• Celebrate the Climb, Watch Donors Align!
    Jan 12 2025

    In fundraising. When you authentically celebrate even partial success, you often unlock additional giving.

    It’s like a mountain climbing team sharing their journey story while still on the mountainside - their authentic enthusiasm often attracts unexpected support.

    What does this kind of celebration look like? To help you, I have put together a couple of "failure" campaign emails that will help you craft your own. CLICK HERE FOR FREE CELEBRATIVE EMAIL SAMPLES

    Get David's book Visionary Fundraising at Amazon.

    Get a digital copy of David's book: Visionary Fundraising today CLICK HERE
    Special price $5.00

    You can connect with David at www.davidoaks.net

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    10 mins
  • My Wife's Hot (Organization Centered Fundraising)
    Jan 7 2025

    I have an acquaintance who loves to put posts on social media about his wife. “She’s hot,” he will say.

    When I see his posts, I feel awkward.

    What ought to be beautiful and admirable is instead a little repulsive.

    He even has a shirt, “I LOVE MY HOT WIFE.”

    AND a coffee mug: “MY WIFE IS HOTTER THAN MY COFFEE”

    Most of us find this off putting, but fundraisers do this all the time.

    Your messaging can make audiences uncomfortable - a common mistake that drives donors away instead of building meaningful connections.

    Nonprofits do it when they never stop telling us how “hot” their organization is. It is repelling and makes you want to look away.

    Get fundraising strategy weekly from David's Mentoring Mondays email.

    Get David's book Visionary Fundraising at Amazon.

    Get a digital copy of David's book: Visionary Fundraising today CLICK HERE
    Special price $5.00

    You can connect with David at www.davidoaks.net

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    11 mins
  • Maximum Impact, Maximum Joy: Why Donors Go Big
    Dec 1 2024

    "I reviewed with each person the factors that motivated their giving. A recurring pattern was the towering gratification they received from making the gift." Jerold Panas, Mega Gifts, Who Gives Them, Who Gets Them.

    Are you on David's mailing list? Go to davidoaks.net, to the second pane that says: "Lean Into Your Visionary Capacity With David: FREE" and sign up for my Mentoring Monday's email. This puts you on my email list and you will always know where I will be speaking next.

    Get David's book Visionary Fundraising at Amazon.

    Get a digital copy of David's book: Visionary Fundraising today CLICK HERE
    Special price $5.00

    You can connect with David at www.davidoaks.net

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    8 mins
  • Paint the Dream: Major Donors Buy Vision, Not Projects
    Nov 30 2024

    Some of history's greatest fundraisers have never asked people for money. HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN?

    Are you on David's mailing list? Go to davidoaks.net, to the second pane that says: "Lean Into Your Visionary Capacity With David: FREE" and sign up for my Mentoring Monday's email. This puts you on my email list and you will always know where I will be speaking next.

    Get David's book Visionary Fundraising at Amazon.

    Get a digital copy of David's book: Visionary Fundraising today CLICK HERE
    Special price $5.00

    You can connect with David at www.davidoaks.net

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    9 mins
  • The Mega Donor Playbook: Essential Qualities They Seek in Fundraisers
    Nov 29 2024

    "There needs to be a near-militant belief in its mission..." Jerold Panas, Mega Gifts, Who Gives Them, Who Gets Them

    Are you on David's mailing list? Go to davidoaks.net, to the second pane that says: "Lean Into Your Visionary Capacity With David: FREE" and sign up for my Mentoring Monday's email. This puts you on my email list and you will always know where I will be speaking next.

    Get David's book Visionary Fundraising at Amazon.

    Get a digital copy of David's book: Visionary Fundraising today CLICK HERE
    Special price $5.00

    You can connect with David at www.davidoaks.net

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    11 mins
  • Hidden Heroes or Public Praise: The Donor Recognition Dilemma
    Nov 28 2024

    "History has recorded few truly anonymous gifts. Many benefactors, who pretend anonymity, hide after a conferring a gift - much like Virgil's Galatea. She fled...but only after making certain she had been seen by everyone." Jerold Panas, Mega Gifts, Who Gives Them, Who Gets Them

    Are you on David's mailing list? Go to davidoaks.net, to the second pane that says: "Lean Into Your Visionary Capacity With David: FREE" and sign up for my Mentoring Monday's email. This puts you on my email list and you will always know where I will be speaking next.

    Get David's book Visionary Fundraising at Amazon.

    Get a digital copy of David's book: Visionary Fundraising today CLICK HERE
    Special price $5.00

    You can connect with David at www.davidoaks.net

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    10 mins
  • Love At First Ask: The Response is Spontaneous
    Nov 27 2024

    "It is my experience - confirmed by the million dollar givers - that major philanthropy is spontaneous." Jerold Panas, Mega Gifts, Who Gives Them, Who Gets Them

    Are you on David's mailing list? Go to davidoaks.net, to the second pane that says: "Lean Into Your Visionary Capacity With David: FREE" and sign up for my Mentoring Monday's email. This puts you on my email list and you will always know where I will be speaking next.

    Get David's book Visionary Fundraising at Amazon.

    Get a digital copy of David's book: Visionary Fundraising today CLICK HERE
    Special price $5.00

    You can connect with David at www.davidoaks.net

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    7 mins
  • The #1 Reason You Don't Get Major Gifts
    Nov 26 2024

    "As Harold Seymour put it many years ago, no one ever got milk from a cow by sending a letter." Jerold Panas, Mega Gifts

    Are you on David's mailing list? Go to davidoaks.net, to the second pane that says: "Lean Into Your Visionary Capacity With David: FREE" and sign up for my Mentoring Monday's email. This puts you on my email list and you will always know where I will be speaking next.

    Get David's book Visionary Fundraising at Amazon.

    Get a digital copy of David's book: Visionary Fundraising today CLICK HERE
    Special price $5.00

    You can connect with David at www.davidoaks.net

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    10 mins