June, 2016

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Ep170: How GameStop Took a First Year Cause Partnership from Zero to $1.2M

Selfish Giving

Today on CauseTalk Radio , Megan and I talk to Matt Hodges , Vice President of Public & Investor Relations at GameStop, about the chain's first-year fundraiser for Autism Speaks , which raised a whopping $1.2 Million. On the show, Megan, Matt and I discuss: Matt Hodges, GameStop. Why GameStop chose Autism Speaks. How did GameStop survey employees to find out what their favorite causes were?

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Oops! 36 Subject Lines and Phrases to Help You Fix Email Mistakes 

Nonprofit Marketing Guide

via GIPHY. Shame. Embarrassment. TERROR! These are just three of the frightening emotions that email marketers have experienced after sending a mass email with a mistake. Sometimes the mistake is harmless, like a small typo. Sometimes it’s a DOOZY, like misidentifying a donor, sending to the wrong list, or using inappropriate phrases as placeholder text (stupid headline here!).

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Dazzle Your Donors With a Great Story

Ann Green

When your donors open your appeal letter or newsletter, do you bombard them with a bunch of boring, mind-numbing statistics, or do you share a story about how the Johnson family moved out of a shelter and into a home of their own? If you’re making a difference, you have stories to tell. Donors love stories. Stories bring the work you do to life by using everyday language to create a scene.

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Facebook Advertising: 5 Foundational Things You Must Know Before Spending a Dime!

Pam Moore

Facebook advertising seems to be one of those things that every marketer is talking about it, but very few actually know how to drive real business results. There are far too many “experts” preaching their “get rich quick schemes” or touting that “Facebook marketing is free,” that it unfortunately gives even smart marketers new to earned, owned and paid media such as Facebook advertising a false sense of understanding what is truly required to achieve measurab

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Navigating Payroll Compliance: Future-Proofing Payroll in an Evolving Regulatory Landscape

Speaker: Jennifer Hill

Payroll compliance is a cornerstone of business success, yet for small and midsize businesses, it’s becoming increasingly challenging to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of federal, state, and local regulations. Mistakes can lead to costly penalties and operational disruptions, making it essential to adopt advanced solutions that ensure accuracy and efficiency.

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Telling Stories that Move Donors to Give

Fundraising Coach

It was the midst of the Great Recession, and about one in ten people across the U.S. were out of work. Amadou was one of them. Unemployment benefits helped his family, for a while. But he had worked for a low wage, and his benefits were only a fraction of that—and then they ran out. The only thing keeping Amadou, his family, and lot of families in Somerville, Massachusetts from starving was the SNAP program—what we all call “food stamps.

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Top Two Retention Killers & What To Do About Them

The Agitator

Chapter 9 of my book, Retention Fundraising: the art and science of keeping your donors for life, focuses on ‘Barriers to Retention’ The top two barriers? The real killers? #1: Silos and #2: False Attribution. Silos. Those who work in organizations with more than one department are familiar with silos. The online personnel do little to coordinate with the offline folks.

More Trending

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20 Tips to Energize Dull Nonprofit Writing

Nonprofit Marketing Guide

Is your writing dry and boring? A lot of nonprofit messaging is. Eliminating jargon and overall wordiness is a great place to start, but here are 20 more ways that you can bring your writing back to life. 1. Use more descriptive nouns and verbs. Don’t say child when you can say teenager or toddler or even 16-year-old or 3-year-old. 2. Add short anecdotes or stories.

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What’s Your Story? Ways to Make Your Fundraising Pitch Memorable

Ann Green

Guest post by Jeremy S. Over the last couple of weeks, the theme of this blog has been telling your stories. We’ve looked at both written and visual stories. This guest post by Jeremy S. of Goodwill Car Donations shows us how to tell verbal stories – either in person or on video. These tips can also be useful when writing a story. Whatever method you use, keep telling your stories!

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Facebook Boosted Post vs Other Facebook Advertising Options – Do You Know the Difference?

Pam Moore

Would you like to achieve more ROI from your Facebook advertising and Facebook boosted posts? Do you see that cute little Facebook “boost post” button but don’t really know how to optimize it? If you answer yes to this question then you have arrived at the right place. The truth is that although the Facebook boosted post advertising option is very easy to use and may often seem easier than other Facebook advertising options, there are clear scenarios where it may be worth your

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One of 2016's top 25 Fundraising Experts

Fundraising Coach

I'm honored to find myself on the list of America's Top 25 Fundraising Experts. It's great to be in the company of people like Jerold Panas, Penelope Burk, Tom Ahern, and Simone Joyaux. You can see more about the list at: 2016 America's Top 25 Fundraising Experts The post One of 2016's top 25 Fundraising Experts appeared first on FundraisingCoach.com.

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Less Stress, More Success: Accounting Best Practices & Processes for 2025

Speaker: Duke Heninger, Partner and Fractional CFO at Ampleo & Creator of CFO System

Are you ready to elevate your accounting processes for 2025? 🚀 Join us for an exclusive webinar led by Duke Heninger, a seasoned fractional CFO and CPA passionate about transforming back-office operations for finance teams. This session will cover critical best practices and process improvements tailored specifically for accounting professionals.

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Your Organization’s Story: In Ten Minutes

Mission Minded

“Tell me about your organization.” This command often strikes fear and freeze in the minds of nonprofit staff and board. Not quite sure how to summarize all the good done by their organization they begin a recitation of programs, facts and figures. Instead, we recommend your begin with a high-level overview—your One Minute Message—driven by a deeply […].

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Ep168: To Succeed Causes Need to Stand Out from the Crowd

Selfish Giving

Today on CauseTalk Radio , Megan and I talk to Julie Cottineau , founder and CEO of BrandTwist , a brand consultancy, and creator of Brand School Online , a learning program that teaches small business owners, entrepreneurs and non-profits how to create powerful brands that break-through crowded markets. Julie is also the author of a new bestseller: TWIST: How Fresh Perspectives Build Breakthrough Brands.

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What to Do When the Media Gets Your Story Wrong

Nonprofit Marketing Guide

There’s an adage in public relations that there’s no such thing as bad publicity. But while this might be true if you’re a celebrity or a political candidate, bad publicity can have dire consequences for nonprofits. When you manage the reputation of a nonprofit that is working to advance an important mission, incorrect information — particularly if it’s reported in the media — can damage your ability to raise money and effectively advocate for change.

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Capture Your Donors’ Attention in an Instant by Using Visual Stories

Ann Green

Stories come in many forms and people process information in different ways. Some people respond better to visual stimuli. In our information packed world, a visual story can be a great way to connect. Tell a story in an instant with a photo. Your donors are busy and may not have time read a story, but you can capture their attention in an instant with a great photo.

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Recognition Powers High-Performance — If You Do it Right

Speaker: Radhika Samant and Todd Wuestenberg

Employee recognition has often been deemed a "feel-good" initiative, tied closely to rewards. While we understand its importance, we tend to associate recognition with intangible outcomes like engagement and sentiment, rather than direct impacts on retention and high performance. In today’s workplace, the true ROI of recognition lies in its ability to regenerate tangible, business-driven results.

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How Effective Is Our Fundraising?

The Agitator

The latest stats from Giving USA might be cause for smug satisfaction. Overall giving in the U.S. reached record highs at $373.25 billion in 2015, up 4.1% from the previous year. This amount covers giving from US-based individuals and institutions to US-based 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations. [I come from the advocacy world and would note that this amount doesn’t include giving to the many nonprofits that engage in significant lobbying activities, which is not tax-deductible.

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Giving continues to grow

Fundraising Coach

Fundraising in nonprofits can be an almost thankless task. At the end of each fiscal year, no matter how well you did, you start again at zero. It can feel like funds don't come in as quickly as you or your leaders would like. In fact, it's easy to start thinking that people aren't giving. That they're tired. So it's great to have the researchers at GivingUSA collect real data on giving.

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10 Must-Add Nonprofits on Snapchat

Nonprofit Tech for Good

It’s not easy to tell a good Snapchat story, but the nonprofits listed below are making a concerted effort to pioneer Snapchat storytelling. Doing so requires a willingness to experiment beyond traditional social media marketing and an understanding that there is no immediate payoff in terms of fundraising. In time, Snapcash may be used for fundraising, but for now it’s all about being an early adopter.

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20+ Kick-Ass Cause Marketing Ideas

Selfish Giving

Public's Phil Haid and I spoke at the 2016 Cause Marketing Forum Conference in Chicago today! We presented Get Your Creative Juices Flowing: 20 Kick-Ass Concepts. Check out the slides and the links below for additional learning! Experiment with New Ideas Retailers Have a New Option. DipJar is a Donation Box for Credit Cards Know the Secret to Cause Marketing Success Magnetic Cause Marketing in 3 Easy Steps Take a Dumbbell Approach Raise More Money from Everyone With Inbound & Content Marketi

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Why Every Small Business Needs an HCM Solution: A Comprehensive Guide

Managing HR tasks like payroll, compliance, and employee data can overwhelm small businesses. That’s where a Human Capital Management (HCM) solution comes in. Our eBook, Why Every Small Business Needs an HCM Solution: A Comprehensive Guide , shows how an HCM system automates tedious processes, ensuring your business stays compliant and efficient. You’ll learn how to simplify payroll, eliminate costly errors, and empower your employees with self-service tools.

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Newsletter and Blog Post Ideas for Summer

Nonprofit Marketing Guide

Need some new ideas for your newsletter, blog, or social media? Consider one of these five summer-inspired themes: 1) Summer Heat. How does hot weather impact your services or your clients? Can you offer advice to your readers about anything related to summer heat? Humane societies can offer tips for keeping pets cool. Agencies that address children’s issues can remind parents not to leave their kids in cars with the windows rolled up.

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2016 Nonprofit Email Deliverability Study: Spam Still Costing Nonprofits Thousands

EveryAction

Today, EveryAction released the 2016 Nonprofit Email Deliverability Study , an exploration into just how much spam is negatively impacting nonprofit online fundraising. Once again, we called on our Email Deliverability Specialist, Brett Schenker (that's literally his title) to examine data from email programs at over 50 national nonprofits of all shapes, sizes, and internet service providers to determine the benchmarks for successfully engaging audiences + soliciting donations through email.

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On Ignoring Donors Needs and Preferences

The Agitator

In working on the Starting Over series that we’ll launch next week I’ve been fretting, worrying and, frankly damn near exploding with frustration. So please permit me this rant. There’s no question that virtually everyone has an excuse for not changing. Frankly I blame most of this resistance to the idiocy of stingy boards and CEOs who want no part in understanding donors’ needs nor paying to find out how much they can about them.

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Is your job really to raise money?

iMarketSmart

Og Mandino, author of The Greatest Salesman in the World wrote: “The only certain means of success is to render more and better service than is expected of you, no matter what your task may be.” His book, written in 1968, is about a poor camel boy who achieves a life of abundance. It’s still popular today and serves as a philosophical guide for salesmanship and success.

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How to Scale Recurring Giving for Sustainable Growth

Speaker: Tim Sarrantonio, Director of Corporate Brand

Is your organization ready to build a recurring giving program that not only sustains but also propels your mission forward? 🚀 In this new webinar with industry visionary Tim Sarrantonio, we’ll guide you through the critical steps to establishing and scaling a successful recurring giving program. Whether you’re starting fresh or enhancing an existing program, this session will provide the strategies you need to deepen donor relationships and secure long-term support!

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The Cost of Starting a Nonprofit in Every State

NonProfit Hub

The process of starting a nonprofit requires a fair amount of savvy and know-how. Building from the ground up, it’s often difficult knowing where to start. Questions arise like “What do I need” and “Why do I need it?” One of the biggest question marks comes up when it’s time to calculate the cost of your nonprofit. Harbor Compliance offers free informational resources for every state that can begin to answer the “whats” and “whys” in your initial budget.

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#FollowUpFriday and piling up fish?

Fundraising Coach

I just sent this out to everyone getting weekly #FollowUpFriday email reminders : It's #FollowUpFriday!It's Follow Up Friday! Over on the [link] page, D.C. Dreger quoted a John Grisham character calling today "fish Friday." D.C. says, "These are contacts and calls that have been sitting around for a while so, like fish, they are beginning to stink. He sets aside time to make the contacts and calls so his Monday is a fresh start.".

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Corporate v. Nonprofit, 5 Lessons Learned When I Switched to Nonprofit Communications & Marketing

Nonprofit Marketing Guide

Cynamon Frierson. Kivi met Cynamon at the Create Good Conference this year and asked her to share about making the change from the corporate world to a nonprofit communications director position. ~Kristina. Guest Post by Cynamon Frierson. In January 2016, I dove into nonprofit work as the Communications and Marketing Manager for the Lung Cancer Initiative of North Carolina, and it has taught me a lot in these last few months.

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5 Fundraising Lessons from Give Big 2016

Lets Talk Nonprofit

Have you heard about Give Big Day? It's a young and growing movement. Communities come together and raise money for local nonprofits during a single 24-hour period. And they raise a lot of money. For instance, my adopted hometown of. Bozeman, Montana raised nearly $240,000 on its first-ever Give Big Day in 2015. Now, have you heard about Give Big 2016?

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Best Practices to Streamline Compensation Management: A Foundation for Growth

Speaker: Joe Sharpe and James Carlson

Payroll optimization can be one of the most time-consuming and complex factors of small business management. Yet, organizations that crack the code on streamlining employee compensation often discover innovative avenues for growth. With the right strategies in place, outsourcing and streamlining payroll processes can result in substantial time and resource savings.

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What Do You Do With An Envelope?

The Agitator

In a recent, reasonably intelligent Adweek article reviewing giving by millennials, Dennis McCarthy at Blackbaud commented: “My 23-year-old son wouldn’t know what to do with an envelope.” I’d say the same about my 22-year-old daughter. Among other handicaps, she doesn’t have a checkbook. But she does have a bank account and manages to shop online, although more as a last resort when she can’t find the precise item/brand she wants in a shop in downtown Auckland

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5 lessons fundraisers can learn from Subway (Yes! The sandwich shop)

iMarketSmart

Here are 5 great lessons fundraisers can learn from Subway : 1. Ask for feedback. 2. Say please. . 3. Use the word “YOU” often. It makes people feel special. 4. Create menus to make it clear what you want them to do (menus will help them make a decision too). 5. Make engaging with your organization easy and fun. What are your thoughts?! SHARE THIS BLOG POST OR LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS BELOW!

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3 Reasons Why I Hate the Nonprofit Sector

NonProfit Hub

Nick Small has been at Nonprofit Hub for the last two years with his hands in everything from social media strategy to business development and running marketing efforts. As the new Managing Editor, you’ll be seeing his byline a little more often and a shift in voice from Nonprofit Hub content. __. Before you get too upset with the title of this article, hear me out. .

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How This Welcome Series Toolkit Will Spur Your Supporters To Donate

Care2

Why is a Welcome Series so important for nonprofits to engage donors? What even is a welcome series?

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Engage, Empower, Excel: Transforming Performance in the New Era of Work

Speaker: Radhika Samant and Adri Glover

The world of work has fundamentally changed. The series of waves that the pandemic began have rippled through the Great Resignation, quiet quitting, the Great Regret, and other eloquent phrases that boil down to the same thing: people aren’t engaged at work or enabled to perform at their best. The truth is that engagement and enablement is more important than ever, but how we do it is the critical differentiator for many organizations.