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Volume
5, Issue 2 - March 2003 |
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THROW A PARTY SO NOBODY WILL
COME! |
There are lots of ways to raise funds for your organization. Special events.
Pledge drives. Major gift solicitations. Annual campaigns, etc. etc. etc.
And there is a lot of work that goes into these various types of fundraisers.
For Example:
Special events require a place to hold the event, invitations to
print, stuff and mail, volunteers to recruit and manage, decorations, set up,
clean up and thousands of other details. A-thons are a real nightmare to manage
with recruitment, follow up and tons of volunteers.
Annual campaigns usually involve a letter, a response device and a return
envelope. Lots to print and just think, you are paying postage twice on these
campaigns!
Asking Board members to build lists of prospects to call upon personally is
usually met with vacant stares and excuses like “Gee, I’d love to, but my
rolodex is broken!”
But What
If…
But what if you could give current and prospective donors an
opportunity to support your organization in an unusual way that takes nearly no
staff or volunteer time and has a minimal cost?
How About …
So, how about holding a NonEvent? You can manage the entire event
over the Internet, “e-viting” donors and prospects NOT to attend an event, walk
in a walk-a-thon, or whatever other type of fundraiser you can dream up.
What is Required?
A NonEvent over the Internet is easy to do. Simply dream up an
event—make it as complicated as you want—or as fun as you want— e-vite current
and prospective donors via email and give them reasons not to attend with
suggested “costs” (donations).
The wonderful thing about a NonEvent is that you can include people from all
over the US (or even beyond) because they can’t attend!
Use your current donor list and add email addresses of volunteers, friends,
clients and prospects. Ask Board members and volunteers to supply names and
email addresses and ask these volunteers to follow up with an email of their own
to encourage “excuses.”
Simply dream up a theme, design an Internet invitation, develop a database of
email addresses, send the “e-vites” and acknowledge and thank donors. You’ll
need credit card processing, as well.
Have Some Fun
Here are some fun ideas for a NonEvent. How about a picnic in the
middle of winter … a very formal event in the middle of the busiest time of the
year … an event honoring a special volunteer … an event to celebrate your
organization’s anniversary or other milestone … end of year holiday drive … non-athon
… holiday theme event … put your imagination to work.
Need Help?
Scroll down for more ...
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So, you think you want to try a NonEvent over the Internet?
Well, it just got REALLY
EASY!
A couple of weeks ago, I was thinking about how to help a client with a
fundraising campaign and realized that the Internet could be an incredible tool
for that organization since its staff is small but its donor base is pretty good
sized. (Oh, duh!)
So, I met with two people I trust who are passionate about helping
nonprofits, and an idea was born:
www.NonEvents.com
www.NonEvents.com is a joint venture between
Jean Block Consulting and Sheldon Liebman of L&S Marketing with able assistance
from our friend, Karen Patterson of Nova Information Systems (credit card
processing).
Between us, we’ve got so many years of nonprofit experience it makes us tired
to even think about it!
I’ve been working in the nonprofit sector since I was 13 years old (more than
45 years). Shelly has more than 20 years experience in marketing and public
relations and is the webmaster for dozens of nonprofits. Karen knows how to make
credit card processing work for all types of businesses and nonprofits and is a
nonprofit volunteer herself.
Here’s How We Can Help
Visit our new web site at
www.NonEvents.com
to begin your exploration into the possibilities of virtual events.
You dream up a theme for your event (or we’ll do the dreaming for you, if you
are simply too overwhelmed and brain dead to do it). I’ve been there—I feel your
pain!
After the theme is developed, we’ll design an Internet invitation with all
the excuses NOT to attend and send it to you for your approval.
Then, you give us the database of email addresses for people to e-vite to the
NonEvent and we’ll send the invitations for you. We can even personalize the
invitations using e-mail merge technology.
You should also consider the potential of sponsors
for the NonEvent to add to your profit. You set the amounts and we’ll give them
exposure on the invitations. As the idea grows, we can also post the “e-vites”
on our web site to give ongoing exposure to your sponsors...and to your
organization!
Don’t worry about confidentiality! We
take this very, very seriously and promise that your database will not be shared
with anyone else, ever, no way, no how!
As the “excuses” are returned through a SECURE web page, they’ll be forwarded
to you weekly (or daily, but it costs a little more) so that you can process
them from your office, ensuring your donors that their contributions (excuses
not to attend) are fully tax deductible.
Need credit card processing? Contact
Karen.Patterson@Novainfo.com and she’ll get you set up anywhere in
the US.
Now, what could be easier? All you do is think up a theme, email us the list
of addresses, we’ll send the invitations and forward the donation information to
you.
No place to rent, no invitations to print, stuff and mail, no volunteers to
recruit and manage, no decorations, no set up and no clean up!
Visit
www.NonEvents.com and let us get started
working for you.
Back to Table of
Contents
Now you can add two great books to your agency library.
The ABCs of Building Better Boards is just what you need to
improve your Board’s potential. It includes ideas for recruitment, retention and
recognition and has some great forms for you to copy and use.
Learn how to deal with unproductive Board members and how to better define the
roles of staff and Board. There is a chapter on financial and fiduciary facts,
one on simple parliamentary procedure and much much more.
Discover how Board Job Descriptions and annual Commitment Letters will
dramatically improve your Board’s effectiveness. See how a truly effective
Nominating Committee will lead to a better Board.
Get good ideas for more efficient Board management and administration, including
how to set up and manage effective committees.
It’s only $24.95 plus shipping and handling. Take advantage of a volume
discount of up to 20% and give this book to all new Board members as part of
their orientation.
Fast Fundraising Facts for Fame & Fortune
is full of ideas to improve your fundraising, including how to ask effectively,
special events essentials and new ideas for fundraising.
Help volunteers get over the fear of asking for money and in-kind resources for
your organization. Learn how marketing principles will make fundraising easier.
Learn about Jean’s Ten Rules for Fundraising Success
and apply them to your organization immediately. This book puts the FUN into
FUNDraising and gives good examples and ideas that really work, rather than
using hard to follow formulas and theories.
At only $19.95 plus shipping and handling, it’s a Must Have for your nonprofit
resource library.
Email me at to
discuss volume discounts for staff or volunteers.
Order Now So You Don't Forget!
Go to the Order Form to order your copies of
The ABCs of Building Better Boards
and
Fast Fundraising Facts For Fame & Fortune ©
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Contents
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HOW CAN I HELP YOU?
TAKE THIS QUICKIE QUIZ
|
Please give me a call if you want to turn any NO into a YES. I can help
with:
- turning your Board into a dynamic group of volunteers,
- facilitating a strategic planning session,
- analyzing your current fundraising and suggesting some new ideas, and
- training volunteers and staff in becoming more effective fundraisers.
Here is what people have said about my training and facilitation:
"Jean Block is a powerhouse in the
Non-Profit world. You don't move about these circles long before her name is
prominent in the conversation. Her commitment to training, fundraising,
motivating, and cultivation is unsurpassed. To say she is an influence is
to miss the point. She gives new meaning to the word enthusiasm! You don't
know Jean, you experience her! She is a force unlike any other I have every
met."
Randy Gleason
Randy
Gleason Consulting, Inc.
"I attended the Corporate
Sponsorship Workshop - WOW! You were amazing! What an OPPORTUNITY for me!
Your presentation style was EXCELLENT. By
far the best workshop I've been to in a long time (content and style
both!)."
Vicki
Kopplin
Epilepsy
Foundation of Minnesota
"I attended your workshop in St. Louis
and left there feeling so uplifted by your motivation. Your training - to
make us all savvy marketers - has paid off. Even in this economy, our
underwriting is up and our auction donations have blown away everyone in
town! We simply feel empowered to ask anyone and everyone AND to tell them
WHY we are their market. It's working!
Thank you!"
Kirsten Wagmeister
Junior League of Evansville
"Thank you for the awesome training
sessions...As someone (who) would normally walk over hot coals before asking
for $, I was amazed by your session. I actually feel fired up at
fundraising. I went right home and called two friends with ideas for their
non-profits. I hope to give a presentation to my Board encouraging them to
have you train us."
Heather Harden,
Finance Council Director
Junior League of
Champaign-Urbana
"I just have to tell you that you made
such an incredible impact when you spoke to our Board. I can't begin to tell
you how many times your words of wisdom have been brought up at our
Executive, Board and Committee meetings. In fact, just today, in two
different conversations I was having, your ideas were quoted by others.
Thank you for inspiring us to think in a new direction."
Kim Erdel
Junior League of
Springfield, Missouri
"Jean conducted an extremely well
organized and productive [Board] retreat, one that I can
say with confidence that our members count as the finest
ever conducted for us. Jean's follow-up report was
in-depth and meaty, and both Board and staff have
referred to it time and again. The knowledge of
boardsmanship the members took with them has made a
remarkable difference in their levels of commitment and
support."
Eileen Cook, Executive Director
Casa Esperanza
Jean Block
Consulting, Inc.
7915 Cliff Road NW
Albuquerque NM 87120
(505) 899-1520
Fax (505) 890-5285
Email:
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