Author Archives: Brian Barela

Ministry Starter, Missional Entrepreneur.

By Brian Barela | Published February 22, 2012

How Positive Are Your Communications with Donors?

“You want to create long term relationships with your supporters. When your supporters donate or volunteer they feel great about themselves and their participation in your organization. A nonprofit can reinforce these positive feelings by thanking supporters, highlighting specific donors, and showing the impact made possible by supporters. People are receptive to emotional positivity. Bombarding… Read more

Posted in Email/Communications, Fundraising | Leave a comment

By Brian Barela | Published January 31, 2012

4 Ways to Improve Your Direct Mail Letter

Many ministry staff send a monthly direct mail letter updating those who support your ministry through financial support or prayer. Here are four ways to improve the letter so your readers will know more about you and your ministry, 1. Make is Scannable How long would you estimate your readers spend reading your letter? Now… Read more

Posted in Fundraising | 5 Comments

By Brian Barela | Published January 26, 2012

How to Use Images Effectively in Your Email Communications

Images create interest and capture attention in emails but adding too many or making them too large can limit their effectiveness. Be sure to keep your images small- to medium-sized (under 500px wide, and 300px tall). Internet service providers do not like large images since they cannot determine what kind of content is on the… Read more

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By Brian Barela | Published January 3, 2012

Spend Even More Time Crafting a Compelling Email Title This Holiday Season

“The volume of commercial messaging increases during the Christmas period, while the focus narrows. A lot of retail emails and advertising cover similar ground: deals, discounts, gifts and giving.”–source With so many more emails being sent to people at this time of year it’s critical to spend time on crafting a compelling title to your… Read more

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By Brian Barela | Published December 29, 2011

Your Donor’s Preferences Are Most Important in Online Fundraising

Have you ever asked your donors which online communication channel they prefer, and how often? It’s easy to skip right over your donor’s preferences and tailor your online communication tools to your preferences. Facebook seems to be the place many ministry fundraisers communicate primarily from their preferences. Â ‘Please Do Not Create a Facebook Page for… Read more

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By Brian Barela | Published November 29, 2011

5 End of Year Online Fundraising Stats You Need to Know

40% of online donations came in the month of December.–source The last three days of December will bring in 10% of online donations.–source 49% of online donors will visit the non-profit’s website first before making a donation.–source Fifty-one percent said they were now more likely to give a charitable gift as a… Read more

Posted in Fundraising | 2 Comments

By Brian Barela | Published November 10, 2011

Productivity Tip: Interrupt Yourself Every Hour

Dan Pink’s blog is a fantastic resource for entrepreneurial type leaders that value high productivity. He interviewed Peter Bregman, a consultant to leading CEO’s and asked him to share one tip on staying focused throughout the day. His answer: hourly interruptions. Each hour when my watch, computer, or phone beeps, I stop whatever Iâ€™m doing,… Read more

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By Brian Barela | Published November 8, 2011

Top 5 Ways to Cripple Your Email Communications with Donors

1. Share the exact same information you shared somewhere else (direct mail piece and facebook update come to mind). 2. Do not include a way to interact with you further online (for example, clickable links to a blog post, flickr photo, facebook photo album, or YouTube video). 3. Include an attachment that they must download… Read more