by Bill Jacobs | Sep 5, 2017 | Donor Retention
If you could summarize the consultant chatter over the past decade into one phrase, I would nominate “donor engagement” as the winning phrase. But what does that mean exactly? As a donor behavior scientist, I am a firm believer in what Peter Drucker said: “If you...
by Bill Jacobs | Dec 21, 2015 | Direct Mail, Donor Acquisition, Donor Retention
I’ll be darned. Direct mail acquisition seems to be making a comeback. OK, perhaps not to the degree of a Star Wars $250MM opening weekend comeback. But as I am reviewing recent acquisition (and reactivation of deeply lapsed donors) results, I was pleasantly surprised...
by Bill Jacobs | Dec 14, 2015 | Direct Mail, Donor Retention
Any of us who have studied donor behavior can tell you that your best prospect for a sustainer or monthly pledge donor is someone who has been on your file for several years and has averaged 3 or more gifts a year. And the best recruitment should be done in January....
by Bill Jacobs | Nov 4, 2015 | Donor Retention, Non-profit, Non-profit marketing
This blog is a little different. Sometimes, even among us, we don’t agree on things. Here’s one example. Bill: If you ask 10 people to define marketing in the nonprofit space, chances are, you will get 10 different answers. Here’s the one answer I like, paraphrased...
by Bill Jacobs | Jul 6, 2015 | Donor Retention, Non-profit, nonprofit analytics
If there is one metric our industry is fixated upon, it’s LTV (long-term value). And, like so many other things, though it started out as such a good idea, it is in serious need of a tune-up. Now don’t get me started about the 7-ways to Wednesday that LTV is...
by Bill Jacobs | Jun 15, 2015 | Agency, Analyst, Direct Mail, Donor Retention, Non-profit
The first half of 2015 is already coming to a close. And for many of our clients, so is their fiscal year. Here is my review of the state of fundraising so far. Most clients are still living this narrative: their active donor counts continue to slip; however the...
