“Impactful” is relative
Getting substantial results for your effort should not be an experience reserved only for larger nonprofits.
That's something I want to mention about that beautiful mailing I raved about yesterday.
One of the great things we saw was that, with just this one mailing, The Bay was able to triple their number of recurring contributions.
Results like that are virtually impossible for large organizations, because they're already cruising at a high altitude.
But look again at Morgan's comment about the impact:
All in all, accounting for hard and soft costs, we netted ~$1,300 from one time donations, plus ~$250 monthly from the new recurring donors.
If you were the American Red Cross or the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, those are not large numbers.
But if you're The Bay — or perhaps the organization where you work — those numbers mean a lot.
Here's the thing:
Small organizations run on tight budgets.
Their staff are often stretched very thin.
But their small size gives them important advantages:
Staff are often very close to the front-line mission work, so they can see the stories that are waiting to be told.
They can usually pivot more easily, adjusting to try new ideas for getting their stories out to their audience.
Because they're not already cruising at 30,000 feet, small changes can lead to results that are in, the scheme of things, very impactful.
If you're at a small organization, getting that million dollar bequest is pretty unlikely.
But effective outreach to people who care about your cause ...
And making big gains that matter to your work ...
Those are within your reach.
All the best,
A.