“Don’t be afraid to try, remember…Amateurs built the ark, Professionals built the Titanic.”

Thanks to @PhilReinhardt for that.

Too often, we get all worked up trying to be perfect or do something perfectly.  (I’m really guilty of this!!)  All we need to do is our best and it will be good enough.  We don’t have to be perfect to change someone’s life.

Have a great week!

I read something that really struck me this morning and I wanted to share with you.  It’s about the concept of being a lifelong learner, which I totally believe in.

The person who stops studying merely because they have finished school is forever hopelessly doomed to mediocrity, no matter their calling.  The way of success is the way of continuous pursuit of knowledge.

You’ve got to keep learning.  NO matter what.  PARTICULARLY in fundraising.  Things change too fast and you’ve got to keep up.

When’s the last time you learned something new?  If it was yesterday, awesome!  If it was last week, great!  Last month?  Not bad.  Longer than that?  Better go visit the bookstore or sign up for a class.  You’ve got some work to do.

Bad pictures are used way too often by nonprofit folks who are trying to tell a story in a visual format.  I sat in on a webinar today led by Kivi LeRoux Miller and Claire Meyerhoff that focused on getting and using great photos.  Here are a few points I want to share with you.

Great photos tell a story.  To tell a story, you need some detail and some interesting action in the photo.  A picture of a group of volunteers lined up against the wall conveys nearly nothing.  But a photo of the same group bagging groceries for your food pantry tells much more.

Get the close up.  Make sure to get close enough with your photo that the viewer can see the subject’s faces.  This is essential if you’re using photos in a fundraising appeal.  The reader must be able to see and connect with the person’s eyes in the photo.

Look for ways to repurpose your photos.  There are lots of things you can do with good photos besides plop them in your newsletter or annual report. You can put them on your website or Facebook, you can frame them and display them in your office, or you can turn them into simple notecards you can use to thank donors. 

I sat with a client today who had created a very powerful video using a combination of still photos, video, and audio.  She’s planning on using it for an anniversary celebration this week but after I saw it (and shed a few tears!) we talked about what else she could do with it.  She’s planning to burn it to CDs and let event guests take it with them to share with others.

If you’re looking for additional learning opportunities, I recommend you check out Kivi’s website at www.nonprofitmarketingguide.com.

Nonprofit work is all about changing people’s lives.  When we do a good job of fundraising, we enable our nonprofit to do its work.  It’s quite simple.  Do your job and you change someone’s life.

Now, go ask someone for a gift!

Did you know that most donors check out your web site before they make a gift? – whether they are giving on line or through the mail.

A Kellogg Foundation study found that potentially up to 50% of your donors are going to want to check you out before they give, whether they give online or not. Here are questions you should ask about your site to see if it is hurting or helping your fudnraising campagin.

First, “your web site is now your front door,” advises Ted Hart in the 09 Year-End Strategies Telesummit. I interviewed Ted last week as part of the Telesummit and he shared a long list of things donors are looking for on your web site.

1. Does your web site represent you well? Does it tell a compelling, moving story? (i.e., photos of people helped by your organization)

2. When someone comes to your site, can they find out what they want easily?

3. What’s the call-to-action on your site? What do you want visitors to do?

4. Does it convey legitimacy and credibility?

Do you post info on your website that proves your nonprofit status? Do you post the names of your board members, i.e., members of the community who stand behind your organization? Does it say how is accountable for this organization?

5.  Are you offering people the ability to give online safely (through encryption technology).

6. Is there also a way to download a form that a donor can mail in or fax to you if they don’t want to contribute on line?

7. Are you offering people the ability to have a dialog with you? Is there some sort of interaction, such as a survey or a place to post comments? Donors want the ability to comment, to discuss, to learn more about you.

8. Do you have a physical address and phone number prominently displayed for easy access?

9. Does your web site share how past donations have been used? (This is where you can share your good news, terrific stories of what you’ve done with your funding.

10. Are you telling visitors how they can volunteer? (you certainly don’t want to give the impression that you don’t want volunteers!  But this topic is sometimes completely missing from a web site.) 

1. Let donors choose when they hear from you.  I call this “Donor Choice.”  You have to have the infrastructure in place to make sure you can do this, but it’s worth it.  On a survey or a reply card, let donors tell you that they only want to get an appeal during the holidays or just twice a year or whatever choices you want to give them. You’ll find that you have happier donors, lower fundraising costs, and higher response rates.

2. Add hand-written notes on Thank You letters.   Anytime you have a Thank You letter going out to a donor you know, add a hand-written note.  It doesn’t have to be long or formal – just sincere and personal.  It lets the donor know you are paying attention and that you really appreciate their gift.

3. Make it easy for your donors to act. Always make it very clear to your donor what action they should take and give them an easy way to take that action.  No matter if you’re contacting your donor in person, on the phone, through the mail or online, they should immediately understand what you’re asking for and how they can respond.  Otherwise, they may be confused and take NO action.  Be clear with every ask for money, volunteers, and in-kind donations.

These tips come from my book “Fundraising Buffet: 101 Practical Ideas to Increase Donations & Deepen Donor Satisfaction.” Get your copy for $29.95 at http://getfullyfunded.info/products.

In April, Maya Angelou was interviewed by Oprah on her 70-something birthday. Oprah asked her what she thought of growing older. And, there on television, she said it was “exciting.”

Regarding body changes, she said there were many, occurring every day…..like her breasts. They seem to be in a race to see which will reach her waist, first. The audience laughed so hard they cried. She is such a simple and honest woman, with so much wisdom in her words!

Maya Angelou said this:

   I’ve learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.

  I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.

  I’ve learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you’ll miss them when they’re gone from your life.

    I’ve learned that making a ‘living’ is not the same thing as ‘making a life.’

  I’ve learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.

    I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw some things back.

  I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.

  I’ve learned that even when I have pains, I don’t have to be one.

  I’ve learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.

  I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn.

  I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

And if you’re not following me on Twitter, you can find me at www.Twitter.com/SandyRees.  I post inspiration, information, and links to resources, similar to what you’ll find here on my blog, but slightly different.  After all, on Twitter, it’s only 140 characters long!

Benefit auctioneer Sherry Truhlar publishes the “Benefit Auction Ideas” bi-monthly e-zine for auction chairs seeking to improve the financial results of their auctions. Get your own copy and receive a FREE Annual Auction Item Guide featuring 100+ of the best-selling items sold in benefit auctions at www.RedAppleAuctions.com.