Topics:  *all  design  marketing
Last modified 9/2/10 at 10:13 AM by creativeservices.

In my recent blog What Mail Did You Open This Week?, I asked you to send in mail pieces that caught your eye recently.  Read more...

Topics:  *all  design  mailing  marketing
Last modified 8/27/10 at 2:43 PM by creativeservices.

Nothing makes me crankier than a kitchen counter full of junk. Right now I am pretty cranky. A pack of vacation pictures that haven’t found a scrapbook, permission slips that need signing, flowers that died last week, and sparklers that never saw the 4th of July are currently gracing my counter. But mostly—junk mail. Tons of junk mail. If you think you get a lot of junk mail, try having a junior in high school. Our mailbox is stuffed with college paraphernalia every day. And this has been going on for months.  Read more...

Topics:  *all  design  marketing
Last modified 8/23/10 at 2:08 PM by creativeservices.

I need to admit that I’m a closet logo designer—even though I can’t draw a straight line. I look at logos from a reader’s perspective, not a graphic designer’s critical eye. Ever since I can remember, I always gravitated to the Highlights for Children magazine at the doctor’s office and turned immediately to the Hidden Pictures puzzle to see if I could find the shapes intertwined in the overall image. I think this is where my fascination with logos is derived from. Unique shapes and yet recognizable items all hidden for me to find.  Read more...

Topics:  *all  relationships
Last modified 8/12/10 at 10:45 AM by thoughtleaders.

I recently read an article, Strategic Stewardship for Planned Giving Programs, by a friend of ours, Katherine Swank, which makes some great points about the importance of stewardship when it comes to raising planned gifts.  Read more...

Topics:  *all  design  marketing  web
Last modified 8/10/10 at 11:29 AM by webservices.

As a Web designer working exclusively for nonprofits, I browse about 10 to 20 nonprofit websites a week, and I see a 50/50 ratio of good vs. poor looking websites. I find a lot of new and inspiring ideas from the good-looking sites and learn just as much about what not to do from the poor ones. Based on this research, I have summed up a few things you should consider when redesigning your site.   Read more...

Topics:  *all  design  marketing
Last modified 8/3/10 at 2:55 PM by creativeservices.

The image that you project is a huge factor in attracting potential donors to your organization. Even if you haven't clearly articulated your brand, you have one. And it’s a whole lot more than your logo.  Read more...

Topics:  *all  marketing  research
Last modified 7/29/10 at 1:02 PM by thoughtleaders.

Semester grades are now in for the generation that elevated “Snooki”—the cartoonish, self-absorbed star of MTV’s Jersey Shore—to icon status, and spent the last six months catapulting the online website Chatroulette—home for creepy video encounters with random strangers—into the national spotlight.  Read more...

Topics:  *all  emarketing  marketing  research
Last modified 7/27/10 at 1:57 PM by thoughtleaders.

The latest results are in from The Stelter Company’s ongoing research of donor behavior. This round, we found evidence to further reinforce our opinion on the role of recognition societies—the groups nonprofits use to steward and reward its most generous donors. In short, we believe recognition societies have a specific, but limited role—one that many nonprofits misunderstand. (More on that in a minute.)  Read more...

Topics:  *all  marketing  relationships
Last modified 7/27/10 at 9:37 AM by clientservices.

It’s July in Iowa and that can only mean one thing…it’s RAGBRAI time!! Now, if you’re not from Iowa or an avid cyclist, I’m sure you are thinking, “What is RAGBRAI”? RAGBRAI stands for the Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa. This biking event started in 1973 and has become the longest, largest and oldest bicycle touring event in the world. In the past 36 years over 275,000 riders have participated. This year’s ride began on Sunday with riders dipping their back tire in the Missouri River in Sioux City and will end one week (442 miles) and over 50 towns later in Dubuque where they will dip their front tire in the Mississippi River.  Read more...

Topics:  *all  law
Last modified 7/26/10 at 4:56 PM by thoughtleaders.

Unfortunately for the charitable sector, the final version of H.R. 4213, the "Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2010," which was signed by President Obama last week did not contain the Charitable IRA Rollover provision. It was removed in the last day or so before passage. Not good for the industry, but maybe this fall our luck will turn around.  Read more...

Topics:  *all  marketing  relationships
Last modified 7/22/10 at 1:41 PM by clientservices.

I was watching TV the other day with my kids, and a McDonald’s commercial came on. It featured cute little munchkins all giddy over their happy meals. The commercial did its job in catching my kids’ attention and making them want a happy meal, but it also caught mine. According to the commercial, a portion of all happy meal proceeds go to help support Ronald McDonald House Charities and the children and families they serve. Out of curiosity, I went to the Ronald McDonald website, www.rmhc.org and the first thing I saw was a big bold header that read, “100 Small Gestures”. My curiosity was piqued – I had to click and find out what it was all about.   Read more...

Topics:  *all  relationships
Last modified 7/15/10 at 1:09 PM by webservices.

As a web coordinator here at Stelter, I frequently receive voicemail messages from clients and often find my pen dashing scribbles across a piece of paper in a failed attempt to catch the person’s name, number or to even understand the message at all. Now I know we are all busy and usually in a hurry to move on to our next task, but it’s important to take that extra moment to slow down a bit when leaving a voicemail.  Read more...

Topics:  *all  design  emarketing  research  web
Last modified 7/13/10 at 1:21 PM by creativeservices.

How long is the blink of an eye? Answers.com says that it can be anywhere from a fraction of a second to 10 seconds. What does this have to do with your online readers? Well, a fraction of a second is, on average, how long your story headline has to grab the attention of your online readers.   Read more...

Topics:  *all  social
Last modified 7/2/10 at 9:08 AM by creativeservices.

More and more in the last year, I have really embraced the idea of "Social Media". I mean yea, I have connected on Facebook and Twitter with everyone that I have ever run into, gone to school with, met at a conference and even the sitter who watches my boys. But, over the past year I have really started benefiting from what I see and who I "follow".  Read more...

Topics:  *all  marketing
Last modified 6/30/10 at 11:17 AM by creativeservices.

I was so excited when I went home for lunch today and checked the mail. The new issue of Lowe’s “Creative Ideas” is here! Thank goodness I got home before my husband; he may have thrown it straight in the trash. He knows how much I love finding projects for us to work on “together”. I never imagined I could find so much inspiration from a building materials store. But Lowe’s got me (and my money)! So how did they do it?  Read more...

Topics:  *all  mailing
Last modified 6/24/10 at 3:36 PM by behindthescenes.

Gone are the days of "fill in the blank" personalization. I know, it seemed like a good idea to simply leave a space after "Dear" and then hand write in "Eugene". Give that personal touch! Prospective donors love to feel like this letter was meant for them, right?! It'll be fun! Come on down! But who has the time to spend countless hours adding that important personal touch to thousands of letters!? No one.  Read more...

Topics:  *all  marketing  relationships
Last modified 6/22/10 at 1:55 PM by clientservices.

I recently made a trip to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN with my husband. As we maneuvered our way from appointment to appointment, I caught myself staring at all the portraits of donors and names of halls and wings in honor of someone. It made me wonder; how much money does one have to donate to have a building named after them? As much as I’d like to dream, I definitely know my husband and I are not candidates for that type of gift. But, if down the road Mayo would like to target us as potential donors, what messaging will they use?  Read more...

Topics:  *all  relationships
Last modified 6/21/10 at 5:34 PM by webservices.

I was married not too long ago. The wedding ceremony was successful; the honeymoon was relaxing; and all the gifts were opened. Now, after the months of hard work, preparation, and planning, we're done!...Right? Not quite—we can't forget about the thank you letters! The gifts didn't just appear out of nowhere. And we sure didn't, and couldn't have, put together the wedding and reception by ourselves. There are many people to thank. And the sooner the better!  Read more...

Topics:  *all  marketing  relationships
Last modified 6/15/10 at 1:29 PM by roadwarriors.

For some time now, Stelter has been sending out a newsletter called Stelter Advantage to clients, prospects and friends of the firm. In a recent issue we featured a case study of a college prep school that put together multi-channel marketing plan on a limited budget. Shortly after the newsletter went out, I received a phone call from one of our museum clients in Ohio who had seen the article and wanted to discuss how Stelter might put together a similar marketing plan for them.  Read more...

Topics:  *all  marketing
Last modified 6/9/10 at 8:49 AM by creativeservices.

“I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.” This quote by Blaise Pascal, a philosopher from the 1600s, sums up the point of my blog—writing concisely is a task that can take time, but one that is worth the effort. Following are some questions to ask yourself that can help you let go of the words:   Read more...

Topics:  *all  law
Last modified 6/3/10 at 1:28 PM by thoughtleaders.

You know that old Bonnie Raitt song, “Something to Talk About”? Well, those of us in charitable gift planning finally have something to talk to prospects about in 2010. The American Council on Gift Annuities increased CGA rates effective July 1, 2010. Now, I know the increase was slight and didn’t affect every single age, but you have to look at your glass as half full and not half empty. If you take the rate increase as an opportunity to begin dialogs and continue communicating with donors as you build relationships with them, you’ll see the beauty of the rate increase as a good reason to contact donors. Use it as another arrow in your quiver of planned giving conversation starters.  Read more...

Topics:  *all  design  marketing
Last modified 5/21/10 at 10:57 AM by creativeservices.

Two-color newsletters are typically used out of necessity rather than desire. But that doesn’t mean they can’t be effective if done properly. You will need to work with what you have; just as in life you are not always given everything you want and you have to make do with what you have. Let's find out what you need to consider:   Read more...

Topics:  *all  design
Last modified 5/18/10 at 1:31 PM by creativeservices.

Well that’s not actually true. Designers go to school to be designers. They have trained, studied, practiced and lost sleep to become good designers. Although it is not impossible for an amateur to achieve the same results, it is unlikely. Designers make things look pretty and they are trained to do just that. There are many client requests that make designers want to run screaming -- here are my top 3 “favorites.”   Read more...

Topics:  *all  emarketing  web
Last modified 5/14/10 at 4:18 PM by webservices.

Who knew my Mom was so smart? All the little cliché things she taught me actually are useful in everyday life, and now, in my professional life, I’m finding them to be even more useful. On an almost weekly basis I get at least one e-mail from one of my eNewsletter clients asking me how to increase their open rate or readership (click-through) rate. From my dear Mom, here are some tips:  Read more...

Topics:  *all  marketing  relationships
Last modified 5/14/10 at 4:17 PM by clientservices.

You’ll never see me on the cover of the P90X DVD (well, maybe as the “before” picture), but I love working out. It’s been a passion of mine since I started lifting weights in college. And I’ve learned more about the human body and about myself than I ever imagined.  Read more...

Topics:  *all  emarketing  marketing  web
Last modified 5/14/10 at 11:06 AM by webservices.

As an e-marketing specialist for nonprofits, I spend my entire workday creating and sending planned giving e-mails to donors. I’ve found that a well personalized e-mail can boost readership. Here are some tips:  Read more...

Topics:  *all  web
Last modified 5/7/10 at 3:16 PM by creativeservices.

Earlier this week I ran across Lori Jacobwith’s blog, “One of the best enewsletters I’ve seen in awhile”. The e-newsletter cited happens to be one that I helped produce as an editor for The Stelter Company (we create gift planning marketing materials for nonprofits). Lori had some nice things to say about the mailing, and I thought I could add some more perspective on the thought process I went through in creating the e-newsletter.  Read more...

Topics:  *all  marketing  relationships
Last modified 5/4/10 at 12:58 PM by roadwarriors.

I’m always amazed at how easy it is for some directors of gift planning to be very successful in exceeding their fund raising targets in both good economic times and those when the challenges are greater. I recently visited with such a client to review an audit of their 2009 results. The year was the most successful in this organization’s history as measured by matured bequests, new bequest expectancies and closed gift annuity contracts. The average gift-size for matured and bequest expectancies is $160,000; gift annuity contracts average $110,000.  Read more...

Topics:  *all  mailing
Last modified 4/29/10 at 3:56 PM by mailservices.

What name do you go by? Most of us have many. I’ve been called Dan, Danny, Daniel, and even Dan-o on occasion. I don’t really mind; I’ll answer to just about anything, even if it’s not my “legal” name. The United States Postal Service, however, is not as easy going. So what does this mean to your nonprofit organization?  Read more...

Topics:  *all  marketing  relationships
Last modified 4/28/10 at 8:41 AM by clientservices.

Every once in awhile when I have "free time" (what's that?!?), I train and show dogs. There’s an old adage I'm sure you've heard, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks". Well, I beg to differ. If your "old dog"(or really any dog for that matter) is MOTIVATED by reward or curiosity you may well have the opportunity to be successful in teaching him a new trick. The best part? Both the trainer AND the dog get a reward at the end. The dog gets a treat, a pat on the head, an “Atta boy” and possibly a rush of excitement. The trainer gets the satisfaction of knowing she was able to creatively produce a desired result and furthers her connection with the dog.  Read more...

Topics:  *all  design  marketing
Last modified 4/22/10 at 11:40 AM by creativeservices.

Working as a graphic designer in the planned giving industry, nearly all of the projects I work on have a serious subject matter. Sometimes it's an upbeat, positive kind of seriousness, but humor is usually lacking in these projects. When I come across something funny it can be a bright spot in my day.   Read more...

Topics:  *all  marketing  web
Last modified 4/15/10 at 1:13 PM by thoughtleaders.

While analyzing online traffic patterns for a client who subscribes to our planned giving Web content—a small liberal arts college in North Carolina—we discovered an interesting trend: Visitors who were presented with stories by or about recent donors went on to read additional site content at a much higher rate than visitors who first read other types of articles.   Read more...

Topics:  *all  marketing  web
Last modified 4/13/10 at 12:10 PM by thoughtleaders.

Last week I met with a planned giving officer at a hospital in western Iowa—part of a large healthcare system of 40+ hospitals. He wanted to talk about e-mail and how much success he was having sending e-newsletters to donors. Seems like a conversation I’ve been having a lot lately. The beauty of e-mail is that it’s measurable and relatively inexpensive. Of course, the more e-mail addresses you have, the cheaper it is to communicate. An e-mail append service makes it easy to find permission-granted e-mail addresses from your database. Many of our clients are already taking advantage of this service.   Read more...

Topics:  *all  law
Last modified 4/8/10 at 9:18 AM by thoughtleaders.

The IRA Charitable Rollover Legislation is on the minds of many lately. People want to know; has the legislation been enacted yet? As of now, the short answer is no.  Read more...

Topics:  *all  marketing
Last modified 4/6/10 at 4:15 PM by roadwarriors.

Jeff Brooks, author of a fantastic blog, Future Fundraising Now, has consistently discussed the importance of relevance in marketing campaigns in all varieties of fundraising. Marketing your planned giving opportunities is no exception.  Read more...

Topics:  *all  design  web
Last modified 4/1/10 at 10:31 AM by webservices.

“How do I drive traffic to my gift planning Web site?” is a question I hear daily from many nonprofits across the country. With so much brain power put toward getting visitors, it’s a shame if once they arrive they take one look at your site and immediately hit the Back button.   Read more...

Topics:  *all  design  marketing
Last modified 3/30/10 at 3:45 PM by creativeservices.

I’m regularly surprised by how much responsibility I see placed on reply cards. All too often I see reply devices overwhelmed with check boxes requesting details unrelated to the mailing, making a vague offer for more information or soliciting information that would probably be more effectively learned through other routes.  Read more...

Topics:  *all  design  marketing
Last modified 3/25/10 at 12:50 PM by creativeservices.

One thing I see missing from many "unsuccessful" direct mail campaigns is the call to action. Along with your mail list, content and design, the call to action is an essential part of a direct mail campaign. Without a call to action, you can only hope that a donor knows what to do next and you can only speculate how successful the campaign was.  Read more...

Topics:  *all  marketing  mission  relationships
Last modified 3/23/10 at 1:00 PM by creativeservices.

It’s relatively easy for your donors to continue giving as they’ve always done—especially when that means writing a check every December. When you ask someone to do anything different—in this case, to make a long-term commitment to your organization by including a gift in their estate plans—you need to present a very compelling case for change.  Read more...

Topics:  *all  marketing  web
Last modified 3/18/10 at 12:44 PM by clientservices.

With the advancements and advantages in technology, marketing on the Web and through e-mail has become a great cost-effective way to spread the word about planned giving. But how do you make sure donors find YOUR Web site?  Read more...

Topics:  *all  marketing  relationships
Last modified 3/17/10 at 8:58 AM by clientservices.

Every successful gift planning newsletter should share at least one solid message about a great gift the charitable organization has received, right? That’s what we’ve been telling our clients for years and it’s valid. However, listening to what donors have told us through our donor research and focus group studies, we recognize not all donor stories are equal. Simply sharing a nice story may not have the impact you’re looking for.  Read more...

Topics:  *all  marketing  relationships
Last modified 3/11/10 at 10:55 AM by thoughtleaders.

I ask this question a lot when I am meeting with organizations or presenting at conferences. Obviously I know that if you work for a nonprofit you spend a lot of time thinking and talking about your mission. But when was the last time you thought about your mission as it pertains to planned giving? When was the last time your organization took the opportunity to think about its long term vision and goals? Equally important - when was the last time you shared that vision with your donors?  Read more...

Topics:  *all  marketing  research  web
Last modified 3/11/10 at 10:39 AM by creativeservices.

Stelter’s 2009 research revealed that most people don’t know what “planned giving” means. It’s easy enough to write a sentence or two about how planned gifts differ from simply writing a check or donating online. But what if you only have space for a few words, like the link from your organization’s Web site to your planned giving pages?   Read more...

Topics:  *all  relationships
Last modified 3/11/10 at 10:37 AM by roadwarriors.

Throughout my travels I visit with many different types of organizations and people in an effort to help them expand their planned giving program and generate more planned gifts. The main question I hear is; “How can I generate the most response and planned gifts from my planned giving mailings?” Now, without going into full consultative mode, the quick answer is persistence, patience and relationships.  Read more...

Topics:  *all  marketing
Last modified 3/4/10 at 10:08 AM by thoughtleaders.

I recently read a good blog post, Why Do Newsletters Work?, by Phyllis Freedman, President at SmartGiving, wherein she reminds her readers of the tried-and-true most effective use of direct mail in planned giving marketing…newsletters. The last decade has brought about a variety of marketing tactics, with some going as fair as claiming to be a ‘revolution in planned gift marketing’. However, at the end of the day there is no ‘silver bullet’. What we do have is a variety of best practices that will make your marketing efforts more successful:   Read more...

Topics:  *all  law
Last modified 2/25/10 at 5:32 PM by thoughtleaders.

The current “state of estate tax” (read more about this) is the most ridiculous position Americans have been put in – in a long time. How crazy to have allowed carryover basis when you know people haven’t kept good tax records. And what about those deaths that occur this year? If Congress tries to reinstate federal estate taxes retroactively to January 1, 2010, is that really fair? Will there be a constitutional challenge? And if so, will it be successful?  Read more...

Topics:  *all
Last modified 2/25/10 at 5:31 PM by guestblogger.

Hey, planned giving officers, have you heard the news? Next time your organization has a capital campaign, you’ll have a seat at the table. In fact, you may emerge as heroes. You see, there are some new rules of the road out there in campaign-land, and I think you’re going to like them.  Read more...

Topics:  *all  design
Last modified 2/24/10 at 5:30 PM by creativeservices.

Never underestimate the power of a picture; as the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words.  Often a picture connects in a way that words cannot.  This is never truer than when connecting your donors to your organization and your mission.  To get the most out of your photos, ask yourself these simple questions:  Read more...

Topics:  *all  research
Last modified 2/11/10 at 5:57 PM by thoughtleaders.

As fundraisers, our job is to find a balance between delivering the right message, providing information and offering motivation to inspire a person to make a charitable gift. Those of us in planned giving sometimes try to veil the drier aspects of our topic—estate taxes, trusts, and primarily death—in charming packages in an attempt to make them more palatable to the reader. While compiling data recently for a year-end report, I found evidence that suggests donors might have a greater ability to swallow the tough stuff, minus a chaser, than we realize.   Read more...

Topics:  *all  web
Last modified 2/11/10 at 5:56 PM by webservices.

People that care about your cause are out there. They aren't all in your target age-range or demographic. They aren't all on your newsletter or email list, and frankly, many of them may never be on those lists. But that doesn't mean they don't care, and it doesn't mean they don't want to help.    Read more...