Imagine you’re a brand-new VP for Advancement. You arrive on the heels of the most successful campaign in the university’s history with leadership wanting to launch a new campaign in a few years as part of a 150th-anniversary celebration. After your arrival, you discover an annual giving program in steady decline, alumni giving near an … Continue reading Increase Alumni Engagement Without Adding Staff? Yes, It Is Possible!
Category: Engagement
Meaningful Involvement
Yesterday we celebrated the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. through the observance of a national holiday – the only federal holiday designated as a national day of service to encourage Americans to volunteer to improve their communities. You may have observed this holiday by participating in some form of service that was meaningful to you and/or to the … Continue reading Meaningful Involvement
The Truth About Milking Cows
I don’t know much about milking cows, but I do know this: You can’t milk a cow by sending it a letter. If this seems preposterously elementary and painfully obvious, you’re right! But to how many prospective donors have you invited philanthropic support by letter (or email) only? The annual fund is reliant upon direct … Continue reading The Truth About Milking Cows
Zig When Others Zag
“What begins as a failure of the imagination ends as a market inefficiency." Michael Lewis, Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game Maybe you haven’t read the book from which this quote was taken. But I’m guessing you’ve seen or heard of the movie adaptation … Continue reading Zig When Others Zag
Like Buying Stock
“Charitable giving ought to be like any ordinary investment in that you buy the whole company. When you buy 100 shares of McDonald's you can't specify that you want to invest only in the french fries. Ditto when giving $100 to a good cause.” One way Gonser Gerber serves clients is by helping maximize a … Continue reading Like Buying Stock
Virtual Meetings: 4 Strategies for Greater Involvement
By now, I hope you’re convinced that video meetings are here to stay even beyond the pandemic, you can upgrade your virtual meeting environment and thereby improve the experience for your guests, and you can enhance your chances for securing virtual meetings with the different and creative approaches. Now, what can you do to achieve … Continue reading Virtual Meetings: 4 Strategies for Greater Involvement
5 Approaches for Securing a Virtual Meeting
Whether you believe virtual meetings are a fad borne out of the necessity or a trend here to stay, there’s one thing we can likely all agree on: Virtual meetings with donors and prospects must occur in the short-term to keep our Advancement work moving forward. Previously, I suggested virtual meetings are here to stay, … Continue reading 5 Approaches for Securing a Virtual Meeting
Virtual Meetings: 6 Ways to Upgrade Your Experience
Back to the Future debuted the first of its three movies 35 years ago last month, and here’s a fun fact: the movie creators forecasted at least 10 future innovations, including the adoption of tablet computers, flat-screen TVs, facial recognition, smart glasses, and yes…videoconferencing (as shown in the clip above). Although they were a few … Continue reading Virtual Meetings: 6 Ways to Upgrade Your Experience
The Way of the Horse?
Given time and retrospection, this quote has been rendered ludicrous and laughable. But when uttered more than 100 years ago, it represented a sentiment of the times. Which got me to wondering: What is our horse-is-here-to-stay reality? How about in-person meetings? We know that when done well, our work is relational, not transactional. And forming … Continue reading The Way of the Horse?
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