Not Every Prospect Is Ready to Say Yes

Not Every Prospect Is Ready to Say Yes

BEYOND THE TRANSACTION | PART 3Why Developing Relationships Matters Before the Gift or the Saleby Angie Thompson Nonprofits understand the pressure to raise money now. We need to meet the annual fund goal. We need sponsors for the event. We need to fill the tables. We...
Creating Opportunities for Donor Conversations

Creating Opportunities for Donor Conversations

Building Relationships Beyond the Ask One of the biggest misconceptions in fundraising is the belief that donor conversations begin when an organization needs money. In reality, the strongest donor relationships are often built before a gift is ever discussed. They...
From Attendance to Relationship: Donor Engagement After Events

From Attendance to Relationship: Donor Engagement After Events

What Happens After the Event One spring, I helped create dessert social featuring Miss Oklahoma. The event wasn’t a fundraiser. There were no pledge cards, sponsorship asks, or campaign presentations. Ladies came for the yummy desserts, visited Miss Oklahoma and...
The Work Behind the Work

The Work Behind the Work

Why Filling a Room Is Never Just About the Event One of the questions I get asked most often after a successful event is, “How did you do that?” People usually assume the answer has something to do with the topic, the speaker, the marketing, or the...
What You Do in July Matters More Than You Think

What You Do in July Matters More Than You Think

Making connections in the In-Between Times is a winning strategy. Early in my career, I worked for a mentor who shared a piece of advice that has stayed with me for decades. He said, “It’s what you do when you don’t have to do anything that puts you...