by Cyndi Lauren | Oct 30, 2018 | communications, Fresh Eyes, messaging, Nonprofit operations
You Work Hard: If you really want people to read your stuff, make it easy for them to want to read it. Managing the readability of your message is as important as the content. If, at first glance, it looks like too much work, very few will bother to read it. Don’t...
by Cyndi Lauren | Sep 25, 2018 | communications, development and fundraising, fundraising, Making Money, messaging, Nonprofit operations
What is Giving Tuesday? GivingTuesday started 7 years ago to kick off the holiday fundraising season. It is the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, following the original Black Friday and Cyber Monday. When Is Giving Tuesday?: November 27, 2018 Can anyone participate?...
by Cyndi Lauren | Sep 19, 2018 | annual gala, Commentary, communications, Emergency Planning, Nonprofit operations, Operations, Protecting Yourself, Strategic Planning
Plan for bear, hope for squirrel Let’s face it, something is going to go wrong. Plan on it; you won’t know what, when or how, but reliably something will screw up at the event. There will be acts of God, weather, earthquakes, accidents, and my all time favorite,...
by Cyndi Lauren | Sep 6, 2018 | annual gala, development and fundraising, Fresh Eyes, fundraising, Nonprofit operations, Strategic Planning
Fundraising gets more competitive every day: new organizations, big organizations with professional fundraising staff, high profile celebrities and athletes setting up funds for disasters and emergencies that sadly seem to...
by Cyndi Lauren | Aug 21, 2018 | communications, development and fundraising, Fresh Eyes, fundraising, Making Money, messaging, Nonprofit operations, Protecting Yourself
I’m sorry, its going to be a no. As fundraisers, we spend tons of time working hard to get donor prospects to say yes to our solicitations. We crave the check in the envelope and watch the online donor daily totals get larger and larger. I’ve been there,...
by Cyndi Lauren | Jul 31, 2018 | Business - Consulting Services, communications, Nonprofit operations
Delete, delete, delete- that is my morning email routine. Sometimes I feel (a little) bad about not even bothering with some of them; someone took the time and effort to write them, add images and send out. But, gosh, sooo many, I simply have to be ruthless as I look...
by Cyndi Lauren | Jul 10, 2018 | Nonprofit operations
What is a Story? Stories are about change, how something or someone has changed as a result of something that comes into their lives. It is about people, regular people and extraordinary people. Often, though, telling a good story in a good way can be challenging-...
by Cyndi Lauren | Jun 19, 2018 | communications, Fresh Eyes, messaging, Nonprofit operations
The tone and language you use in your fundraising communications can have a profound impact on both your open rates, and your reply rates. Being sensitive to your audience and communicating with them in words and phrases they use themselves makes connecting...
by Cyndi Lauren | Jun 7, 2018 | communications, development and fundraising, Fresh Eyes, messaging, Nonprofit operations
Developing Your Message Everyone is always telling you to hone your messages to donors and prospects, but seldom tell how to do it. You know you do urgent and important work- you are out to change the world to make it better. You know that, your members know that,...
by Cyndi Lauren | May 10, 2018 | annual gala, development and fundraising, Making Money, Nonprofit operations
Ok, its that time of year, again. Pay for the tickets, get a babysitter, get dressed, head out: Look for signs: parking, ballroom, bathroom Stand in line to check in & get table number Stand in line at the bar Chicken or veggie pasta: both tragic It’s too...
