Avoid Costly Mistakes and Raise More Money

A traditional formula for fundraising success involves having the right person ask the right person, in the right way, for the right gift, for the right project, at the right time. Another way for you to raise more money for your nonprofit organization is to avoid making mistakes that could prove costly by putting potential support in jeopardy.

The public’s trust in the nonprofit sector has been on a steady decline over the past several years. At the same time, the number of charity donors has been decreasing.

So, what can we do to rebuild donor confidence, and inspire much-needed support?

I’ll answer that question in a FREE webinar hosted by the Association of Fundraising Professionals – Delaware, Brandywine Chapter. Here are the details:

Avoid Costly Mistakes & Raise More Money

• Date: Wednesday, October 28, 2020

• Networking Time: 9:30 AM to 10:00 AM (EDT)

• Program Time: 10:00 AM to 11:15 AM (EDT)

• Audience: This webinar is open to AFP members and non-members everywhere.

• CFRE Credits: This webinar qualifies for 1.25 CFRE education points.

• Registration: Click here to register for this FREE webinar. Space is limited.

During the webinar, I’ll cite real-world examples to identify seven common fundraising mistakes that can prove costly to your organization. You will get simple tips for avoiding those mistakes, and you will receive a decision-making model to help you avoid or minimize countless other pitfalls.

By avoiding mistakes and more consistently making solid decisions, you will be able to enhance the confidence that the public has in your organization and, therefore, you’ll raise more money.

Free Webinar: Get Fundraising Tips in the Time of COVID-19

[GOOD NEWS UPDATE (March 21, 2020): If you attempted to register for my free webinar with the AFP Greater Philadelphia Chapter, you may not have been able to do so as the program was immediately over-subscribed. However, AFP-GPC has increased capacity to accommodate more participants. Please try to register now by clicking here. I apologize for the inconvenience, and thank you for your patience.]

[UPDATE (March 20, 2020): Based on how quickly my free webinar became over-subscribed, I realize that there is a massive need for information about how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting the nonprofit sector and what we can do about it. If your charity or professional association wants to deliver an online training program on this, or any other subject, please contact me. Together, we’ll get through this.]

Join me for a free webinar hosted by the Association of Fundraising Professionals – Greater Philadelphia Chapter and sponsored by Merkle Response Management Group. During the program, I’ll outline 12 ways coronavirus (COVID-19) will affect your nonprofit organization. I’ll also share powerful, practical tips for coping with the current fundraising environment. In addition, you’ll get 10 useful survival tips to keep you, your colleagues, and your loved ones safe during this challenging time.

The webinar is free of charge and open to fundraising professionals and nonprofit managers and senior volunteer leadership everywhere. Here’s what you need to know:

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Ways It Will Affect You and Your Fundraising Efforts

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM (EDT)

You’ll Get:

• • • Insights about key ways fundraising efforts will be affected by COVID-19.
    • Tips for keeping yourself, colleagues, and loved ones safe.
    • Bonus materials.

Click here to register now.

Each day, you and I are confronted by new information concerning the spread of the coronavirus and the related implications. It’s a lot to keep up with. Yet, we must for ourselves, our loved ones, and our organizations upon which so many depend. We try to stay on top of the story, but it’s an incredibly fluid situation. Then, there are the nagging questions we ask ourselves or the CEO asks or a board member asks, including:

Update: Get a Free Webinar, Magazine Article, Poll Results

I want to update you about three posts I recently published. In addition, for National Child Abuse Prevention Month, I wish to draw your attention to one of my older posts that will help you keep the children you love safe.

Free Webinar:

Did you miss it? Recently, I presented a webinar for SEI Investments Management Corporation: “Investing in Your Future: Practical Strategies for Growing Your Planned Giving Program.” If you missed the program or wish you could share it with colleagues, I have some good news for you. The webinar is now available for free download by clicking here.

In just 30 minutes, you’ll learn:

• 8 reasons you should be a planned giving “opportunist”
• Why you should invest more in planned giving instead of current giving
• 5 Tips to boost your planned giving results immediately

In addition to the webinar itself, you’ll also be able to download additional resource materials including a list of 20 factoids about planned giving, a planned giving potential calculator, an executive summary of recent research findings from Dr. Russell James’ report “Cash is Not King in Fundraising,” and a digital copy of Dr. James’ book Visual Planned Giving: An Introduction to the Law & Taxation of Charitable Gift Planning.

Advancing Philanthropy Article:

Have you read my recent article published in Advancing Philanthropy, the Association of Fundraising Professionals magazine? “To Sir/Madam, With Love” shares stories from a number of fundraisers about their favorite teachers. Great teachers:

• help us develop broad skills such as critical thinking,
• help us develop specific skills such as how to write an effective appeal letter,
• inspire us,
• encourage us,
• move us to think beyond ourselves and better understand others,
• open our minds to lifelong learning,
• motivate us to giveback by sharing our own knowledge.

After downloading the free article by clicking here, check-out my recent post that will give you tips that will help you find excellent teachers who can help you enhance your skills and inspire you: “Are You Really Just a Fundraising Amateur?”

Poll Results — Presidential Candidate Philanthropy:

Free Webinar: 5 Easy, Powerful Tips to Boost Planned Giving Results

Is the current environment good or bad for planned giving? Should you invest more money in planned giving or current giving? What are five easy things you can do now to boost your planned giving results? In an upcoming, free webinar, I’ll answer these questions as well as inquiries from participants.

I’m honored that SEI Investments Management Corporation is hosting me for the free, 30-minute webinar: “Investing in Your Future: Practical Strategies for Growing Your Planned Giving Program.”

Planned giving is a vital source of contributions for the nonprofit sector. Organizations that don’t have a gift-planning program envy those that do — and those that do want even better results. While it can certainly present challenges, there are simple things you can do to create or enhance your organization’s gift-planning efforts. In just a 30 minutes, you’ll learn:

• 8 reasons you should be a planned giving “opportunist”
• Why you should invest more in planned giving instead of current giving
• 5 Tips to boost your planned giving results immediately

In addition, all participants will receive a complimentary selection of planned giving tools to help with strategy building.

Register today for this free webinar because the valuable information provided will help you meet your goals. After you register, think about the questions that you’d like to have me address during the live Q&A portion of the presentation.

Here are the details you need to know:

• “Investing in Your Future: Practical Strategies for Growing Your Planned Giving Program”
• Wednesday, March 27, 2019
• 2:00 – 2:30 PM (Eastern Daylight Time)

Avoid a Big Mistake: Stop Asking for Bequest Gifts!

Nonprofit organizations are making a big mistake. Many charities ask individuals to consider making a “Bequest Gift.” Of course, an even bigger mistake is not asking at all. However, there is a better way.

Russell James, JD, PhD, CFP, a leading philanthropy researcher based at Texas Tech University, reports that the latest research shows that asking people to consider “Gifts in your will” generates far more interest. When asking prospects to consider a “Bequest Gift,” 18 percent responded, “I might be/am definitely interested.” By contrast, when prospects were asked to consider “Gifts in your will,” 28 percent expressed interest!

James will offer additional research-based insights in a FREE webinar, Words that Work II: The Phrases that Encourage Planned Giving, hosted by MarketSmart on Wednesday, June 8, 2016 at 2:00 PM EDT. Registration is required and space is limited so click here now.

During the webinar, you’ll get the following information:

• How to describe bequest gifts and tax benefits in a way that will increase a person’s desire to learn more;
• What elements of a charitable gift annuity advertisement make people want to get one;
• What the latest data patterns say about trends in charitable estate planning;
• The best “front door” phrase to get people to read about planned giving information;
• Test results that showcase the responses to different charitable gift annuity advertising messages;
• And much more of great interest and value!

In short, James’ webinar will provide you with powerful, practical insights that will help you enhance your planned giving results.

So, why is asking for a “Bequest Gift” less effective than asking for “Gifts in your will”?

Free Webinar Will Help You Get Great Results

Fundraising can certainly be challenging. Have you ever wondered:

• How can I raise more money at little or no extra cost?
• Is my organization ready for a planned giving program?
• What simple planned giving vehicles should I promote?
• What is my organization’s Bequest giving potential?
• Who are my best planned giving prospects?
• Do I need to be an expert to do planned giving?
• What motivates planned giving donors?
• How should I ask for planned gifts?

If you’ve ever asked yourself any of those questions, then I have the perfect free webinar for you.

I’m presenting “Planned Giving: It’s Easier than You Think!” During my free webinar, hosted by Wild Woman Fundraising, you’ll get answers to all of the above questions and more. In short, you’ll learn how to easily launch and grow a successful planned giving program.

For many nonprofit professionals, planned giving sounds complicated, with its CRUTs, CRATs, CLUTs, and CLATs. Admittedly, gift planning can indeed be incredibly complex. However, as this free webinar will demonstrate, it does not have to be. Furthermore, a planned giving program can be enormously worthwhile for virtually any organization, even those with little or no budget for it.

For valuable tips to help you grow your planned giving results, register for my free webinar today, “Planned Giving: It’s Easier than You Think!” [July 17, 2015, 3:00-4:00 PM (EDT)]. To register, CLICK HERE.

As a webinar participant, you will receive a number of bonus handouts including:

Breaking News: Big Planned Giving Myth Busted!

Many nonprofit professionals have long believed that those who make charitable bequest commitments will be less likely to make an annual fund gift. The fear, held by CEOs and CFOs in particular, is that legacy gift donors will feel they have already done their part and, therefore, will no longer be receptive to annual appeals.

Now, new evidence busts that planned giving myth once and for all!

As researcher Russell James, JD, PhD, CFP will explain in an upcoming  free webinar hosted by MarketSmart, not only will legacy donors continue to support their favorite charities on an annual basis, their support will actually increase once they have made their planned gift commitment, as indicated in the following graph:

Among those who have added a charitable beneficiary to their estate plan, the average annual charitable giving before making the estate gift commitment was $4,210. After making the estate gift commitment, the average annual charitable giving jumped to $7,381! On the graph, the label “Mixed” means we do not know how much of the giving was before or after the addition of the charitable estate plan given the timing of the survey.

While making a planned gift commitment does not necessarily cause one to increase his or her annual giving to charities, the longitudinal evidence now reveals that it most definitely does not cause donors to decrease their annual charitable support.

Recognizing that the average annual giving amounts for this group are quite large, James notes:

Special Report: Free Webinar with Researcher Russell James

[Publisher’s Note: “Special Reports” are posted from time-to-time as a benefit for subscribers and frequent visitors to this blog. “Special Reports” are not widely promoted. To be notified of all new posts, including “Special Reports,” please take a moment to subscribe in the right-hand column. Subscribers will receive a link to download a free copy of researcher Russell James’ latest book.]

 

The percentage of the US population with wills and trusts has declined sharply over the past 12 years, as I first reported here. What’s a smart planned giving marketer to do?

Russell James, JD, PhD, CFP, a leading philanthropy researcher based at Texas Tech University, will offer some answers in a FREE webinar hosted by MarketSmart on Wednesday, January 29, 2014 at 2:00 PM ET (Optional Q&A 3-4 PM).

James will discuss the decline of wills and trusts along with other legacy giving issues including:

• How can you garner legacy gifts from donors who do not have wills or trusts?

• What are the top demographic predictors that someone will make or revoke a bequest commitment?

• Why are beneficiary designations becoming increasingly popular?

Space is limited, so be sure to register now.

Special Report: Are You Ready for 2013? These FREE Resources Will Help

When Congress recently adopted the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, it had an immediate impact on the nonprofit sector. The new law provides some opportunities and challenges. Are you ready for both in 2013?

I’ve already written two posts to provide some useful insights:

• “Special Report: Everything Each NPO Must Know about Fiscal Cliff Legislation”
• “Fiscal Cliff Disaster Averted, but Trouble Looms”

Now, Viken Mikaelian and Brian Sagrestano, JD, CFRE, of PlannedGiving.Com, are offering a free webinar on Wednesday, January 16, at 2:00 PM (EST). “What to Tell Your Prospects” will explore: