Get Fully Funded Blog

Secrets of Direct Mail Mentoring Course

Give me 4 weeks and I’ll show you how to raise gobs of money through the mail!

I’m proud to announce a new teleseminar series that I’ll be starting July 14th.  It’s my “Secrets of Direct Mail Mentoring Course” and in it you will learn everything you need to know to raise money like the big nonprofits do.

I’m a self-proclaimed direct mail geek and proud of it!  This is my favorite technique for raising money and building relationships.  Unfortunately, so many small nonprofits try to do it without knowing how to do it well, and they are disappointed with the results they get.  So, I created this Mentoring Course to help.

In this 4-week course, you’ll learn how to:

• Choose the absolute best time to mail your fundraising letters
• Accurately estimate expenses and revenues
• Craft a compelling, effective appeal
• Choose the best mailing list
• Have a proven system for raising money through the mail that you can duplicate again and again

I’ll be sharing with you what I learned through trial and error over many years of raising money through the mail.

Here are all the details:

The course kicks off July 14 and the size is limited (so I can keep it small and give everyone some individual attention).

The cost is just $249.  Learn more at http://www.getfullyfunded.com/directmailseries.html

I hope to see you in class on July 14th!

Last Friday, my daughter Emily re-took the ACT exam.  She was trying to raise her score a few points so she can qualify for scholarships  for college this year.  Anyway, she needed to drive to Oak Ridge which is about 45 minutes from home.  She’s not familiar with that town and soon had herself really upset that she wouldn’t be able to find the testing facility. 

My husband spent about an hour with her Thursday night drawing her a map and going over the directions to the testing place.  Still, Emily wasn’t sure.  Finally, about 11 pm, she broke down in tears, sobbing that she was scared she would get lost.  My husband immediately jumped in and offered a small act of kindness.  He told her he would drive her there so she wouldn’t have to worry about it.  In some families, this might be expected.  In ours, this was a bit unusual.  Bob is a step-dad to my girls and not always comfortable in his role.  Every now and then he shows his compassionate side and it always moves me when he does.  He’s a very caring person - he just doesn’t always know how to show it with my girls.

Bottom line of the story - they got there plenty early, Emily thinks she did well, and the two of them had lunch together.  A small act of kindness completely changed the day!

It made me think about all the small acts of kindness we have the chance to give.  Working in a nonprofit can give you tons of opportunities to make someone’s day or even change someone’s life just by being thoughtful and considerate. I can remember time after time when I was a Director of Development that I was able to impact lives of those around me. Even though I continue to impact lives now, I treasure those experiences of serving on the front line of nonprofit work.

As you go through your day and your week, keep your eyes open for the chance to do a small act of kindness for someone.

It’s easy to get excited about new technology.  People talk excitedly and generate buzz about things like iphones and Twitter, and soon we think we need to jump on the bandwagon too.

But, before you decide to invest in or participate in the latest techno-craze, make sure you have a clear purpose.  Know how you intend to use the technology and what results you want.  This will help you make sure you get the most from your resources of money and time.

Also make sure you have a plan for integrating the new technology into your current fundraising plans and systems.  Remember that technology should continue to make your work simpler and easier, not more complicated.

So, look before you leap into technology.  Have an idea of what you’re getting into so you can be as successful as possible.

Got stories (good or bad) about how you’ve embraced new technology?  Let’s hear ‘em!  Click on the comment link below and share your story.

I attended my local AFP (Association of Fundraising Professionals) meeting today and the topic was stress and burnout.  It was a great presentation given by a colleague of mine, Eric Benson, and very timely for many attendees.

Here are a couple of tips Eric shared:

• Manage your intake.  Watch anything that comes into your body and mind - food, drink, noise, words, air, visuals.  If you are allowing pollution and junk in, you can’t expect to fight stress and be your best.
• Manage your output.  Watch your behavior, your movement, and your responses.  Exercise is one of the best things you can do since it usually helps you feel better physically and mentally.
• Live simply and live purposefully.  Keep things as simple as possible.  Know your purpose in life and live accordingly.

Working for a nonprofit can be a very rewarding job, but also a very stressful one.  It’s important to keep your life balanced and take time for things you enjoy doing, so when you are at work you can give it your best.

Got tips for handling stress?  Let’s hear ‘em!  Click on the comment link and post away!