Talking about death can be uncomfortable, but it’s an important conversation that we shouldn’t shy away from. Today, Stelter Client Strategist Kasi Zieminski reflects on her personal experiences with loss and discusses why we need to be more comfortable discussing death. She shares insights from experts on reframing the legacy conversation and offers tips for approaching the topic in a meaningful and authentic way. Continue reading Why We Shouldn’t Be Afraid to Talk About Death
Inspire Your Donors to Say, “An Estate Gift is a Smart Choice”
Planned giving professionals get to help donors consider how they want to be remembered and how they want their values to live on. Now, how do we market that? Continue reading Inspire Your Donors to Say, “An Estate Gift is a Smart Choice”
Recession-Proof Your Fundraising with These 3 Proven Strategies
In periods of high inflation or market uncertainty, donors of all demographics are likely to become more strategic about their giving. Help your organization navigate this economic instability with these tips. Continue reading Recession-Proof Your Fundraising with These 3 Proven Strategies
Soooooo, Should I Care About Email Open Rates Anymore?
For years, open rate was the go-to metric for email performance. It was easy to measure, easy to test and it provided a helpful starting point for gauging donor interest. So without it—or rather, with every Apple email looking “opened”—what’s a marketer to do? Continue reading Soooooo, Should I Care About Email Open Rates Anymore?
Don’t Miss These Takeaways from the AFP ICON Conference
The AFP ICON conference, put on by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, is the world’s largest conference for professional fundraisers. Some 3,000 attendees from five continents gathered. Here are five top conference takeaways. Continue reading Don’t Miss These Takeaways from the AFP ICON Conference
How to Move Your Donors on a Journey From Interested to Invested
In our roles as planned giving fundraisers, we get to support donors as they make the trek from mission-lovers to legacy givers. Stelter recently spent time mapping this journey, identifying five unique phases. Continue reading How to Move Your Donors on a Journey From Interested to Invested
Inflation’s BIG Effect on Donors, Dollars and Doing Good
Inflation is at its highest rate in 40 years. For many leaders in the nonprofit community, this is uncharted territory. Here’s a roadmap. Continue reading Inflation’s BIG Effect on Donors, Dollars and Doing Good
Social Proof: Why We Look to Others to Tell Us How to Behave
Social proof has become the currency of marketing and it plays a powerful role in fundraising, too. Here’s how to use social proof in your next appeal. Continue reading Social Proof: Why We Look to Others to Tell Us How to Behave
How to Maintain Strong Donor Relationships During the Pandemic
GUEST BLOG: While each donor relationship is unique, this 3-step process will guide you through identifying and coming to terms with problems, finding innovative solutions and staying on message. Continue reading How to Maintain Strong Donor Relationships During the Pandemic
The Real Impact of 2020 on Fundraising: What We Lost, What We Gained
The natural experiment forced on us by COVID-19 has pushed everyone to pivot and think differently. The planned giving world was no exception. Here’s how the recent past can direct our fundraising future. Continue reading The Real Impact of 2020 on Fundraising: What We Lost, What We Gained
This 1 Thing Encourages Donors to Tell You About Their Planned Gift
Most donors aren’t telling us if they’ve made a planned gift (according to a 2019 Giving USA study, fewer than 40% of legacy givers informed the nonprofit). Here we propose and solve for a key reason why: We’re not asking them! Continue reading This 1 Thing Encourages Donors to Tell You About Their Planned Gift
The 1 Mistake (You Can Avoid) That Can Kill a Planned Gift Prospect
Recently, I read a Q&A with Glenn Kelman, CEO of Redfin, in Delta’s Sky magazine. (Work travels.) Something he said stuck with me. Continue reading The 1 Mistake (You Can Avoid) That Can Kill a Planned Gift Prospect
What Are You Doing to Connect with Your Self-Directed Donor?
How long have you been in planned giving? Think back, say 15-20 years, and you may remember taking a more traditional path to cultivating prospects’ and donor’s planned gifts. Continue reading What Are You Doing to Connect with Your Self-Directed Donor?
How to Make Them Care: Inspire Donors Through Storytelling
With every marketing piece that we encounter—an email on our phone, an envelope in our mailbox, a post on our Facebook wall—we ask, Is this worth my time? The fact that you’re reading these words implies that you likely did all the following: Opened an email or stumbled upon a social media post from TheContinue reading How to Make Them Care: Inspire Donors Through Storytelling
The 3 Things Your Donors Really Want
The season of giving and receiving is here. Instead of wrapped gifts and glad tidings, however, let’s reflect on the season in a way that speaks to our business. The reciprocal nature of giving and receiving with donors, of building relationships with them that last throughout every season and through the years. The Fundraising EffectivenessContinue reading The 3 Things Your Donors Really Want