrade Strategies, Fundraising Strategies, mid-level upgrade, major donor upgrade, Lifetime Value

60% of all fundraising revenue is raised over the next few months.   What is your strategy during the 'season of giving' to upgrade donors?  If you don't have one, now is the time to create one. 

Topics: Action Strategies, Major Donors, Upgrade Strategies, Moves Management, major donor upgrade, Lifetime Value, mid-level upgrade, Major Donor Pipeline, donor upgrading

Fundraising Metrics That Matter #1: Donor Lifetime Value

Topics: benchmarks, Revenue, Trends, Lifetime Value

A couple of weeks ago, we talked about Cost and Profit centers.  One practical solution offered was to separate the acquisition / reactivation budget into it's own cost center from the house file development budget which should become it's own profit center.  Instead of looking at both of these together as a profit center. Today we are going to talk about the house file consisting of any donor that has made a donation over the last two years.

Topics: Action Strategies, Mail Strategies, benchmarks, Reactivation, Budgeting, Revenue, Fundraising Strategies, Lifetime Value, New Donor Acquistion

Our money is on you. 

Topics: Action Strategies, Mail Strategies, Budgeting, Revenue, Trends, Fundraising Strategies, New Donor Acquistion, Lifetime Value

I was looking over a client’s budget recently, and something struck me as I was reviewing their acquisition numbers. It started with a relatively simple question. Why are you only budgeting to bring in 8,000 new donors?

Topics: Action Strategies, benchmarks, Lapsed Donors, Reactivation, Revenue, New Donor Acquistion, Lifetime Value

Metrics!

Topics: Action Strategies, Trends, Retention, Upgrade Strategies, Fundraising Strategies, donor upgrading, mid-level upgrade, Lifetime Value, Donor Retention, benchmarks, Lapsed Donors, Lapsed

Topics: Action Strategies, Lapsed Donors, Lapsed, Reactivation, Budgeting, Major Donors, Retention Rate, Trends, Major Donor Pipeline, Fundraising Strategies, Upgrade Strategies, mid-level upgrade, major donor upgrade, New Donor Acquistion, Lifetime Value, Donor Retention, benchmarks, donor upgrading, Retention

Tonight the US President will deliver the State of the Union address. 

If you had to stand before a constituency of marketing and fundraising professionals, how would you report on the ‘State of the Fundraising Union’? 

Here’s my outline. (please add your own standing ovations and forced tears when needed.)

Topics: Retention, benchmarks, Trends, Lifetime Value, Action Strategies