Mal WarWick"s News Letter

Printer Friendly Hi Ohdeuk, You’ll get an advance peek in this issue at my newest book, Fundraising When Money is Tight. The first article below, “Strengthen your case for giving,” is an excerpt from the draft. Although the book won’t actually see the light of day in its final form for awhile yet, you can pre-order via Amazon.com at the discounted rate of $15.61. I’m excited about this book, and I think you’re likely to find it helpful. In this issue you’ll also find: Peter Schoewe’s insightful column, “Answerman,” tackling “The value of plain and good” Another installment in Tom Gaffny’s continuing exploration of “Destination Marketing,” this time focusing on the topic of online pass-alongs A look at how “It’s all about them” in “What’s Working” by Managing Editor Deborah Block and her partner, Paul Karps Plus “Where’s Mal,” “Ask Mal,” and several other short items Last issue we ran an article entitled “Fundraising innovation in India,” which we credited to Richard Pordes, inadvertently omitting his co-author, Kunal Verma, now the head of fundraising for Oxfam India. Apologies, Kunal! Happy New Year! Mal 1. Strengthen your case for giving By Mal Warwick This article is excerpted from Mal’s forthcoming book, Fundraising When Money is Tight, which will be released by Jossey-Bass early in 2009. Copyright © 2009 by Mal Warwick. You’ve been advised that it’s essential you make clear to your donors how deeply the current recession has affected your organization. Your board of directors, your chief executive, your consultants—possibly even all three—are pressing you to talk about the recession in every fundraising letter, at every event, and to every major donor. The idea, of course, is that this will show your donors how much more valuable and important their contributions are during this difficult economic period—and, willy-nilly, they’ll give more. Would that it were so.  read more 2. Where's Mal? January 29-30, 2009 – Washington DC DMA Nonprofit Federation 2009 Washington Nonprofit Conference Site: Renaissance Hotel April 22-23, 2009 – Washington DC Global Philanthropy Forum Site: Mayflower Hotel April 23-26, 2009 – Itasca IL Social Venture Network Spring Gathering Site: Eaglewood Resort May 12-14, 2009 – online IFC online eConference June 15-17, 2009 – Naples FL 2009 DMA Nonprofit Leadership Summit Site: Naples Grande Hotel June 24-27, 2009 – Bangalore, India International Workshop on Resource Mobilisation Site: InfoSys Campus July 21-23, 2009 – Washington DC 2009 Bridge to Integrated Fundraising Conference Site: Gaylord Hotel, Resort and Conference Center, National Harbor MD Please join Mal and hundreds of other fundraisers specializing in direct response at the 2009 Annual Washington Nonprofit Conference organized by the Direct Marketing Association Nonprofit Federation. It's one of the year's best opportunities to gain insight into current trends and network with your peers. 3. Ask friends to “get the word out” By Tom Gaffny In my year-long study of the online practices of 144 nonprofit organizations, I learned about 12 ways that charities are using the online medium to bring donors closer to the cause . . . again and again. They’re thus making their organizations more relevant, more provocative, more stimulating, and more engaging.  read more 4. Ask Mal Since 1994, when the Mal Warwick Associates Web site went online, Editor Mal Warwick has answered fundraising questions posed by visitors to the site. Hundreds of those Q&As are available here. In this issue, we’re spotlighting several short Q&As from the most recent month. Question: Our museum is sending out our annual Holiday appeal letter to membership. Some suggest that a return envelope is a waste. What is your recommendation? The mailing includes a letter, a reply device, and return envelope or no return envelope.  read more 5. The value of plain and good By Peter Schoewe There’s a great exercise you should do at least once a year to improve your direct response fundraising program. Dive into your sample file and gather up a year’s worth of your marketing efforts. Then pin them up—all in a row—on a wall in a conference room or any other large room where you have the space to spread out and walk around.  read more 6. Year-end the end-all? How important is year-end giving to a charity’s bottom line? That’s a question recently posed to the over 5,300 nonprofits that read the Web site of Charity Navigator. Of the 741 respondents, the median percentage of total annual gifts donated at year-end was 29%. At the same time, a whopping 84% of those responding said they were prepared for a decrease in year-end giving in 2008—with a median expected decline of 15% from 2007. 7. It’s all about them By Managing Editor Deborah Block and Paul Karps One of the most important rules in writing a compelling direct mail letter is this: It’s not about the organization. Rather, it’s about the person who’s reading about the organization.  read more 8. You’ve got company Here's one more sign of these recessionary times: Competition for jobs at the nation’s nonprofits is rising. The Chronicle of Philanthropy reports that the Chicago recruiting firm Careers in Nonprofits has seen a 40% jump in applications recently—with many candidates wanting to move over from the for-profit sector. Meanwhile, a comparable New York company, Professionals for Nonprofits, has experienced a 25% increase in applicants since the summer. Mal Warwick Editor     Deborah Block  Managing Editor Contributing Editors: Nick Allen, Donordigital Ken Burnett, Cascaid Consulting Harvey McKinnon, Harvey McKinnon Associates Jerold Panas, Jerold Panas, Linzy & Partners Steve Thomas, Stephen Thomas Joe White, Share Group, Inc. Subscribe! It doesn't cost a nickel to subscribe to Mal Warwick's Newsletter: Successful Direct Mail, Telephone & online Fundraising. At a cost of just the few seconds it takes to enter your e-mail address below, you'll receive 12 idea-packed issues per year, one every month. For a FREE subscription to this newsletter, click here. To do a friend a favor by sending a free issue of Mal Warwick's Newsletter, click here. Jan 2009| Newsletter Archive | Mal Warwick Associates |Contact Us This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is distributed with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If legal or other expert assistance is require, the services of a competent professional should be sought. (From a declaration of principles jointly adopted by a committee of the American Bar Association and a committee of publishers.) Mal Warwick's Newsletter: Successful Direct Mail, Telephone & online Fundraising TM (ISSN 1067-9316) is published 12 times per year by Strathmoor Press, Inc., 2550 Ninth Street, Suite 103, Berkeley CA 94710-2516, phone (510) 843-8888, fax (510) 843-0142, e-mail news@malwarwick.com. Copyright © 2009 Strathmoor Press, Inc. All rights reserved.  This message was sent to odeuk@hanmail.net. Visit your subscription management page to modify your email communication preferences or update your personal profile. 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