tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1410527928650560979.post4596329643800274349..comments2024-03-22T03:36:37.800-04:00Comments on Donor Relations Guru: Learning from a donor #failDonor Relations Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15768044971685878089noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1410527928650560979.post-31814206419038828582016-06-03T15:23:27.424-04:002016-06-03T15:23:27.424-04:00At our annual fishing tournament, I had the colleg...At our annual fishing tournament, I had the college caterer prepare sack lunches for the anglers and had them "delivered" in a large bag to each boat. I had NO idea that bananas, aka "the perfect fruit for snacking," were something that should NEVER be aboard a boat! The Captains were furious that we had violated a major superstition of the sea! Two captains tracked down our ED in his boat and had their crews throw their bananas at him! Who knew? Because of that fruity faux pas I will, forevermore, be known in those circles as "Banana Brenda!"CigarCityGirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10405580452438032376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1410527928650560979.post-28490933322477876292016-05-12T12:30:42.823-04:002016-05-12T12:30:42.823-04:00One year I decided to to try and make DIY pedestal...One year I decided to to try and make DIY pedestals to use as center pieces for our annual fundraising luncheon rather than pay for flowers. It took myself, a coworker and two interns over a week to paint and put them together. The day of the event I loaded them all into the back of a van to transport them and as I turned out of the drive way to head to our event venue to set up I heard them all crash into each other and fall apart.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01086272437068318965noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1410527928650560979.post-60557129608662035852016-05-12T09:44:30.627-04:002016-05-12T09:44:30.627-04:00We create calendars each year that are sent to our...We create calendars each year that are sent to our giving societies. Our president chose not to have an inauguration because of the budget issues at the time of his arrival. For his 5th anniversary as President, we dedicated our entire calendar to him...12 months with 12 different pictures of him in action around campus. Our donors HATED this! and to top it all off, the President left us in June for a new appointment, but we still got to see his face for 6 more months on the calendar!! Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1410527928650560979.post-81896380047913119452016-05-11T23:51:30.498-04:002016-05-11T23:51:30.498-04:00Those times when you proof your renewal email text...Those times when you proof your renewal email text but don't look clearly at the subject line and misspell Renew....Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15214902080137497924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1410527928650560979.post-63427457011593476172016-05-11T17:05:05.967-04:002016-05-11T17:05:05.967-04:00I love all of these!! Keep them coming! You guys a...I love all of these!! Keep them coming! You guys are inspiring! Donor Relations Guruhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15768044971685878089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1410527928650560979.post-26467840168174204442016-05-11T12:43:45.461-04:002016-05-11T12:43:45.461-04:00We decided to hold commencement in our new arena b...We decided to hold commencement in our new arena before the final contractor walk through was completed. Our processional across campus with 800 graduates was delayed by 30 minutes due to a sprinkler malfunction that flooded the lobby. Once the ceremony began we had to move a whole section of guests when the seating started to sag and collapse. Nothing funnier than watching the VP for Admin run across campus in full regalia!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1410527928650560979.post-13905849891017041012016-05-11T12:14:45.773-04:002016-05-11T12:14:45.773-04:00The time my parent fund chair wanted a lunch for a...The time my parent fund chair wanted a lunch for all of the parents of seniors over family weekend. We sent invites out and very few came back and people were calling and saying they never received the invite. Well, we sent the invite in an Annual Fund envelope - so few people opened it, we should have sent it in an "Office of the President" envelope - live & learn!! Event went well - despite the mailing!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11307532484112911640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1410527928650560979.post-37370284564082350012016-05-11T10:38:35.240-04:002016-05-11T10:38:35.240-04:00Mailing special thank yous to gala committee and t...Mailing special thank yous to gala committee and the envelopes were empty. Subject lines in direct mail "lapsed donor" or something careless/insulting. Assuming that a piece of clothing left behind at a major alumni event belongs to a child or small woman; it was a major donor (male) who is slightly built. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1410527928650560979.post-5742207613887804782016-05-11T10:30:44.168-04:002016-05-11T10:30:44.168-04:00We sent out a nice invitation postcard for a build...We sent out a nice invitation postcard for a building dedication--and forgot to include the date. We ended up sending a second postcard that something like, "Oops! We forgot something." Internally, we joked that we probably got more attention for this event because of our mistake.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1410527928650560979.post-73750528240705232652016-05-11T09:53:56.110-04:002016-05-11T09:53:56.110-04:00On the day of the dedication for the science build...On the day of the dedication for the science building, we didn't know the summer research program was active in the upstairs labs. Halfway through the speeches, the overwhelming stench of rotten eggs drove everyone from the lobby! Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1410527928650560979.post-45727291907587192492016-05-11T09:43:51.241-04:002016-05-11T09:43:51.241-04:00The time years ago when I wrote my VP's thank ...The time years ago when I wrote my VP's thank you letter to a retired faculty member and accidentally wrote please "except" my sincere thank you instead of please "accept" my since thank you. She was a retired English professor who didn't let that one go unnoticed. Kaestershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10248577071433892170noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1410527928650560979.post-57894962015490198802016-05-11T09:13:52.328-04:002016-05-11T09:13:52.328-04:00We bought beautiful pins to put at each place sett...We bought beautiful pins to put at each place setting at a dinner commemorating our 40th anniversary. I forgot to put these pins out. So, then, I thought I'd save the day by saying that we'll just start mailing them out with thank you letters. I didn't check into any sort of post office regulations, and, soon enough, tons of envelopes (standard #10) came back torn to shreds because mail is automatically sorted through a machine. This was a giant fail all around!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17216086398362058404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1410527928650560979.post-30051630107811987882016-05-11T09:00:40.485-04:002016-05-11T09:00:40.485-04:00At the end of an event, we give our centerpieces t...At the end of an event, we give our centerpieces to donors to take home. One donor got carried away and was lugging out the rental palms we had for décor.sashahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14328540281995588483noreply@blogger.com