Fundraising Writing

01/07/2025

We have a fantastic lineup this year for Tom Ahern's fundraising webinars with our signature all-you-can-eat Q&A sessions with expert guests. The first one is coming up later in January. Link in the comments.

09/05/2023

"My boss thinks direct mail fundraising is probably dead. Is he right?"

Well, your boss' opinion is always worth listening to (job security).

But is your boss really right? What's today's data actually say?

Direct mail fundraising in 2023 continues to be the biggest contributor of "mission fuel" to the budgets of many, if not most, nonprofit organizations in the U.S., Canada, etc.

It is also how most nonprofits attract first-time donors who later go on to become MAJOR donors. “...when we review the data, the source of a majority of major donors came through a direct-response mail appeal where they gave a [first-time] gift of $25!” Richard Perry, Veritus Group, reported in 2020.

When the Internet started to become "a thing" in people's daily lives, a reasonable-sounding rumor soon spread amongst smaller nonprofits that direct mail would die, forced out by digital fundraising.

Didn't happen. The Internet turned out to be just another messaging channel. These days, direct mail works hand-in-hand with digital to raise the bucks that keep your mission healthy.

***

Learning how to write an effective direct mail (and e-mail) appeal is the best basic training you can get in fundraising!

So, just in time for your year-end appeals is a webinar I'm thrilled to be moderating on September 14th! 😊

👉 Tom Ahern's Writing In-House Direct Mail Appeals (E-appeals Too!) That Work ... Because They Follow Simple Guidelines!

This 1.5 hour heavily-illustrated mega-webinar will teach you about offers, expectations, grabbing attention, emotional triggers ... and so much more.

(Side note: I just reviewed Tom's slides. OMG. So many practical examples!)

🙌 PLUS: Fundraising copywriting guru Jeff Brooks will be our special guest expert for the "All-You-Can-Eat" Q&A session.

Find out more and register 👇👇

Upcoming super-webby from Earth's leading fundraising copywriting expert, Tom Ahern. Writing In-House Direct Mail Appeals (E-appeals Too!) that Work Because They Follow Simple Guidelines! Register now for the September 15, 2022 super-webby!

06/13/2023

https://www.fundraisingwriting.com/newsletter-webinar-fundraising-writing

Are you still puzzled by donor newsletters?

Then this webinar with Tom Ahern is your cup of tea!

YOU'LL LEARN exactly WHY some charity newsletters are loved & bring in lots of extra gifts ... while so many others fall fatally flat. PLUS there's the "all you can eat" Q&A --- where every question you can think of (about donor newsletters, anyway) gets some kind of answer. 🙃🥰 Click for more details 👇👇

Register for the super-webby from Earth's leading expert, Tom Ahern: Great donor newsletters: digital & print. Retention's Best Friend. PLUS "All-You-Can-Eat" Q&A session. Learn how to turn your org's newsletter into a powerful stewardship tool to increase donor retention and harvest added gifts!

12/16/2022

Here's why we're doing this free webinar... I know many of you have been following ChatGPT and other recent developments...

If you’d like to learn more about how we all might use AI 🤖 to assist our writing and image sourcing for our fundraising work, join us for a FREE webinar on January 5th.

Brett and I have been experimenting with a number of these new tools… and thought we’d share with you what we’ve learned. You in?

This free webinar will give you:

🤖 Background — on what AI is and how it might affect your fundraising

🔗 Links to some of the latest and most effective free AI tools

👩‍💻 Live demonstrations showing you how to use AI to help you brainstorm ideas, develop and revise rough drafts, and create unique images

⚠️ AI dangers, limitations, and other issues you should be aware of

📈 Trends we’re seeing and anticipating as AI becomes more popular

Let’s explore these new tools together!

Quick note 👉 We opened up the doors to this free webinar just a couple of days ago and see that the interest is great. It appears we will fill up the room (500 people max), so if you are curious about new AI tools, register for this free webinar now.

For more info and to reserve your seat:

Free Webinar! Recent advances in Artificial Intelligence (such as ChatGPT) are tremendous. Even if you despise this topic and what it promises, you can't ignore it. So, join us to explore these new tools together! Discover how we all might use AI to assist our writing and image-finding in our work.

11/29/2022

Happy ! I'm so excited to see some amazing fundraising happening this week. 💜 May your donor comms grow love and grow giving!

08/29/2022

Is your year-end appeal trembling with doubt? Sign up for Tom Ahern's master webinar ... just in time for your fevered fundraising efforts! Hurry⏳ It's happening soon! (Sorry. Beagle not included.)

Upcoming super-webby from Earth's leading fundraising copywriting expert, Tom Ahern. Writing In-House Direct Mail Appeals (E-appeals Too!) that Work Because They Follow Simple Guidelines! Register now for the September 15, 2022 super-webby!

08/15/2022

Need some help with your year-end fundraising? Rachel Muir and I are there for you! Join us and more than 1500 attendees for the FREE webinar tomorrow! Time's running out! ⏰ Register here: https://bloomerang.co/webinar/end-of-year-appeal-writing-made-easy/

Is your year-end appeal ready to win your donors hearts, minds and wallets?

Join nonprofit founder and fundraising expert Rachel Muir, CFRE and her special guest, the immensely talented fundraising copywriter, Julie Cooper to learn a simple, step-by-step formula for increasing your year-end fundraising revenue.

Register for this free webinar now: https://bloomerang.co/webinar/end-of-year-appeal-writing-made-easy/

07/02/2022

Brett and I went hiking in Rhode Island with the amazing Tom Ahern and Ashley Belanger. Lots of conversations about writing and consulting and life.💛

06/26/2022

I’ve never seen a fundraising book quite like this. (Freaking incredible, !) Y’all in direct response will want to get this new resource. Worth every single penny, and it will help you raise thousands — perhaps millions — more for your cause. Seriously. And it’s such a beautiful book. Like art itself.
PS: , stop writing in our copy! Your handwriting is too messy for this book! 🤣😘

06/18/2022

Our latest blog post is about 4 tips to avoid losing donors at "the finish line." It's a quick read with easy, actionable takeaways on 4 things to do across your reply device, home page, and donation form to make sure you don't accidentally foil a donor's "yes" before the donation is complete.

If you want weekly fundraising writing tips, please sign up our free newsletter: https://fundraisingwriting.ck.page/newsletter-signup



https://www.fundraisingwriting.com/blog/4-ways-to-turn-a-donor-maybe-into-a-yes

06/13/2022

From Roger Craver today: 7 Fundraising Tips for Surviving the Apocalypse of 2022

From war to famine with a huge dose of inflation, threats to democracy and mass shootings thrown in. But you already know the litany of economic , humanitarian, and political disasters. No need fo…