Digital Fundraiser: The Nonprofit Weekly Roundup: Meaningful Thank Yous, Hooking Readers, and Asking For It.

Sunday 24 November 2013

The Nonprofit Weekly Roundup: Meaningful Thank Yous, Hooking Readers, and Asking For It.

I leave to go home for 10 days today.

I’m a mix of emotions. Partly because I KNOW I’ve forgotten to do something, bring something, or lock something. And also because I’m the middle child of three girls, and..well..nothing comes without a shot of drama. Admittedly, I’m probably the cause of most of it (sorry, mom). #middlechildsyndrome

But truthfully..

It’s because homecomings, as wonderful as they are, always throw me off a little. They’re a reminder of what I’m missing as I’m venturing out on my own. There’s no place like home, and no amount of heel-clicking can take me back to Memphis, TN on the days I miss it most. So, I treasure these moments with family and I carry them with me. Drama and all. And I’m thankful beyond measure that they’re my home.

But I get to come back here, to my work with the industry that’s impacting lives daily, and again I’m thankful – thankful for you and the work that you do. This roundup compiles a few thoughts, fundraising ideas, and instructions to keep you doing, growing, changing, and saving for good.

Here are this week’s nonprofit highlights:

There’s a standard approach, and then there’s the approach that keeps readers reading. When writing your fundraising appeals, it’s important to opt for the latter. In Pamela Grow’s Nonprofit Storytelling- How to hook your reader from the first sentence she draws on the importance of using emotional hooks to draw your readers in.
Checklists. They’re necessary. And like a personal guide, they keep us on track when it’s inevitable that we’ll get lost in the day to day, hustle and bustle, and demands of our jobs. So, here is Nancy Schwartz’s gift to you: Year-End Fundraising Checklist for Nonprofits. There are a few last minute to-dos that you won’t want to miss.
Being liked isn’t everything, especially if those likes don’t translate into further action. So what’s a nonprofit to do? In Farra’s recent post, Facebook for nonprofits: Moving your marketing beyond the likes, she recaps insight shared by Kaiya Waddell and Amy Bryan at recent 501 Tech NYC event.
It’s incredibly important- Saying Thank You Like You Mean It – and it’s reported to be indicative of a donor’s willingness to give again. And since such a large amount of giving happens this season, make sure that your nonprofit is prepared to show donors the gratitude they deserve. In her post, Lori Halley tells you how.
Thirty to fifty percent of giving happens this month and next, so why not capitalize on the giving season to do more asking? Marc Pitman suggests 3 Things to Make Your Ask Easier. Be upfront, Be quiet (sometimes), and be prepared
When Batkid saved San Francisco, the whole country watched. And we talked. On Friday alone, there were 78,000 tweets and 10,000 photos shared of him. Now that’s social engagement #SFBatkid and it’s evidence to the power of social media.Check out the post for tips on how you can inspire Batkid moments at your next event.