HOME ARTICLES The Power of Knowledge As leading advocates for the direct marketing industry, Grizzard executives are frequently asked to share their views on a number of issues and topics. We've placed many of these titles in our library, which you can access using the search box in the right-hand column. How to Make the Internet Work for You What do I really need to know about the Internet today? Click here to download a PDF version. by Steve Brock Think You're Ready for a Change? Do you ever feel like your direct mail program is in a rut? Doing the same old same old? Are you thinking about making a change? Click here to download a PDF version. by Clifford Marshall BRANDING - No Immediate Gratification Building your image takes time and clarity TheNonProfitTimes, February 15, 2007 Click here to download a PDF version. by Chip Grizzard BRANDING - Who Are You? Do you know the power of your brand? TheNonProfitTimes, January 15, 2007 Click here to download a PDF version. by Chip Grizzard How to Plan and Implement and Effective Disaster Program In times of emergency, disaster response teams begin taking action within minutes. You should be just as ready to issue fundraising pleas when a disaster hits. You already have the tools you need. Here are some tips on how to use them. by Phil Stolberg Tips for Handling Donor Complaints… and (Just Maybe) Turning Them Into Praise Did you ever think you’d be handling complaints regarding your non-profit work? Why would people complain when all you’re doing is trying to get them to support a great cause? Moreover, do you know how to handle those incoming calls that may appear to have nothing to do with fundraising? Following are some tips on how to handle those unexpected moments – and strategies for turning at least some of those complaints into praise and donations. by Pat D'Alba, CFRE Why Do They Give? If You Don't Know, You Need to Find Out People need motivation to give. Take the time to ask yourself these two questions: Do you really know your donor? If they decide to give, do you know why they choose to do so? Following is an informal overview of some of the motivations behind those who open up their hearts and wallets to non-profits. by Grizzard Staff Acquiring New Donors Through Planned Giving As you know, conventional wisdom holds that a donor must be cultivated through a series of clearly defined stages before becoming a prospect for a planned gift. But in this article we make the argument that conventional wisdom isn’t always best. by Hank Zachry The Changing Nature of Donors: Roundtable Discussion We provide you with a link to a roundtable discussion hosted by The NonProfit Times on the changing nature of donors. I am proud to say I was invited to sit on the panel, and I hope I provided some valuable input. Please take a read and let me know what you think. by Chip Grizzard Voice Broadcasting: Reach Out and Touch Someone An article in which we show some of the concrete benefits associated with voice broadcasting. It’s relatively inexpensive and quite effective – just ask the politicians who have been using it for years. by Nick Stavarz Bringing Lapsed Donors Back to Life The question comes up again and again in direct response fundraising: "Why should we keep mailing lapsed donors - the ones who haven't given to us in a year or more?" Because lapsed donors are a much more valuable source for increasing your donor file than cold prospects. by Lynn Uphoff Is Online Giving Experiencing a Major Shift? Based on early anecdotal evidence, it appears donors are becoming more willing to give large gifts through the online channel: Prepare for it and your organization will benefit. by Lenny Esposito After the Storms: Bringing the PR Spotlight Back Home As we've seen in the wake of the recent disasters, public relations can be key to nonprofits' fundraising success. But what's the best way to cultivate a consistent public relations plan that is effective? How can your organization generate attention and support through its PR effort? In this article, PR expert Michael Shepherd helps us to hone our PR efforts to achieve maximum results. by Michael Shepherd Building a Fundraising Lifeline Through Those Already Helped Acquiring new donors can be a costly and difficult but necessary process. Sadly, too many organizations are leaving money on the table when they have a wonderful source of income at their fingertips. There may be no more valuable donor for an organization than a person whose life has changed as a result of the care and help they received from a nonprofit.Here are five keys to help you develop this new donor channel. by Grizzard Staff Relational Donor System Maximizes Use of Donor-Driven Data Recognizing opportunities to effectively qualify potential donors, establish long-term relationships and tailor outreach strategies accordingly are crucial for any nonprofit needing to take its fundraising program to a higher level. A relational donor system can help you get there. Here, we've identified the four main donor relationship types and provide tips on how to address each one effectively. by Chip Grizzard E-Fundraising: Fire or Fizzle? Four years ago, there was much hype surrounding the advent of e-fundraising and Internet research for nonprofits. Has this panned out to be true? Researcher Dirk Rinker reassesses the advent of e-fundraising and reports on his findings. by Dirk Rinker Signs of the Times It’s important to try and understand the changes taking place today with direct response fundraising and how these shifts are re-shaping the way development executives reach out to their donors. But, before exploring the relative merits of different approaches, it might be instructive to analyze them within the context of what was happening when I entered the field 40 years ago. by Claude Grizzard, Sr. Want to Know What Your Donors Really Think? Try Focus Groups Fundraising and marketing professionals are often eager to share their strong convictions about what they think donors believe and feel. Yet, they fail to ask donors what programs or services they care about. Focus groups can help you uncover your donor’s attitudes, biases and giving habits to help determine whether they are likely to respond to certain types of appeals. by Phil Stolberg A Long-Term View on Donor Relationships If someone asks, "What is the main purpose of fundraising?" the answer seems self-evident, right? However, in order to raise funds, one first has to identify and gain the support of numerous individuals and businesses that want to help their cause. You could say that the main purpose of fundraising is to establish and cultivate relationships with those who will support your cause. by Scott Kimbro Gratitude and Giving We all know an essential element in fundraising is thanking your donors for supporting your organization. When donors are cultivated personally, they will reward you with increased involvement and additional financial support. While thanking all donors one-on-one may not be possible, you can thank your key donors and vest them in your cause. Here's how. by Helen Ridgewell Interactive Lead Generation: Getting More and Better Leads for Your Planned Gift Program Planned giving is recognized as an essential part of fundraising today. Because of that, it has become much a more crowded field, and quality lead generation is more challenging than ever. If your organization needs to ramp up the planned gift program or could benefit from getting better qualified leads and more closed gifts, then its time for you to add a 21st century research component to your ongoing marketing program. by Randy Schackmann How to Get Started In Accepting Online Donations It's well understood these days that more and more donors are giving online. Setting up your site to receive online donations is another matter entirely. With all the different options available, what’s the best solution for your organization? In this article, Lenny simplifies the technology behind Web donations and reviews the pros and cons of different donation acceptance methods. by Lenny Esposito Seeing Sponsorship Through the Eyes of a Child Your donors are your most trusted and valued partners. But sometimes we don’t do a good job at communicating the things that they care about deeply and the things that move them most. When I told my daughter we were going to sponsor a child, I began to think about the donor experience from her perspective and here’s what I learned. by Grizzard Staff Who's Giving to Sam? I Am! There’s an old maxim in fundraising – you don’t get if you don’t ask. Yet, so often in fundraising, we ask once, maybe twice, and then give up for fear of being seen as a pest. But in the competitive world of fundraising, there is no reason for us not to be passionately aggressive in our communication with donors and potential donors. Here are some secrets I learned from a master of the ask – Dr. Seuss. by Phil Stolberg Building the Bridge to Life-Long Giving We all understand the importance of acquisition in an Annual Giving strategy. But once we receive a first-time gift, then what happens ? A well-developed Donor Loyalty program will help you secure those important second and third gifts and can lead to more life-long donors and higher overall giving levels. by Helen Ridgewell Donors Give the Way They Pay Their Bills - Online! Several articles have recently come out showing how more and more people are paying their bills online. How does this effect charities and their ability to fundraise effectively? Quite a bit! Read on to see why online donations are the new paradigm in servicing your donors. by Lenny Esposito Media Buying: So, Just How Do I Reach Out to Donors? The primary goal in a fundraising campaign is to acquire the maximum number of donors who possess the highest projected lifetime values - and to accomplish it as efficiently as possible. Here we review the advantages of direct mail in acquiring new donors as well as the different variables that will affect your acquisition efforts. by Madlen Satamian How to Give Your Donors What They Want Is your non-profit self-centered? Many charities think too much in terms of what they want to tell donors rather than what their donors want to hear. Tim Kersten offers these tips to help you communicate the things donors want to hear - the real things that raise more money and retain more donors. by Grizzard Staff The "Don't Ask - Tell!" Approach to Fundraising You've probably heard about the importance of mailings that directly generate income. However, what many people aren't spending enough time discussing are mailings that don't make an ask, but simply provide supporters with information. Learn why these are just as key to your fundraising efforts as are your appeals. by Claude Grizzard, Sr. The Two Magic Words of Fundraising Every kindergartner knows "please" and "thank you" are the magic words. So why do so many fundraisers forget to thank their donors? Learn ways to thank your donors appropriately as well as increase the likelihood of their continued support. by Perry Moore Five Problems That Can Stall Your Online Fundraising Many nonprofits are trying to reach the wired donor. They’ve heard about the windfall available online, but their efforts don’t seem to garner the same success. Ever get the feeling you could do better with online fundraising? The fact is, you can - and with the right basics in place, you will. by Lenny Esposito Forget the Rules! Find Out the Reasons Behind the Rules - Part 2 The adage goes "People don’t read advertising, they read what interests them – and sometimes that just happens to be advertising." Here, DMA Hall of Fame member Bob Hemmings continues to instruct us why we shouldn't focus on the rules of direct marketing, but understand their underlying objectives in increasing your bottom-line payoff. by Robert Hemmings Learn the Fundraising Do's and Don’ts Although fundraising is certainly more of an art than a science, there are some basic rules that you should remember, as the results can and will contribute to your success. Here we’ve assembled a list of key direct marketing do’s and don’ts to help you in your development efforts. by Helen Ridgewell The Grizzard Do Not Call Survey: How Much Do You Really Know About Your Donors? Grizzard recently released the findings from its groundbreaking Do Not Call list donor survey. The results revealed strong feelings by donors, and surprise findings on how charities should approach their telemarketing and email efforts. by Chip Grizzard Are You Missing Qualified Prospects? In today’s competitive marketplace the quest to find new donors never stops. To maximize future direct mail income, you must consider every source for adding new donors to your database. Here, we study how to reach those "unlisted" prospects while increasing the response on your acquisition efforts. by Margot Buckley Creative Strategy Planning: How to Arrive At Your Donor Destination Writing for an appeal is tough. When the creative spark hits, you want to put pen to paper and just write. But without a solid roadmap, you may embark on an expensive journey without ending up at your donor destination. Here, Maggie outlines 5 key questions you must answer before you can create an effective fundraising package. by Grizzard Staff Forget the Rules! Find Out the Reasons Behind the Rules - Part 1 The adage goes "People don’t read advertising, they read what interests them – and sometimes that just happens to be advertising." Here, DMA Hall of Fame member Bob Hemmings helps us learn why we shouldn't look at the rules of direct marketing, but understand the reasons behind the rules in order to increase the bottom-line payoff. by Robert Hemmings Wealth Screening for the 21st Century In the past, nonprofits considered screening services only to identify prospects as they prepared for capital campaigns. Today, any nonprofit can have the details it needs to identify the best people for every type of campaign. Read on to see how donor screening can help nonprofits build a foundation of prospects capable of giving significant amounts. by Grizzard Staff Creating A Winning Fundraising Package: 20 Winning Ideas Planning a direct mail campaign? Learn how to create a dynamic, thoughtful appeal that wins over donors.  Maggie Haggberg, Grizzard's Creative Director, offers 20 steps to avoid "thinking ruts" when planning and concepting direct mail letter package. by Grizzard Staff Get Donors by Building Relationships Online Many nonprofits are struggling with getting donations online. They’ve read the success stories, like Howard Dean raising $11 million in 3 months but they're not seeing any results. What could be wrong? Here, Lenny draws on the wisdom of Dr. Phil and counsels you to perform an Internet "Relationship Rescue". by Lenny Esposito How Many Times Should Donors Be Mailed? Many nonprofits only mail their donors four times yearly or less. But more mailings holds the possibility of more gifts. So, should you try to bump up the number of times you mail or will this cause donor "burn-out"? Here's some real data to help you decide. by Grizzard Staff Maximize Your Fundraising… Appeal Letters vs. Newsletters One of the debates for many fundraisers is the question about whether to send donor appeal letters, newsletters or a combination of the two. Statistics consistently reveal the answer that brings maximum gift support is: both -- in a carefully planned combination. by Grizzard Staff Lapsed Donor Strategy… Renew or Replace? Non-profit organizations periodically find themselves wondering - when is it time to “throw in the towel” when it comes to renewing lapsed donors and focus on replacing them? Perhaps not as early as one might think. by Scott Kimbro Maximize Your Marketing Through Mixed Media Many nonprofits love direct mail because of its impressive ability to target and focus on highly specialized segments of the population. But that's only one weapon in a fundraiser's arsenal. By implementing a mixed media strategy you can make your direct mail more powerful, helping you to acquire more new donors and strengthening bonds with existing ones. by Madlen Satamian The Benefits of a Successful Pledge Program A pledge conversion program provides a perfect opportunity to generate a predictable source of income and, at the same time, increase the level of giving from certain segments of your donor file. If implemented correctly, it's a guaranteed way to upgrade donors and cause them to become deeply involved in your programs. by Helen Ridgewell What's a New Donor Really Worth? The goal of new donor acquisition is to attract a prospect to make their first gift. But how much should you spend to get the new donor in the first place? Learn how to figure the true value of a donor and how much your organization should spend to win new ones. by Randy Schackmann 5 Fundraising Resolutions for 2004 Tired of the same old New Year's Resolutions? Try these Fund-Raising Resolutions for 2004! by Claude Grizzard, Sr. The Great Telemarketing Reallocation Rush of 2003: An Early Observation Today's telemarketing reallocation rush bears a striking resemblance to the California Gold Rush in 1849, when thousands scrambled madly across the country to strike it rich. by Michael King Direct Mail Makes the Grade Over 40% of marketing professionals told Lightspeed Research that direct mail is the best ad vehicle to measure for ROI and 31% of US consumers told Vertis they prefer learning about new products and services from direct mail. by Grizzard Staff Three Fundraising Trends That Really Matter Chip Grizzard shares his thoughts on the AAFRC Trust for Philanthropy's Giving USA 2003 annual report on philanthropy. by Chip Grizzard E-mail Marketing 101: Clearly Identify the Source of Your Message When utilizing the services of a third-party organization for your e-mail deployments, it's important to make sure the recipient knows the message is actually from you. Using an e-mail box on your own domain with e-mail forwarding is a simple, yet extremely effective way to increase the authenticity of your message and your response rates. by Grizzard Staff Building Your Web Site - Getting Into the Guts of It The preplanning is over and now it's time to start building your site. What are the best ways to keep the project on budget and on schedule? by Lenny Esposito Building Your Web Site - The Content Quandary One of the biggest initial hurdles to building your website is understanding what to include. Here we look at what good web content is and how to find it. by Lenny Esposito The Seven Keys To Success In Planned Giving Whether you have an established planned giving program or are just trying to get started, here are seven "keys" to put your charity in position to receive maximum benefit. by Hank Zachry Healthy Board Relations How is your relationship with your Board of Directors? The healthier the relationship, the stronger your organization will be. Here are 13 tips to develop a healthy relationship with your Board. by Grizzard Staff Starting Your Web Site: Prepare, Prepare, Prepare Getting ready to build your organization's new website? Before you jump in, proper planning will minimize your risk and your workload. by Lenny Esposito The Essentials For Your Charity You have a limited budget...here are 13 essential ideas to help you with the direction for your charity's marketing and fundraising efforts. by Grizzard Staff Don't Fool Around: Start Profiling Potential E-donors You've got all these e-mail subscribers, but now what? Here's how to create an "e-profile" for donors and potential donors to deliver more engaging content and increase results. by Lenny Esposito Dysfunctional Charities Test You would like to see your nonprofit grow, but are there reasons why it's not? In this latest article, Grizzard Staff gives you the benchmarks to see if your charity might have dysfunctional qualities and hindering your growth because of them. by Grizzard Staff ENDOWMENT 101: Fundamentals for Fund Development There are four basic things that must be examined, and worked through, if a fund is going to be established. They are the four fundamental ?P?s? of an endowment ? and they are each essential if your organization is going to have an effective fund. by Randy Schackmann Importance of Integrated Marketing You've got a website, a direct mail campaign, and do some other types of advertising. How do you save money and increase impact with all that going? by Grizzard Staff Reach Out and Touch Someone With an E-mail Newsletter E-mail newsletters play a vital role in getting return visitors to your site, but what should go into a newsletter? Lenny continues his series by examining how newsletters can effectively increase online donations. by Lenny Esposito Reach Out and Touch Someone With an E-mail Newsletter You hear about the importance of branding everywhere these days. But as the term gets more popular, it also has become misinterpreted. Read this article to learn what branding is and isn't, as well as it's importance to your nonprofit. by Grizzard Staff The Recipe for Loyalty Attracting new donors is always on a fundraiser's mind. But more and more, nonprofits are realizing how important it is to keep the donors you have! In this article, Mike Morris gives you all the essential ingredients to donor loyalty. by Grizzard Staff Mix It Up with Mixed Media Is there more than one way to use direct mail? Of course! In this article, we show how approaching different forms of direct mail and supporting media can allow you to acquire more new donors while investing fewer dollars. Interes by Grizzard Staff Getting Past First Base with Your New Donor Three Rules for Getting a Second Date by Grizzard Staff B-B Decisions: Who Makes The Call When working with a mailer on a business-to-business campaign of a service, product, or supply, the first question a good list broker should ask is, "Who do you believe makes the purchase decision for your product?" by Grizzard Staff Caring for Your Donor File IS Caring for Your Donors How would your charity be impacted if your donor file were lost or greatly reduced? by Grizzard Staff Direct Mail Results Results are always important in our direct mail programs, but here are some recent results to direct mail that go beyond dollars and cents. As you read, remember that your mail may be accomplishing much more than ever hoped for. by Randy Schackmann Direct Marketing Online: The Check Is in the E-mail The digital direct marketing wave had started to form. Now that wave has hit the shore, re-shaping the entire direct marketing shoreline with its force. by Grizzard Staff Does Your newsletter Work? As much work as newsletters are, they are one of your best sources of communication to bridge relationships with your supporters, educate constituents and secure repeat gifts. Your newsletter should be seen an integral part of your public relations by Randy Schackmann Family Values at Work Claude H. Grizzard, Sr. knows something about family values. His company, celebrating its 76th year in business, has been named the 1995 Georgia Family Business of the Year. by Claude Grizzard, Sr. Information Overload: Enough Already! In the relentless quest to mail smarter, marketers today employ a myriad of list segmentation strategies to lift response. Lifestyles, general demographics, intent to purchase: we love overlays. by Grizzard Staff Optimize Your Site for Search Engines - Part II Here are a few coding tricks that you can implement in your web pages to make the search engines focus on the topics you want them to see. by Lenny Esposito What to Look for When Seeking a List Broker No matter who you choose for your list services, there are specific things that should be non-negotiable. Here are the things you should demand from your list broker. by Grizzard Staff Optimize Your Site for Search Engines Search engines are still the number one way people look for sites on the Net. Learn some of the tricks to get your site listed higher - and have potential donors visit more. by Lenny Esposito There's Gold in Them Thar Hills! Strategies for maximizing gift income from your nonprofit donor base by Randy Schackmann Is Your Nonprofit Walking Away From Money? The largest wealth transfer in the history of mankind is taking place right now. Planned giving gives you new ways of effective fundraising, but you have to act now! by Randy Schackmann The Fine Art of Saying Thank You It's amazing that so few nonprofits regard saying "thank you" to your everyday donors as important. The biggest reason it is important is simply it's the right thing to do. by Grizzard Staff Create Effective Banner Ad Campaigns Thinking about advertising online? How do you create a banner that stands out from the crowd? Are banners dead? Here are the thirteen things to remember when planning for a successful banner ad campaign. by Grizzard Staff Field Of Dreams Makes a Better Movie Than a Web Site Strategy Once you've built your website, will they come? Lenny Esposito's article shows that a planned approach and a good e-mail strategy will make sure you get the traffic you desire to your site. by Lenny Esposito 13 Proven Elements to Make Your Direct Mail Sizzle This Focus on Direct Mail gives you 13 insights that are integral keys to how you think about, and implement your direct mail fund-raising campaigns. by Grizzard Staff Don't Forget Your Mission in Your Web Site Lenny Esposito takes the mystery out of mission on the web with this piece for the Developer's Corner monthly column. by Lenny Esposito 13 Tactics to Convert Friends Into Donors The Grizzard approach to converting donors online. by Grizzard Staff Involvement and Conversion Strategies for Your Web How do you turn your Web site visitors/users into friends and friends into donors and donors into loyal donors? Here are 13 ways to encourage your visitors to become involved with your organization. by Grizzard Staff Thank You/Receipt Report Card There are two axioms in fundraising that cannot be overlooked: 1) Your most likely next donor is the one who just sent you a gift; and 2) When and how you say "thank you" is critical if you want a donor to give again. by Grizzard Staff 100 Successful E-marketing Campaigns After conducting hundreds of e-marketing campaigns for some of the largest organizations in the country, Grizzard has now compiled a list of the best. by Grizzard Staff 13 Direct Mail Trends for the 21st Century Every year, individual Americans donate tens of billions of dollars to charitable organizations. Be sure your organization continues to benefit from this generosity in the years ahead, be advised of these 13 direct mail trends. by Grizzard Staff Successful Web Sites for Nonporfits Many nonprofits are overwhelmed with the task of creating an Internet presence and strategy. Here are 13 mandatories for a successful site... by Grizzard Staff Is Your Nonprofit Strategic? This quiz rates your answers to 13 questions regarding how you and your organization think about strategy. by Grizzard Staff 13 Proven Principles for a Successful Ad The greatest challenge in creating a good ad is getting started. Here are 13 principles to help you get going and to move ahead. by Grizzard Staff SEARCH Search the Article Library: MOST RECENT ARTICLES How to Make the Internet Work for You Think You're Ready for a Change? BRANDING - No Immediate Gratification HomePrivacy PolicyCareersEnewsletter SignUp Copyright © 2008 Grizzard Communications Group, Inc.