Dynamic Nonprofits

We cover a lot of ground on the Dynamic Nonprofits Podcast, but some of our favorite discussions are when we deep dive into tactics and practical tips that can help transform your fundraising program.

If you're an email fundraiser, or just a fundraiser who shares our passion for A/B testing, you'll love Dan's conversation with email GURU Jay Schwedelson.

Jay's combination of passion, candor, and practicality make for an entertaining discussion that will provide you with pages full of tips that can transform your organization's approach to email (some of which are surprisingly simple and counterintuitive).

Topics Discussed Include:

- Why open rates still matter and how to improve them with emojis

- Breaking News: Why opt-outs are actually a GOOD thing

- Optimal send times (Spoiler: They're not on the hour)

- Why your call to action is leaving donations on the table

- Shockingly simple advice for how to make sure your email newsletter is opened and read

Plus, so much more including how Jay's direct mail background informs his perspective on email and why Linked In Newsletters are the next great frontier for donor engagement.

It's a conversation that is as entertaining as it is informative (Dan and Jay even talk a little bit about reality TV towards the end). If you do walk away with some helpful advice, we hope you'll pay it forward by rating and reviewing the Dynamic Nonprofits Podcast on your platform of choice (but especially Apple Podcasts). It's the very best way to support our mission to advocate for an unsiloed approach to fundraising and it will help us find more groundbreaking guests just like Jay.

Thanks as always for listening and enjoy the show!

Show Notes:

CONNECT WITH JAY ON LINKED IN!

https://www.linkedin.com/in/schwedelson/

LEARN MORE ABOUT GURU 2024, THE WORLD'S LARGEST VIRTUAL EMAIL CONFERENCE

https://guruconference.com/

LEARN MORE ABOUT DELIVERED 2024, THE WORLD'S LARGEST VIRTUAL DIRECT MAIL CONFERENCE

https://deliveredconference.com/

There are a lot of books about fundraising, but one in particular has driven conversation within the nonprofit sector this year - The Generosity Crisis.

Co-Author Nathan Chappell joins Dan to look back on a year of The Generosity Crisis and what he's learned from '10,000 conversations' since the book's release.

They discuss what's driving the crisis and focus on solutions for solving it, some of which are surprisingly human and practical. Nathan also talks about radical connection techniques that nonprofits can borrow from commercial brands (who borrowed them from us first) and shares his inspiring fundraising industry origin story.

Dan's conversation with Nathan is the perfect compliment for those who have read the book and for those who want to quickly catch up on year's worth of conversations about it.

The Dynamic Nonprofits Podcast is the industry's first and only podcast dedicated to breaking down silos within the nonprofit sector. If you get value from today's interview, please rate and review Dynamic Nonprofits and subscribe to the pod so you can hear fresh releases first.

Thanks as always for listening and enjoy the show.

Show Notes:

CONNECT WITH NATHAN ON LINKEDIN

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanchappell/

ORDER THE GENEROSITY CRISIS

https://www.amazon.com/Generosity-Crisis-Connection-Humanitys-Challenges/dp/1394150571

HEAR MORE FROM NATHAN AND CO-AUTHOR BRIAN CRIMMMINS

https://www.chappell-crimmins.com/media

ACCESS ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

https://www.chappell-crimmins.com/the-book

DISCOVER MORE ABOUT DONOR SEARCH AI

https://www.donorsearch.net/donorsearch-ai/

There's a trust crisis in America. According to Gallup, trust is down in institutions ranging from government, to the media, schools, and just about everything in between.

Unfortunately, non-profit organizations aren't immune from this decline in trust. In fact, the Edelman Trust Barometer shows that non-profits are now trusted less than businesses for the first time in 40 years.

The trust crisis has real world implications for non-profits and the beneficiaries they serve as demonstrated by RKD Group's new study "Non-Profit Marketer's Guide to Trust". Their findings show a direct relationship between a donor's level of trust and their willingness to give AND maximize contributions over their lifetime.

Amanda Wasson, RKD Group's Executive Vice President of Client Services, joins the show to deconstruct this pressing research. We deep dive into RKD's findings and, as importantly, walk through actionable steps non-profits can take to build and enhance trust with their donors.

The non-profit sector can't wish the trust gap away, but we do have the tools the close it. Take your first step towards closing the trust gap with donors by listening to this interview with Amanda Wasson.

If you get value out of our conversation with Amanda, please rate and review the Dynamic Non-Profits Podcast. Your feedback is appreciated and will help more dynamic fundraisers discover our content.

Also, consider subscribing to the Dynamic Non-Profits Podcast so you can be the first to hear fresh DNP releases.

Thanks as always for listening and for supporting the industry's first podcast dedicated to advocating for an unsiloed approach to fundraising.

Show Notes:

https://info.rkdgroup.com/donor-trust-access

https://news.gallup.com/poll/508169/historically-low-faith-institutions-continues.aspx

https://www.edelman.com/sites/g/files/aatuss191/files/2023-01/2023%20Edelman%20Trust%20Barometer%20Global%20Report.pdf

https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-wasson-rkd/

"If you constantly have a mindset about helping to improve the lives of others, your life will be improved in the process" 

Kevin Gentry has been a staple in the fundraising community for nearly four decades and his Fundraising Tips newsletter is a weekly must read for many in the sector. Kevin joined the show to discuss getting back to basics and how classic direct marketing techniques hold the keys to helping non-profits thrive during a time of great uncertainty. 

However, our off-the-cuff conversation covered much more ground than that...

The Conversion Covers:

- Kevin's origin story as a fundraiser and how we can help more talented individuals discover the non-profit sector as a career choice

- The value of mentorship programs, both for the mentor AND the mentee 

- Why attending in-person events is so critical for professional development at all career levels

- The origin story of Kevin's "Fundraising Tips" newsletter which has been running strong for 15 years and how he's improved it by actively listening to readers' feedback 

- The advantages of publishing original content and advice for fundraisers who aspire to be thought leaders

- The mutual benefits of providing value to others

Tactical Advice Includes:

- Why your non-profit should strive to "Go Big" in 2023 and how basic direct marketing techniques can help make that happen

- Applying the "Human Action Model" and the three steps necessary to get someone to take a desired action

- Richard Viguerie's "Four Horsemen of Marketing" (positioning, differentiation, benefits, brand,) 

- The risk in deferring to tightening up mail plans and writing off donors who haven't given recently

- Why direct mail continues to be effective in a digital era 

- The value of getting feedback from donors and understanding how they perceive your brand

This is a classic conversation about the fundraising industry that is also packed full of tactical advice for fundraisers and non-profit leaders. Regardless of what causes you work with or where you are in your career, you're sure to benefit from this discussion with Kevin Gentry. 

If you get value out of the interview, please take a few minutes to rate and review the Dynamic Non-Profits Podcast. It's the best way to support the show and help connect us with more legendary fundraisers just like Kevin.

Thanks for listening and enjoy!

Show Notes:

Email Kevin to connect, if you'd like to subscribe to his "Fundraising Tips" newsletter, or in order to receive a free copy of Richard Viguerie's "Four Horsemen of Marketing" booklet

Kevin can be reached at: his "Fundraising Tips" newsletter, or receive a free copy of Richard Viguerie's "Four Horsemen of Marketing.

Send an email to Kevin if you'd like to connect, subscribe to his "Fundraising Tips" newsletter, or receive a free copy of Richard Viguerie's "Four Horsemen of Marketing. He can be reached at: kgentry@standtogether.org

Learn more about the work of Stand Together at: https://standtogether.org/

How much is the right amount to ask donors for? 

Michael Gorriarán, President @ Arjuna Solutions, joins the show to answer this fundamental question. Dan and Michael discuss how Arjuna applies behavioral economics to determine the optimal ask amount for creating long-term relationships with donors which maximizes their lifetime value potential. 

Topics Discussed Also Include: 

- How behavioral economics also help non-profits determine when and often to mail individual donors (important in an era of inflation and declining response rates)

- Why behavioral economic modeling takes a clearer picture of donors than transactional data or wealth screening alone  

- The importance of optimizing ask amounts across channels (Did you know that asking donors for different amounts on and offline can hurt LTV?)

- How to break down barriers and silos which prevent cross-channel collaboration from happening (a favorite topic of discussion on Dynamic Non-Profits!)

- Budgeting solutions that can make non-profits more nimble 

- Plus, so much more! 

Michael also shares his family history in philanthropy and the lessons he learned working at Microsoft that can increase the impact of the non-profit sector. 

This is a fun conversation for fundraisers and data geeks alike which is chalk full of practical solutions, but also addresses some critical bigger picture issues for the fundraising industry. 

If you get value out of our conversation with Michael, please subscribe to Dynamic Non-Profits Podcast and rate and review the show. It only takes a few seconds and it makes a big impact in the search rankings...It also helps us find more great guests just like Michael. 

Thanks as always for listening and for supporting our mission to advocate for #UnsiloedFundraising and innovation in the non-profit sector, enjoy the show!

Show Notes:

Michael Gorriarán

President

Arjuna Solutions

MZG@arjunasolutions.com

https://www.arjunasolutions.com/

Dan breaks down Mastercard's new regulations for recurring giving and discusses why the new rules could be an opportunity to innovate how nonprofits communicate with their monthly donors.

Show Notes:  

Read along with the Non-Profit Pro article Dan discusses on the show

https://www.nonprofitpro.com/article/mastercard-extends-deadline-how-to-comply-to-new-recurring-giving-regulations/

Listen back to Dan's interview with Monthly Giving Maven Erica Waasdorp

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dynamic-nonprofits-w-dan/id1458121528?i=1000513339388

Get in touch with Dan or send your feedback to Dynamic Non-Profits!

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dansonners/

dynamicnonprofits@gmail.com 

Fundraising through gaming and livestreaming has become a multi-billion dollar revenue channel by marrying tried and true peer to peer fundraising psychology with modern technology, but it remains a mystery to many experienced fundraisers and a medium which is labeled with misconceptions by those who don't game themselves.

Think your donors don't game? Think again, studies show that there are over 200 million gamers in the U.S. alone many of whom are in their prime earning and giving years (those millennials who grew up playing Tetris on NES now own homes and have families of their own - And many still game in their free time). 

Gaming and Livestream fundraisers present non-profits with a unique opportunity to engage valuable donors who may not be reachable through traditional direct response channels, but knowing where to begin can seem daunting. 

That's why I was thrilled to invite April Stallings onto the show. April is Gaming and Influencer Community Manager for Make-A-Wish International. A lifelong gamer herself, April helps to cultivate a community of gamers, content creators, and influencers who are eager to raise funds from their followers and get more wishes granted for children. 

In this eye-opening discussion, April covers:

- Who games and why it's a valuable channel for non-profits of all types to explore (April helps bust some serious gaming myths)

- How to recruit content creators and influencers who are willing and able to raise money for your cause

- The importance of cultivating relationships with those creators and not looking for one-offs 

- Her methods for vetting potential creators and why influencers with smaller followings can be the most effective fundraisers 

- Some tips for non-profits with files built from traditional direct response channels to find and engage gamers who are already donors

- Why gaming is just part of streaming and the growth of chat streams 

Plus, much more...

Our conversation with April will be a fun listen for gamers and a valuable one for fundraisers who want to know first steps for starting a program of their own. However, it will be equally valuable for traditional direct response fundraisers who are seeking to broaden their knowledge about one of the fastest growing channels in the industry. 

If you do get value out of our interview with April, please pay it forward by rating and reviewing the Dynamic Non-Profits Podcast and subscribing to the show. It really does help boost our rankings and helps us connect with more dynamic fundraisers like April, Dynamic Non-Profits is available on Apple, Spotify, and wherever great podcasts are heard. 

Thanks as always for listening and for supporting the Dynamic Non-Profits' mission to advocate for an unsiloed approach to fundraising, enjoy the show! 

Show Notes: 

Listen to our interview with Tiltify's Michael Wasserman for more about gaming and livestream fundraisers!

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6LGXzEOuBRVOp2k6etev7L

https://www.axios.com/2022/06/07/video-game-players-america-222

https://www.linkedin.com/in/april-stallings-%E2%9E%A1%EF%B8%8F-twitchcon-%E2%9E%A1%EF%B8%8F-brasil-game-show-%F0%9F%87%A7%F0%9F%87%B7-65141113a/

https://grantstation.com/gs-insights/Fundraising-Through-Charitable-Gaming

Mike Duerksen, Founder of the BuildGood Agency and Host of the Build Good Fundraising Podcast, returns to the show to discuss his advice for fundraising when the world is a mess. 

With a backdrop of war, record inflation, division, and a possible looming recession it's a question on the mind of most fundraisers. 

It's a conversation which will help you plan with certainty for the uncertain times today and those ahead. 

Show Notes:

https://buildgood.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeduerksen/?originalSubdomain=ca

https://buildgood.com/category/podcast/

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/donor-growth/id1621409443

Hear Mike's First DNP Appearance!

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/covid-19-special-interview-justin-streiff-partner-american/id1458121528?i=1000469154328

Anthony Jones has been a digital trailblazer in his two decades as a fundraiser. During his 19-years with Ducks Unlimited, he led a digital marketing team which raised over $40 million and amassed over 2 million social media followers. In the process, he helped establish Ducks Unlimited as an online authority for waterfowl hunters. Anthony also pioneered the use of LinkedIn for the organization, creating a forum for his team to authentically share their work and enthusiasm for the cause. 

Today Anthony joins the show to discuss his new venture, The LinkedIn One Percent Club, which has a mission of helping fundraisers and professionals establish powerful personal brands and create new opportunities for themselves through networking on the platform. 

Topics Covered Include: 

- Why LinkedIn is such a powerful platform for networking and personal branding 

- The importance of building a network BEFORE you need one 

- Key pillars and strategies for creating original content on LinkedIn 

- Why LinkedIn is uniquely positioned to help fundraisers 

- The benefits of thought leadership and personal brand even if you're not looking for a new job

- Why companies and non-profits should encourage their employees to build personal brands online 

- And much, much more....

Anthony also shares his thoughts on how non-profit organizations can better utilize LinkedIn for building their own brands. Plus, we learn about his passion for hunting and more during our "5 Asks" closing segment. 

This is a valuable discussion for anyone who is thinking about launching their own LinkedIn content journey or taking their LI brand to the next level. Whether you're an early career fundraiser who is looking to enter the marketplace of ideas or a 40-year vet who wants to share your valuable knowledge with others, your career can benefit from listening to this conversation. 

Thanks to Anthony Jones for sharing some of his valuable time with us. If you get value from the interview, please rate and review the Dynamic Non-Profits Podcast and subscribe to the show on Apple, Spotify, Google, or where ever great podcasts are heard. 

As always, thanks for listening and for helping to support our mission to provide value to the non-profit sector. Enjoy the show. 

Show Notes: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnanthonyjones/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXooQoX0nq4HY-bdo2Wrmzg

https://linkedinonepercentclub.com/

anthony@johnanthonyjones.com 

One of the things which makes the fundraising world special and unique are the grassroots fundraising movements which are striving to improve donor communication, retention, and non-profit best practices from the ground up. It's this grassroots mentality which provides the sector with a lot of it's energy and helps push the innovation envelope. 

Recently, the Donor Participation Project caught my attention as one of the more successful and influential grassroots movements out there which is why I was thrilled to welcome their host, Louis Diez, to the show. The Donor Participation Project's mission is to improve donor retention through education and the sharing of information with the goal of closing the gap with the 20 million U.S. households who have abandoned giving since 2000. 

In addition to facilitating discussion and research with DPP's over 1,000 members, Louis is also Executive Director @ Muhlenberg College giving him a unique perspective into the strategies and techniques which are getting donors to give and continuing giving. 

We covered a lot in this discussion including:

- The backstory behind DPP's founding and mission 

- Why optimization alone isn't enough to grow giving and why building community is the key to bringing in new donors and retaining them 

- 5 critical steps to build "Deep Community" with your donors

- Why non-profits should trust and empower their donors to be community ambassadors 

- How to scale community building 

Louis also talks about how his background in music has helped him become a better fundraiser and shares his thoughts on the industry's most pressing issues. 

Community has become a big buzzword in the non-profit world (we talk about the problems with buzzwords too!) which is what makes this discussion so unique and valuable for fundraisers. Louis doesn't just talk about the importance of building community with your donors, he provides tangible steps and measures to actually do it. 

This interview with Louis Diez is an invaluable listen for any fundraiser who wants to get ahead of the case studies and white papers and find a hidden edge to help improve relations and retention with their donors. 

I hope you enjoy my conversation with Louis. If the interview brings you value, please pay it forward by rating, reviewing, and sharing the show with your friends and colleagues. It really does help other fundraisers discover Dynamic Non-Profits content and helps advance our mission to advocate for innovation in the non-profit sector. 

Thanks as always for listening!

Show Notes:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/louisdiez/

https://marktlab.com/

In their short history, The Nonprofit Alliance has had an outsized impact advocating on behalf of the fundraising industry, shaping key legislation, and fighting on our behalf in the courts. As CEO of TNPA, Shannon McCracken helps lead the organization's mission to promote, protect, and strengthen the philanthropic sector in the best interests of donors and beneficiaries.

Shannon joins the show to talk about the role that TNPA plays in the sector as well as their contribution to the landmark AFP v Bonta Supreme Court decision which protects donor privacy. 

Dan and Shannon also dive deep into some of the key issues which TNPA members are concerned about including: 

- The democratization of giving and negative impacts of excluding "low dollar" donors

- Diversity and Inclusion

- Employee recruitment, retention, and compensation  

- Changing how the industry talks about "overhead"

- The need for nonprofits to invest in staff and resources to maximize their impact 

- Increasing outreach to find new and different types of donors 

- The benefits of an "it's not you, it's me" approach to fundraising 

- How fundraisers can better promote the benefits of working in our industry 

- As well as much, much more

Shannon also shares her passionate thoughts on why it is so important for the industry to focus on mental health, especially at this time. 

Our chat with Shannon McCracken is a valuable listen for any fundraiser who is interested in a broad AND deep discussion with an industry leader who is uniquely connected to the concerns of fundraisers.  

If you get value from our interview with Shannon McCracken, please subscribe to the Dynamic Non-Profits Podcast and take a few seconds to leave an honest review. Your subscriptions and feedback really do help more fundraisers discover the show and helps to advance our mission to advocate for innovation in the non-profit sector. 

Show Notes:

https://tnpa.org/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/smccracken/

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dnp-deep-dive-non-profit-marketers-guide-to-generation/id1458121528?i=1000529505664

https://www.thenonprofittimes.com/npt_articles/breaking-scotus-reverses-donor-disclosure-demands/

Today’s Topic: The Value of Small Donors 

Dan welcomes Barbara O'Reilly back to the show to talk about how the non-profit sector is treating "small" donors, what their value is to fundraising programs, and why that value isn't be realized by some non-profits. Barbara is a fearless advocate for the industry and she brings her experienced and honest perspective to this important discussion with an eye towards helping organizations get more out of their small dollar fundraising programs. 

Issues covered include: 

- The "hidden" value in small gifts

- Why major donors start with low dollar gifts 

- How small donor programs can generate valuable leads for major giving 

- Low retention rates for small donors and how to improve them

- The missed opportunity with thank you letters and acknowledgements

- The value of cultivating "activists" for your nonprofit 

- Why your organization needs a multi-channel touchpoint strategy 

- Using technology to increase giving and reach donors in more places

- Turnkey CRM solutions 

- Much, much, more  

This conversation is a great listen for passionate fundraisers which is chalk full of tips for development personal and vendors to optimize their low dollar programs. 

Show Notes:

https://www.givinginstitute.org/page/GivingUSA

https://www.whillconsulting.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/boreillywhc/

https://twitter.com/BOReillyWHC

Every year, Norwescap provides aid and assistance to 30,000 Northwest New Jersey families with a wide range of services customized to the unique needs of each beneficiary. Their areas of service include education, employment, financial capacity building, health & nutrition, house & energy services, and volunteerism & civic engagement. 

Today, Dan welcomes Norwescap’s Chief Development Officer Heather Thompson to the show to discuss how Norwescap has helped empower families and individuals to thrive since 1965 as well as their remarkable and nimble pivot during the pandemic. 

Topics discussed include: 

- How Norwescap promotes an investment mindset with their donors 

- Quantifying impact with societal ROI 

- Including beneficiaries operationally within the organization and fundraising efforts

- Challenges of raising money from individuals when your organization receives government support 

- Norwescap's digital and programmatic transformation during the pandemic and lessons learned 

- And much more, including Heather's inspiring origin story in non-profit sector and how the theatre prepared her for life as a fundraiser 

Show Notes:

https://norwescap.org/

https://norwescap.org/contact-us/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-thompson-she-her-70b5235/

Good fundraisers are difficult to find and they are even harder to keep, Sharon Kitroser and Amy Mauser are out to change that with their consultancy Team Kat and Mouse. Their innovative approach focuses on training fundraisers across channels with an emphasis on communication, shared goals, and storytelling. In this informative and lively chat with Dan, Sharon and Amy explain how better training will help improve the talent retention dilemma which plagues most of the industry. Topics also include: the importance of a diversified approach to fundraising, why an unsiloed communication structure builds stronger teams, and how to implement a culture which encourages a collaborative approach to fundraising. Sharon and Amy also talk about their unique backgrounds and how they came to find a passion for helping non-profits. This interview contains lots of value for any nonprofit professional who is interested in attracting and retaining talented fundraisers.

Show Notes: 

https://www.teamkatandmouse.com/about-us

amy@teamkatandmouse.com

sharon@teamkatandmouse.com

Tim Kachuriak has dedicated his professional life to answering the fundamental question "Why do donors give?". That curiosity helped give birth to NextAfter, a digital fundraising agency dedicated to "unleashing the most generous generation in the world" through fundraising innovation and optimization. 

Dan and Tim discuss that and much more in this wide ranging conversation about digital fundraising's evolution over the years and how NextAfter has helped shape that conversation. 

Topics Include: The origins of Tim's passion for optimization, the secrets to donor motivations, the state of multi-channel fundraising, why digital is the best means of acquiring multi-channel donors, and how digital interactions help drive direct mail conversions. 

They also look ahead to the future of digital fundraising and what's coming next at NextAfter. 

This is a valuable conversation for any fundraiser who enjoys geeking out on the art and science of digital fundraising or is looking for tips to get ahead of coming trends from one of digital fundraising's predominant thought leaders. 

Show Notes: 

https://www.nextafter.com/

Applying a fundraiser’s perspective, Dan breaks down his 5 favorite ads from Super Bowl 55.

Show Notes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9jkvq4-tCU

https://www.budlight.com/en/legends-content-vault

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gq7QhjTJAFo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haXc74orwhg&feature=youtu.be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsA8dNubLZ0

https://www.ign.com/videos/bud-light-seltzer-lemonade-super-bowl-55-commercial-last-years-lemons

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/06/super-bowl-ads-strike-new-tone-amid-covid-pandemic.html

Brady Josephson, Managing Director @ The NextAfter Institute, joins Dan to discuss findings from NextAfter and Virtuous' exciting new study "The State of Multi-Channel Donor Communications". 

If you're a fundraiser who is concerned about multi-channel fundraising, or how to put it into action, this might be one of the most important interviews you listen to all year. Make sure to have a notepad ready...

Show Notes: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradyjosephson/

https://www.nextafter.com/

https://www.multichannelnonprofit.com/

https://www.multichannelnonprofit.com/data/

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-generosity-freakshow/id1437021896

Do you know how the charity watchdog sites rate your organization? Many groups pride themselves on their 4-star rating but is it something that matters to donors? How many donors actually use charity rating sites and who are they? Well now, thanks to a new study by Grey Matter Research, we have some answers to those questions. It turns out over 30 million donors use charity watchdogs and those who do come from some key groups who are critical to the growth of your program. Grey Matter’s President Ron Sellers joins Dan to break down this groundbreaking study and talk about how its findings can help improve your fundraising efforts.

Show Notes: 

https://greymatterresearch.com/

https://greymatterresearch.com/do-donors-use-charity-watchdogs/

https://greymatterresearch.com/articles-studies/

ron@greymatterresearch.com

A successful direct mail appeal is much more than paper and ink. When a donor responds to a letter it’s due to the successful culmination of many elements ranging from the logo on the outer envelope to the size of the check boxes on the reply. John Lepp is a partner at the Agents of Good fundraising agency and a noted direct mail enthusiast. In this interview, John breaks down the critical components of a direct mail package and provides vital tips for A/B tests which can help rescue your direct mail program or take it to the next level. This discussion is a valuable listen for direct mail fundraisers looking for test ideas as well as digital fundraisers who want to get a better idea about why direct mail continues to work in an increasingly digital world.  

Show Notes:  

https://www.amazon.com/dp/095189711X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_oi4aGbNKW0BB1  

https://sofii.org/

https://agentsofgood.org  

https://twitter.com/johnlepp

Dan welcomes copywriter and fundraising podcast innovator James Newberry to the show. In this special episode, they discuss AMC's hit program Mad Men and what fundraising lessons can be gleaned from Don Draper and the rest of the team at Sterling Cooper. 

Show Notes: 

James Newberry 

Partner @ MacLean & Newberry Direct 

(240) 477-3999

"The Carousel Pitch"

https://vimeo.com/20736616

"Why I'm Quitting Tobacco"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=ugsmHqlriVc

"If you don't like what is being said change the conversation"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=su56rdSvQBU

"Mark your man"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeRY6HMhk3Q

"It's Toasted" / "Advertising is based on one thing...happiness" 

https://vimeo.com/123757690

"A man is whatever room he is in" 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqkHPsY8p84