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The Top 10 Reasons NOT to Plan

February 4, 2010 By Sandy

I thought I’d have a little fun here and list for you the Top 10 Reasons NOT to create a fundraising plan (David Letterman style).  Here they are:

10. You like working in crisis mode.  It makes the day more interesting.

9. You think flying-by-the-seat-of-your-pants is somewhere between “coach” and “first class.”

8. If you have a plan, you might lose your membership in “Underachievers Anonymous.”

7. You think “crisis du jour” means soup of the day and you’re hoping it’s broccoli cheese.

6. Being reactive actually forces you to scurry around the office more, and it counts as exercise.

5. If you had a plan you might need to be organized, and you’re afraid of what you might find if you were to clean your office.  Some of those piles of paper have been there a LONG time!

4. You LIKE wandering aimlessly!

3. You have no more space on your bookshelf for the binder containing the plan.  (Isn’t that what we do with plans?)

2. Working a plan would mean being more efficient and you’re not sure what you’d do with all your free time.

And the number 1 reason…

1. If your plan is successful and you raise a lot of money, you might work yourself out of a job!

Filed Under: Fundraising Planning Tagged With:

Are you planning to thank your volunteers?

February 3, 2010 By Sandy

There are so many little things that get overlooked when we as Fundraisers get busy.  One of them is thanking volunteers.

I was coaching a busy Executive Director lately and she mentioned that she has a lot of people who are volunteering with her organiazation and doing sweet things.  I asked her if she had thanked them recently. “Thanked them? Uh, no.” 

So here’s the idea I gave her.  Go pick up a box of valentine’s and write a personal note on them, then mail them to your volunteers.  It’s simple, it’s affordable, it’s quick, and it works!  Most of the time, people just want to know you appreciate them. (This also works for some donors and other supporters.)

Brainstorm a couple of ideas throughout the year when you can do these little things to thank your volunteers.  Then get them on the calendar so you won’t forget.

Would you like more great little ideas like this?  Join me Thursday afternoon at 3 pm eastern for a free call.  Sign up and get all the details here: http://getfullyfunded.info/where-is-sandy/free-teleseminars.

Filed Under: Donor Acknowledgement, Fundraising Planning, Volunteers Tagged With: , ,

My favorite nonprofit planning quotes

February 2, 2010 By Sandy

Here are some of my favorite quotes about planning.

The significance of a man is not in what he attains but in what he longs to attain. Kahlil Gibran

If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else.  Yogi Berra

Don’t bunt. Aim out of the ballpark. David Ogilvy

Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude. Thomas Jefferson

Success always comes when preparation meets opportunity. Henry Hartman

If you can dream it, you can do it. Walt Disney

Plan your work.  Then work your plan.  Anonymous

Do you have a favorite quote on planning?  I’d love to hear it!  Click on the comment link and share. :)

Filed Under: Fundraising Planning, Inspiration Tagged With: ,
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