Guide.

Does your website pass the 10 second test?

Your website serves as a guide to those seeking your services, passionate people interested in supporting your work, and foundations researching your programs, history, and outcomes.  

Yet most nonprofits spend little time evaluating the user experience.  

After years of working with nonprofits and asking myself, “Why do some nonprofits experience wild fundraising success and others struggle to break through to the next level,” I came to realize that for meaningful growth to occur, fundraising and marketing need to be working in unison.  

That’s why Broad Oaks Consulting and Solace Media joined forces to develop our signature program, Laying a Foundation for Growth.  

See what tips our Senior Copywriter, Christian, gave in his webinar, “Nonprofit Websites Done Right,” last year.  All the good stuff is before minute 27 😊

Relationships.

Pop quiz!  How many times should a major donor be thanked before you ask for another gift? 

A) Once is enough

B) Until the donor says “stop”

C) 7 times 

D) It depends on the donor

The correct answer is (you guessed it)…C.  The REAL question is, what constitutes a “major” gift? I think of a major gift as any gift a donor stops to think about before parting with the money. For some, that may be $500; for others, it may be $500,000.  

When it comes to managing donor relationships, are we really saying “thank you” enough, and are we doing it in a way that is meaningful to our donors? 

As February - the month of ❤️ - rolls around, let’s think of ways we can show our donors some extra 💕.  

Look at the top 30%, or top 30, donors on your file.  Are you planning on asking them for a gift again this year?  

If so, how many times did you thank them for the last gift they made? 

Did you thank them in a way that was personal, heartfelt, and memorable to them?  

Here’s a list of a few donor stewardship ideas with low budgets and high returns: 

• A thank you call from a Board Member, volunteer, or staff member (other than a development professional or Executive Director)
• A handwritten note from someone you serve
• A framed photo of people who benefit from your program, along with a note of thanks from you
• A video of you (less than one minute) just to say “thank you for being our partner in [insert your mission here]”
• A personal invitation to visit your facility and meet some of the people whose lives have been transformed
• A small token of gratitude with a sincere note. This could be something with your logo on it like a t-shirt of magnet, or something you know will hold significance for your donor, like a prayer card.
• If your organization has been featured in the news (print or video), a quick text message or email with a link to the featured piece letting them know your work would not be possible without them

Above all else - get personal.  Knowing what you know about your donors, what would they most appreciate? What will be memorable?

Opportunity.

Is it just me, or is technology innovation moving at a far faster rate than we can learn and absorb? 

That said, I find myself using Ai more each day to help me speed up some of my ideas and processes.  It’s like I decided to run a marathon 🏃🏽‍♀️ only to discover I get to start at mile 20 instead of mile 1!   

Remember that with tools like ChatGPT or Claude, the more specific you can be and the more detail you can offer, the better.  

While we’re on the subject of showing our gratitude, Ai offers us an opportunity to get creative when it comes to thanking our donors.

Here’s an example of a prompt:

Help me write a short poem in a Dr. Seuss style about a donor named James. Talk about how James is always there to listen, shares his talent freely, loves University of Texas football, and plans to give away all his money before he dies, not leaving any to his children and they fully support his decision. 

The Tale of Generous James

Oh, have you heard the tale of James,
A man of great heart with the grandest aims?
He’s always there with an ear to lend,
The kind of fellow you’d call a friend.

He shares his talents, oh so freely,
With wisdom sharp and smiles quite steely.
A lover of football, his passion is clear—
Hook ‘em Horns! He’ll cheer year to year!

But James has a plan, a noble one too,
To give it all back—his wealth, adieu!
“Not a penny for kids!” he declares with pride,
And they’re cheering him on, right by his side.

For James sees life as a gift to share,
A treasure to spread with thoughtful care.
And though his fortune may fade away,
His legacy shines, forever to stay.

So here’s to James, a spirit so bright,
A beacon of giving, a guiding light.
With open hands and a heart so true,
The world’s a better place, thanks to you!

P.S.  We only use Ai in this newsletter to improve our work.  The ideas and 98% of the copy are our own.

Work.

There is no shortage of work to be done.  As a nonprofit professional, I’m confident you have more ideas than time.

I used to think I was good at task management.  Then I started my own business and the time/task management strategy I had successfully used for nearly 2 decades somehow didn’t work any more. 

The most common question people ask me today is, “How do you have time for everything you do?” 

The Bullet Journal Method

I stumbled across this book at a Barnes & Noble and to be honest, I only made it through about the first 2/3.  I was primarily interested in the System; less so in the Art.  

With certainty, I can tell you that my productivity increased by 40% when I implmeneted “The System.” I recommend this method to almost all of my clients as I am confident it can help you streamline your work, cross more tasks off your list, and reach your goals more quickly!