Customer Reviews

The Mercifully Brief, Real World Guide to Raising Thousands (If Not Tens of Thousands) of Dollars With Email

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The publication of this new book about email fundraising by Madeline Stanionis should be welcome news for nonprofits of all sizes that are trying to harness the Internet to grow their lists, engage constituents and raise money.

The book is written for and about nonprofits though it will be of interest to a wider range of institutions interested in online fundraising such as universities, hospitals, faith-based groups, and political campaigns.

There are several things about this book that make it a standout among recent efforts to cover this topic.

First, it deals unabashedly with what was once the most controversial aspect of online fundraising, namely email appeals. As recently as a few years ago, email fundraising appeals were seen as a type of nonprofit spam, even when supporters and list subscribers had opted in to receive communications. Several pioneering organizations have turned this on its head, and Madeline chronicles the experiences of nonprofits such as Human Rights Campaign, Humane Society of the United States, and Earthjustice, who have used passion, good writing, creative design and opportune timing to conduct successful financial appeals from supporters via email.

Second, Madeline writes as an insider about many email fundraising campaigns that she has personally worked on. Madeline is the President of Donordigital, one of the leading firms that helps U.S. charities raise money online and mobilize constituents for progressive causes. Considering her day job, she really gives away the store in this book. The book is filled with specific nonprofit examples, real-world case studies, email and Website screen shots, strategy ideas, analytical techniques, and other professional insights.

Unlike previous books that were edited compilations of articles from experts in the field, Madeline's book has a cohesive and linear narrative that leaves the reader with a clear roadmap to translate her insights into action.

The one critique that I will permit myself is that all the examples in this book are from multi-million dollar nonprofits with communications staff. To Madeline's credit, she acknowledges this point repeatedly, and goes out of her way in the narrative to offer advice to smaller organizations on more limited budgets.

Third, and most importantly, Madeline offers truly useful material on raising money online, built around real-world examples and screen shots to help illustrate her points.

The chapter entitled "It's all about the list," discusses how much online fundraising is really a numbers game, and covers five different strategies for growing an organization's list. The chapter entitled "It's all about the timing," brings the numbers game into the real world. "If you take no other lesson from this book, remember this one," writes Madeline. "To be successful with email fundraising, you must send the right message to the right person at the right time." With the backdrop of September 11, the Asian tsunami and the Katrina hurricane, Madeline reinforces how important timing is when appealing for funds. Other chapters cover email subject lines, how to get through the clutter of supporter's inboxes, good writing, how to craft email fundraising campaigns, how to coordinate email appeal with direct mail and telemarketing, and how to mine email messaging data. At 100 pages, there's no wasted space, and you'll wonder how she packed it all in.

Finally, the best thing about this book is how easy it is to read. This is not a technical book, it is not boring. It is filled with Madeline's verve and an infectious attitude that says, "here's how we've raised money online for charities across the country."

After you've read Madeline's book, you'll be convinced that you can do it too. What are you waiting for?

Madeline Stanionis' book delivers on its promise: a short, to-the-point, unpretentious, useful and FUN roadmap for online fundraisers.

Online fundraising has been the subject of endless hype, magical thinking, and "sage wisdom" from authors who have never raised a nickel. Stanionis is the real deal -- a pioneer in the field, has the scars to prove it, and speaks from hard-won experience.

Buy it.

I've done on-line fundraising for a non-profit for 4 years and I can tell you, if you do what Stanionis says, it'll work for you.

But pay attention. There is a clear path that you need to walk, but at each step you need to make decisions about what will be the best approach for your organization. Stanionis identifies these, gives examples, and stresses their importance. If you skip this extra level of thought, you'll still see results. But if you want real returns, you have to put some energy into it.

I've learned this the hard way, and I'm still learning it. There's something to be said for getting in, getting your feet wet, and treading water until you're really ready to make online fundraising a higher priority in your organization. However, as the field matures, and we learn more about what works and what doesn't, you run the risk that your efforts will look amateurish next to those of other organizations. In addition, if you don't pay attention to the results of your efforts, and don't identify things that don't work with your audience, you run the risk of alienating the very folks you're trying to cultivate. Finally, internet time moves w-a-y faster than most non-profits are equipped to run, and if you're trying tomorrow with techniques that worked yesterday, your audience may be unreceptive.

With that in mind, I look forward to annual updates from Stanionis on "the current state of the art."

Whether your nonprofit has dived headlong into email fundraising or is still getting its feet wet, this little book should be in the pool with you.

Written by a fundraising pioneer who has helped nonprofits of all sizes build really strong email programs, really fast (including The Humane Society of the United States, where I work), the book focuses on results. What's the best way to get high-performing email names? What's a good subject line? Is there a "best time" to send emails? What are the key metrics to look at when evaluating how your emails are doing?

Stanionis writes like she talks -- in a fresh, entertaining, and very direct way. She's peppered the book with screen shots of emails from many organizations to illustrate why a series of emails will outperform a single appeal, or how being creative and "speaking from the heart" can drive results, or what an integrated online-offline communications strategy can do to boost membership renewals.

Best of all, you learn all this in about the time it would take you to read an email -- at least, one that doesn't honor Stanionis' advice to keep your copy "simple and short." I'm exaggerating, of course, but just a little bit: This book, so chock full of practical advice, really is mercifully brief. So you can read it during lunch and then, that afternoon, get right to the task of raising thousands of dollars with email.

This is one of those few books that cuts straight to the facts and lays out a plan you can duplicate in minutes. Loved it and use it all the time! Carole Baskin, Founder of Big Cat Rescue 12802 Easy Street Tampa, FL 33625 813.920.4130 Info@BigCatRescue.org

"Finally! - A book that takes online fundraisers through the uncertainty of measuring their results and efforts. Raising awareness and money on the web requires attention and resources. Madeline shares her valuable experience and observations in her 'mercifully brief guide'. Real life examples of how organizations use the web to raise dollars online." - Nicci Noble, President - Association of Fundraising Professionals Golden Gate Chapter