Top tips & how tos
The focus in this section is on practical ‘how to’ lists. Here the world's leading fundraisers share the distilled wisdom of their experience in digestible bite-sized nuggets that you can use immediately.
Musings of a direct response fundraiser no. 2: finding the ‘sweet spot’
by Jonathon Grapsas
Our job as fundraisers is to find the sweet spot: an amount that is appropriate to that donor at that time. In his second article on the musings of a direct response fundraiser Jonathon Grapsas shows exactly how to do it.
Read moreForcing or forging a relationship? Part 2: what makes a relationship?
by Charlie Hulme
If Pret A Manager, Pizza Express, or Starbucks were losing even half the amount of customers as we are they’d go out of business, says Charlie Hulme. And here he explains how we can be even better at customer, or rather, donor service than they are – and keep our donors from deserting us.
Read morePareto Fundraising: Sean’s automated out-of-office email message
by Sean Triner
Sean Triner’s out-of-office bounce-back is brilliant and simple as well as easy to steal, right now.
Read moreForcing or forging a relationship? Part 1: understanding your donors
by Charlie Hulme
This, the first of a three-part feature by Charlie Hulme, managing director, DonorVoice UK, kicks off an important new series for SOFII. Based upon evidence and experience rather than theory and opinion, Charlie’s first article spells out the crucial necessity of really understanding what your donors want from their relationship with you and your cause.
Read moreTen easy fixes for the design of your donation form
by Beate Sørum
Beate Sorum shares digital how-tos, things to do and not to do and 10 tips to make your online donation form work much better.
Read moreReader knowledge, real voices, great stories and big points of view
by Elizabeth Loudon
Writer Liz Loudon shares the difference between really writing to move donors, or just typing.
Read moreTop 10 tips for retaining fundraisers
by Frances Hurst
You can hardly pick up a newspaper these days without reading how wonderful it is to work for a charity.
Read moreRichard Turner’s great story
by Richard Turner
Richard Turner's advice for all fundraisers is to have a great story to tell. And the place to start looking for it is among all the people who benefit from the cause you fundraise for.
Read moreThe seven elements of proposition: how to get your story across
by John Grain
In this article, fundraising specialist, John Grain tells us of seven critical things to remember when telling your fundraising story. Using this checklist and the simple exercises he suggests, you can make your story compelling, engaging and effective, giving you the very best chance of success.
Read moreBuilding a bridge between the hard and soft side of legacy giving, for you and your donors
by Kimberley MacKenzie
In her thought-provoking article, Kimberley MacKenzie, fundraising director at Ontario Nature, Canada, identifies the ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ side of planned giving.
Read moreFive ways to ‘Harry Potterise’ your Internet and direct mail appeals…. and get donors giving when times are tough
by Nicole Schmidt
Nicole Schmidt is convinced that we should all be copying J K Rowling by telling our stories they way she told Harry Potter’s. Ms Rowling, of course, sold millions of books and made a huge amount of money. Will we fundraisers raise millions for our causes if we adopt her techniques?
Read moreHow would you kick-start your ‘nonprofit’ career as a consultant
by Sudeshna Mukherjee
Do you sincerely want to be a consultant? Don’t know how to go about it? Sudeshna Mukherjee has spoken to several giants from the world of consultancy and gives their valuable insights here.
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