I was meeting with a colleague last week when the topic of that Comcast Retention Agent viral phone call came up. Surely you have heard it by now, if not you can go here: https://t.co/5TRpDmWQBU. After you listen to it you will assume that it was a hoax but I guarantee you it was real. … Read More →
Recently I had occasion to make a telephone call to a donor whom I do not know personally. For the sake of context, I was in the process of contacting lapsed donors to give them an opportunity to make a renewal gift. This particular donor had a history of giving for several years, but had … Read More →
There has been a big ruckus in the news over the past few days because of the alleged words of a certain owner of a California-based NBA team (it rhymes with “Flippers”). The comments made were very racially insensitive and denigrating. It is unfortunate that such views are still around in 2014. Rather than rehash … Read More →
In the fund raising world, we sometimes spend a lot of time worrying about things that may never happen. Time spent worrying is time wasted. People who are successful are those who take action and rise above their fears. There are great rewards to be had when we can overcome worry and fear. Do you … Read More →
I was having dinner with a donor recently when he lamented to me his frustration at only being contacted by organizations when they want to ask for money. Fortunately I was not there to make an ask at that time, but his feelings resonated with me. The relationship between donor and nonprofit organization is just … Read More →
Sometimes there are differing perspectives about issues that are seemingly “cut and dry.” For example, I once had someone impart to me a very unique viewpoint relating to gang violence. We were discussing the fact that kids in gangs often get into these gun battles and there are stray bullets that go flying in residential … Read More →
Organizations today rely heavily on donors who make one or more gifts each year either through the mail or online. These donors are often critical to nonprofit success because they can often be used to keep the lights on, pay for support staff, and defray overhead costs. Sometimes we make the mistake of failing to … Read More →
Today I was reading a news article about a man who went to court in Ohio to overturn his own death. He was not successful and unfortunately had to walk out of court a dead man. Allow me to explain. Donald Miller disappeared back in 1994 and his wife eventually went to court to have … Read More →
How many of you have ever been the parent of a teenager? I have a teenage son who really keeps me on my toes in more ways than one. I distinctly remember a time when he was small and he wanted me to buy something for him while we were together at the mall. I … Read More →