DATABASES - I love it, I love it, I want some more of it.

I know how busy you are because we hear you crying about it all day long. Save some time by not bitching and start compiling information. The vast array of information you can compile is amazing. Your development department has a database but they need it for their next fundraiser. We don’t want to request too much from one donor. Damn. Back to square one. Then how can S.E.man get anywhere without a database? Well let me just give you a few avenues to choose from.

First, use the theme of your project to compile names, addresses, phone numbers, emails, websites, if they donated; how much, what type of donation, location of donation, etc… Make it as specific as you can. The more specific you make it the easier it can be to run a query. A database can be as easy as an excel spreadsheet and can go as high fa-looting as Razors Edge (RE). Ohhhh, RE gives me the chills. A spreadsheet can be as plain as manually inputting name (A1), address (A2,3,4,5), email (A6), salutation, if you know it, new name (B1,2,3), and so forth. No formulas, just data entry in the simplest form. You don’t know excel but you were really good at Lotus123? Well isn’t that special. To bad we’re still not in the 90’s. Input the information and call IT then run and register for the next excel course. Tell them you heard about this anomaly called “V-LOOKUP” and you must know more.

If your IT department can help you in anyway, I would suggest you have them create an access database with individual fields (first, last, email, address, donation type, volunteer, etc…) so you can look up specific things. Let’s say you need to know everyone who has donated 5k or more in the zip code 55555 – BAM – there it is. You can even query everyone with the last name Johnson who donated Cheerios. The more specific you get the better you can isolate the very people you want to target. You do not want to ask a 5k cash donor to do an in kind drive for pampers. Why you ask? BECAUSE that’s dumb and don’t ever ask me that again.

Where do I get the donor information for my database and what are those project themes you were talking about? Man this is about to make me cry. You must know that these are some of the very questions I hear and I’m welling up as I type.

First, if you are receiving any form of donations and you are a NFP, get a donation tax write off form. And if you already have a form, ENSURE that form is a 2 sheet carbon copy form; one for the donor and one for you. Sounds logical right? NOT! I have had to create this process numerous times. I even worked with a NFP who gave out an index card type form. The donor comes up, drops off the donation, they are handed this card to fill out later, and off they go. I can almost see the staff member waving. “See ya. Come back soon. Don’t forget to write.” You must have a copy and you must put that into a database. They just donated to you ding dong. You have the edge. You can even put a thank you on the back of the donors copy and you don’t have to mail a “thank you for donating your stuff to us” letter. Cha-Ching.

Any questions on tax write offs use this link: http://www.irs.gov/fairmarketvalue
Never give a value to a donor. That is between them and the irs.

Another way I have used to pump up a “non development” database is the phonebook. I pick a project and find people I want to help me in my project. For example, my NFP is buying toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash, facial tissue, latex gloves, and tongue depressors from our never ending decreasing budget. We spend roughly 5k a quarter from our budget on these items. To me that screams doctors and dentists. And why doctors and dentists, you may ask? Because I can send a letter expressing my heartfelt story and make them feel for my plight. He does not have to give to my wonderful, community serving cause, from his wallet, but rather, he can ask his supply rep and pharmaceutical rep to help him. All I have to do is remind the doctor of his exceptional resource. Put a little bug in his ear and do it in a way he thinks that it’s his idea. They like that. Those reps are ass kissing just like the rest of us. They want to make that doctor happy so he will push their meds or use their products. All the doctor has to do is request, from his Pfizer rep, a case or two of facial tissue. It will probably have Viagra on it, but it all wipes the same. Now THAT DOCTOR is worthy of your database. If you get anything, from anyone, anywhere, get their info! Even if they are broke and have nothing in their pockets to give. They can give their time. Do you want to be the one entering this stuff into the database? I hope not because you have bigger things to accomplish then to data entry.

The dentist is the best. I have scored more toothpaste and toothbrushes than any SE person on the planet. I can assure you that I personally guilt my dentist and doctor on every visit. It is the least they can do for me for gaining by business and allowing me to use my “affordable healthcare” in their establishment.

What bank do you use? Hit them up too. Banks are good for administrative supplies. They have pens and all other sorts of stuff with their logos on them. Pens are also another good thing to get from your doctor. The pharmaceutical reps have thousands. If your NFP is buying pens, shame on you.

Now I am getting too deep into in kind and that is for next time. But one little story to tell about free pharmaceutical pens. I just got back from cold calling all sorts of people and mingling amongst the community. I was flaunting my new pens this rep gave me everywhere, using some of them I deemed “my favorite”, and knowing for sure I was the bomb. Back at work, I am wallowing in my free pharmaceutical logo pens, clueless to what any of it means, when a colleague walks into my office. We start chatting when she looks oddly at me, then my two favorite pens, back at me, then back at my pens. “WHAT! Why are you scanning me,” I replied. She asked me if I knew what the pharmaceutical names meant on both of my new favorite pens; both of which were different. I did not know and so what. They were free. They were great pens and I loved them…UNTIL….I found out they were creams for yeast infections. Then I wanted to die. I had just been all over town. I went to the Rotary Club, Better Business Bureau, Altrusa Intl., a few networking groups, cold calls, and I wondered how many people thought I was this nasty riddled up yeast infected God knows what. What did I do, you ask? Well I did the right thing I can assure you. I did the right thing because that is what I do and that is who I am. I gave them to my sister and told her how good they wrote.