The Build Good Fundraising Podcast

Send us a textAs passionate fundraisers, we’re all pretty good at thinking about how to talk to donors. But sometimes, we're not the best listeners. On this week’s BG Live, we’re joined by Just McCord from RKD about a brand new donor study that listened to donors across a variety of causes. Turns out, donors need us to listen more.In our chat, we’ll talk about: 1. What donors say makes for strong relationships.2. What donors say they want from their favourite causes.3. Two key emotions that stand out above the rest in the research.4. How donor expectations have changed.5. How relationships affect both what—and where—donors give. And we’ll also get into how to transition your fundraising practice to listen first.Justin is the SVP Marketing & Communications at RKD, where he oversees the brand and leads the firm's research efforts. And he’s a nerd for soccer, professional wrestling and dad jokes.—➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messaging that leads donors to action and raises more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 🤔 What else would you like to know about improving your fundraising and becoming an effective nonprofit marketer? Connect with Mike Duerksen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeduerksen/ 🔔 Follow the Build Good Fundraising Podcast on your favourite podcast app—and never miss a new episode: https://buildgood.com/category/podcast/ ❤️ And if you haven't yet, subscribe to our Youtube channel for more fundraising videos and actionable strategies that will help you grow your revenue and impact: https://www.youtube.com/@buildgood?sub_confirmation=1 Thanks for listening! ---- #Fundraising #Nonprofit #Philanthropy #Marketing Interested in  working with a fundraising agency to grow your nonprofit?BuildGood is a fundraising agency that helps nonprofits raise more money from individual donors. Let our team of experts create your fundraising appeals, emails and newsletters for you, and reclaim the time to do the thing only YOU can do: build genuine, human, personal relationships with your donors. You’ll add proven expertise to your team. You’ll benefit from tested and proven strategies that will make you more money. And you’ll have peace of mind that you’re putting your best foot forward with your fundraising. ➡️For more information, go here: www.buildgood.com

Send us a textDo you have donors on your file who could be making larger gifts…but you’ve just never asked? Chances are, you do. And chances are also, you might not even know where to begin to identify them and lead them toward greater generosity (otherwise you would’ve asked them already!).The good news is, it could be simpler than you think. Note: Simple, not easy.On this week’s podcast, we’re talking to Gudrun Hofmeister from Philanthropic Fundraising. She’s an expert in 6- and 7-figure gifts, and she’s spent 15 years managing and preparing for successful capital campaigns. So if you want to secure the largest gifts in your organization’s history, you might find this conversation to be really valuable. Find out more by visiting Philanthropic Fundraising or following Gudrun on LinkedIn.—➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messaging that leads donors to action and raises more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 🤔 What else would you like to know about improving your fundraising and becoming an effective nonprofit marketer? Connect with Mike Duerksen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeduerksen/ 🔔 Follow the Build Good Fundraising Podcast on your favourite podcast app—and never miss a new episode: https://buildgood.com/category/podcast/ ❤️ And if you haven't yet, subscribe to our Youtube channel for more fundraising videos and actionable strategies that will help you grow your revenue and impact: https://www.youtube.com/@buildgood?sub_confirmation=1 Thanks for listening! ---- #Fundraising #Nonprofit #Philanthropy #Marketing Interested in  working with a fundraising agency to grow your nonprofit?BuildGood is a fundraising agency that helps nonprofits raise more money from individual donors. Let our team of experts create your fundraising appeals, emails and newsletters for you, and reclaim the time to do the thing only YOU can do: build genuine, human, personal relationships with your donors. You’ll add proven expertise to your team. You’ll benefit from tested and proven strategies that will make you more money. And you’ll have peace of mind that you’re putting your best foot forward with your fundraising. ➡️For more information, go here: www.buildgood.com

Send us a textHumans are wired for stories, yet storytelling can be challenging. That’s why on this week’s BuildGood Live, we’re talking to master storyteller—and founder of LemonSkies—Olga Moshinsky Woltman about how to harness the power of stories.She’s worked with some of the most inspiring and transformative causes, including American Heart Association, the ALS Association, American Diabetes Association, and Special Olympics.In our chat, we’ll discuss what makes stories impactful, how to help and connect donors to the stories we tell, and how to activate your staff to help you gather story leads. We’ll also get into how great storytelling can even help you retain your staff—and energize your culture and team morale. Find out more by visiting LemonSkies or following Olga on LinkedIn.—➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messaging that leads donors to action and raises more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 🤔 What else would you like to know about improving your fundraising and becoming an effective nonprofit marketer? Connect with Mike Duerksen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeduerksen/ 🔔 Follow the Build Good Fundraising Podcast on your favourite podcast app—and never miss a new episode: https://buildgood.com/category/podcast/ ❤️ And if you haven't yet, subscribe to our Youtube channel for more fundraising videos and actionable strategies that will help you grow your revenue and impact: https://www.youtube.com/@buildgood?sub_confirmation=1 Thanks for listening! ---- #Fundraising #Nonprofit #Philanthropy #Marketing Interested in  working with a fundraising agency to grow your nonprofit?BuildGood is a fundraising agency that helps nonprofits raise more money from individual donors. Let our team of experts create your fundraising appeals, emails and newsletters for you, and reclaim the time to do the thing only YOU can do: build genuine, human, personal relationships with your donors. You’ll add proven expertise to your team. You’ll benefit from tested and proven strategies that will make you more money. And you’ll have peace of mind that you’re putting your best foot forward with your fundraising. ➡️For more information, go here: www.buildgood.com

Send us a textIn a new segment of the pod we’re calling How I Built Good, we interview nonprofit founders, entrepreneurs and leaders on how they’re building good in the world. Starting with Becky Straw. She never set out to become a founder. But when she was let go from her job at fast-growing water charity, she bought a wireless printer the next day to start building The Adventure Project.With a passionate co-founder and a crew of volunteers by her side, Becky raised the first $40,000 with a clever marketing campaign.Today, the organization provides people in 6 countries with the tools and skills to become profitable entrepreneurs—and fund their ventures to create solutions to poverty in their own communities.The people they help learn a specialized trade and receive the mentorship and education to thrive. So they can earn an income, and wake up each day filled with purpose and pride.In our chat with Becky, she gets into: how she started the org with $0 and a wireless printerhow the org is finding a sustainable business model without having to only rely on campaign after campaign a life-changing moment on a rural, bumpy, washed out road in Liberia that still motivates her todaythe philosophy behind treating the $10 donor like the $1,000 donorYou can find out more about The Adventure Project right here—➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messaging that leads donors to action and raises more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 🤔 What else would you like to know about improving your fundraising and becoming an effective nonprofit marketer? Connect with Mike Duerksen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeduerksen/ 🔔 Follow the Build Good Fundraising Podcast on your favourite podcast app—and never miss a new episode: https://buildgood.com/category/podcast/ ❤️ And if you haven't yet, subscribe to our Youtube channel for more fundraising videos and actionable strategies that will help you grow your revenue and impact: https://www.youtube.com/@buildgood?sub_confirmation=1 Thanks for listening! ---- #Fundraising #Nonprofit #Philanthropy #Marketing Interested in  working with a fundraising agency to grow your nonprofit?BuildGood is a fundraising agency that helps nonprofits raise more money from individual donors. Let our team of experts create your fundraising appeals, emails and newsletters for you, and reclaim the time to do the thing only YOU can do: build genuine, human, personal relationships with your donors. You’ll add proven expertise to your team. You’ll benefit from tested and proven strategies that will make you more money. And you’ll have peace of mind that you’re putting your best foot forward with your fundraising. ➡️For more information, go here: www.buildgood.com

Send us a textHave you ever surveyed your donors? We talk a lot about listening to donors through conversations. Surveys can be a great tool to compliment donor conversations, because they’re interviews at scale.They’re a great way to: EngageCourse-correct (are we going in the right direction?)Collect informationMake donors feel valued and seenIdentify donors for further cultivation and solicitationBut how do you get started designing a survey? And what meaningful and practical steps can you take with the information you get back? On this week’s podcast, we chat with Louis Diez about how to get started with donor surveys. Louis advises nonprofits in annual fund development, digital fundraising, and engagement strategies.He currently serves as the VP, Community of Almabase and is the founder of the Donor Participation Project. Previously, he was Executive Director of Annual Giving at Muhlenberg College, Director of the Annual Fund and Development Business Operations at the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and Associate Director of Development at Johns Hopkins SAIS. In these roles, he led teams that created growth in number of donors and dollars raised through a model he calls the Sustainable Revenue Engine.In our chat, we get into: How to choose and define the purpose of a donor survey How to design questions that connect with the donor’s identity and valuesHow to design questions that connect the donor with the different ways you’re making an impactHow to design questions about philanthropic plans and habitsHow to strategically follow-up with donors who raised their hand—➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messaging that leads donors to action and raises more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 🤔 What else would you like to know about improving your fundraising and becoming an effective nonprofit marketer? Connect with Mike Duerksen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeduerksen/ 🔔 Follow the Build Good Fundraising Podcast on your favourite podcast app—and never miss a new episode: https://buildgood.com/category/podcast/ ❤️ And if you haven't yet, subscribe to our Youtube channel for more fundraising videos and actionable strategies that will help you grow your revenue and impact: https://www.youtube.com/@buildgood?sub_confirmation=1 Thanks for listening! 

Send us a textHelping your donors feel like they belong might be your ultimate fundraising achievement.Why? Years of stress, amplified by the pandemic, has created a “belonging crisis.” Record levels of mental health issues are putting an entire generation at risk. Many of us are more connected than ever before—and at the same time, lonelier than ever before. So what if your nonprofit created the kind of emotional connection that would not only make your fundraising a lot more effective—but could also help to enhance your donors’ sense of self-esteem, self-identity, and pride? What if you built the kind of lasting, emotional ties with donors that would make them an important part of the team?Today on the podcast, we’re talking with futurist and business consultant Mark Schaefer on how to create a true community of donors. Mark just released his new book, Belonging to The Brand, which is one of my favorite reads in recent memory.  In our chat, we get into: The difference between building an audience and building a community The loneliest generation How legacy giving is tied to belonging and community—➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messaging that leads donors to action and raises more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 🤔 What else would you like to know about improving your fundraising and becoming an effective nonprofit marketer? Connect with Mike Duerksen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeduerksen/ 🔔 Follow the Build Good Fundraising Podcast on your favourite podcast app—and never miss a new episode: https://buildgood.com/category/podcast/ ❤️ And if you haven't yet, subscribe to our Youtube channel for more fundraising videos and actionable strategies that will help you grow your revenue and impact: https://www.youtube.com/@buildgood?sub_confirmation=1 Thanks for listening! ---- #Fundraising #Nonprofit #Philanthropy #Marketing Interested in  working with a fundraising agency to grow your nonprofit?BuildGood is a fundraising agency that helps nonprofits raise more money from individual donors. Let our team of experts create your fundraising appeals, emails and newsletters for you, and reclaim the time to do the thing only YOU can do: build genuine, human, personal relationships with your donors. You’ll add proven expertise to your team. You’ll benefit from tested and proven strategies that will make you more money. And you’ll have peace of mind that you’re putting your best foot forward with your fundraising. ➡️For more information, go here: www.buildgood.com

Send us a textHow often have you heard that you should “listen to your donors” and nodded along in agreement? But how often have you actually sat down to implement a system to continually listen to donors in a structured way and gain new insights? Make no mistake: getting to know your donors is a strategy with high returns.For-profit companies are investing in audience research like never before. They're getting insights from the very same people who will buy their product or service.And you can do the same with your donors.I know it might sound complicated and expensive...but it doesn't have to be.You'd be surprised how easy it is to start listening to your donors, speak their language, and meet them where they are.And in fact, the smaller your donor file, the easier it is.The truth is, the most valuable data you can look at isn't some nonprofit sector report on where philanthropy is going. Or how donors are feeling about the economy. Or what's happening with online giving.The most valuable data you can use to improve your fundraising is right in front of you. It's your donors.So how can you know your audience to grow your audience? On today’s episode, we’re talking to Emily Taylor from teenyBIG about some easy ways to start listening to your donors. Using qualitative research and evaluation methods, she helps nonprofits better understand a donor segment before engaging with them or learn about the strengths and opportunities of their organization through the eyes of its community.In our chat, you’ll learn: The difference between quantitative and qualitative dataThe questions to ask yourself before asking donorsHow to start listening to donorsHow to evaluate donor feedback and analyze itYou can also download a FREE resource on how to reduce bias in your surveys and donor listening right here.—➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messaging that leads donors to action and raises more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 🤔 What else would you like to know about improving your fundraising and becoming an effective nonprofit marketer? Connect with Mike Duerksen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeduerksen/ 🔔 Follow the Build Good Fundraising Podcast on your favourite podcast app—and never miss a new episode: https://buildgood.com/category/podcast/ ❤️ And if you haven't yet, subscribe to our Youtube channel for more fundraising videos and actionable strategies that will help you grow your revenue and impact: https://www.youtube.com/@buildgood?sub_confirmation=1 Thanks for listening! ---- Interested in  working with a fundraising agency to grow your nonprofit?BuildGood is a fundraising agency that helps nonprofits raise more money from individual donors. Let our team of experts create your fundraising appeals, emails and newsletters for you, and reclaim the time to do the thing only YOU can do: build genuine, human, personal relationships with your donors. You’ll add proven expertise to your team. You’ll benefit from tested and proven strategies that will make you more money. And you’ll have peace of mind that you’re putting your best foot forward with your fundraising. ➡️For more information, go here:

Send us a textThe offer is one of the most foundational—yet most misunderstood—tools in fundraising.Get it wrong, and your fundraising can flop. Get it right, and watch the response rate go up.So what is an offer anyway?It’s the thing you're asking donors to help make happen.The outcome.The ultra-specific and tangible difference their gift can make.And that doesn't just apply to direct response fundraising.Major donor visits? There's usually an offer at some point.Events? Just a vehicle to deliver an offer.Grants? A fancy way of presenting an offer (usually with a lot of jargon). So on today’s podcast, we’re talking to Steven Screen about how to craft effective fundraisings offers that open hearts and wallets. He’s the co-founder of Better Fundraising and has been fundraising for 25 years. In the first half of his career, he focused on direct mail, TV, and radio for national nonprofits. For the second half, he's been bringing best practices from the larger organizations to small- to medium-sized charities. In our chat, you’ll learn: Why offers matter more than you might thinkThe building blocks of a great offerHow to overcome common objections from leadershipHow to raise undesignated funds while still using a clear and specific offer—➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messaging that leads donors to action and raises more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 🤔 What else would you like to know about improving your fundraising and becoming an effective nonprofit marketer? Connect with Mike Duerksen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeduerksen/ 🔔 Follow the Build Good Fundraising Podcast on your favourite podcast app—and never miss a new episode: https://buildgood.com/category/podcast/ ❤️ And if you haven't yet, subscribe to our Youtube channel for more fundraising videos and actionable strategies that will help you grow your revenue and impact: https://www.youtube.com/@buildgood?sub_confirmation=1 Thanks for listening! ---- #Fundraising #Nonprofit #Philanthropy #Marketing Interested in  working with a fundraising agency to grow your nonprofit?BuildGood is a fundraising agency that helps nonprofits raise more money from individual donors. Let our team of experts create your fundraising appeals, emails and newsletters for you, and reclaim the time to do the thing only YOU can do: build genuine, human, personal relationships with your donors. You’ll add proven expertise to your team. You’ll benefit from tested and proven strategies that will make you more money. And you’ll have peace of mind that you’re putting your best foot forward with your fundraising. ➡️For more information, go here: www.buildgood.com

Send us a textHow do you achieve predictable fundraising success? Well, nobody can predict how much money you’re going to raise. But if you follow the 5 steps of the fundraising flywheel consistently—over time— your revenue will grow. And so will your career as a leader and fundraiser! So today we’ll walk through each of the 5 parts of the fundraising flywheel in detail. They are:ListenEngageAskCelebrate Report Master these 5 steps, and you will raise more money—consistently. Because you’ll have made donors an important part of your team, invited them to co-create the future with you, and created an emotional connection that leads to open hearts…and open wallets. —➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messaging that leads donors to action and raises more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 🤔 What else would you like to know about improving your fundraising and becoming an effective nonprofit marketer? Connect with Mike Duerksen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeduerksen/ 🔔 Follow the Build Good Fundraising Podcast on your favourite podcast app—and never miss a new episode: https://buildgood.com/category/podcast/ ❤️ And if you haven't yet, subscribe to our Youtube channel for more fundraising videos and actionable strategies that will help you grow your revenue and impact: https://www.youtube.com/@buildgood?sub_confirmation=1 Thanks for listening! ---- #Fundraising #Nonprofit #Philanthropy #Marketing Interested in  working with a fundraising agency to grow your nonprofit?BuildGood is a fundraising agency that helps nonprofits raise more money from individual donors. Let our team of experts create your fundraising appeals, emails and newsletters for you, and reclaim the time to do the thing only YOU can do: build genuine, human, personal relationships with your donors. You’ll add proven expertise to your team. You’ll benefit from tested and proven strategies that will make you more money. And you’ll have peace of mind that you’re putting your best foot forward with your fundraising. ➡️For more information, go here: www.buildgood.com

Send us a textIs it time we ditch the marketing funnel and replace it with a flywheel?Today we’re introducing the concept of the Fundraising Flywheel—a 5-step framework to help donors become an important part of the team and improve your fundraising. The flywheel is simply our way of codifying the fundamentals of fundraising done well:ListenEngageAskCelebrate Report A flywheel is like a big, heavy wheel that helps things keep moving.It's like a toy top that you spin.Once you get it spinning, it keeps going for a little while, even after you stop turning it. The Fundraising Flywheel works the same way. It’s a bit of work to get it spinning.But once you master the 5 parts of the flywheel, your fundraising flywheel will start to gain momentum reliably. With a lot less effort on your part. Your revenue will grow—and so will your career.—➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messaging that leads donors to action and raises more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 🤔 What else would you like to know about improving your fundraising and becoming an effective nonprofit marketer? Connect with Mike Duerksen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeduerksen/ 🔔 Follow the Build Good Fundraising Podcast on your favourite podcast app—and never miss a new episode: https://buildgood.com/category/podcast/ ❤️ And if you haven't yet, subscribe to our Youtube channel for more fundraising videos and actionable strategies that will help you grow your revenue and impact: https://www.youtube.com/@buildgood?sub_confirmation=1 Thanks for listening! ---- #Fundraising #Nonprofit #Philanthropy #Marketing Interested in  working with a fundraising agency to grow your nonprofit?BuildGood is a fundraising agency that helps nonprofits raise more money from individual donors. Let our team of experts create your fundraising appeals, emails and newsletters for you, and reclaim the time to do the thing only YOU can do: build genuine, human, personal relationships with your donors. You’ll add proven expertise to your team. You’ll benefit from tested and proven strategies that will make you more money. And you’ll have peace of mind that you’re putting your best foot forward with your fundraising. ➡️ For more information, go here: www.buildgood.com