Words of wisdom from BDI’s late Chief Client Officer
From Katrina Williams, Senior Marketing Manager, BDI
Although I only worked alongside Lolly Colombo, BDI’s Chief Client Officer, for a handful of years, I’ll never forget how much she taught me. Every conversation, she left me with some words of wisdom and encouragement to chew on… and I know that’s true for many who had the privilege of knowing her.
I once asked Lolly what inspired her in life and she responded, “Oh gosh… everything!” She mentioned her chickens, the sunrise, her grandbabies and most of all… dirt. She said that dirt is the source of all life. We came to the earth as dirt and will return just the same. This is one example of Lolly’s rare and wise perspective on life that made her such an incredible leader, colleague and friend.
I, along with my team at BDI, mourn the loss of Lolly, our colleague and dear friend. Yet, I’m grateful for the enduring gift she has given us – her sharp intelligence, including some priceless insights in these top nonprofit fundraising articles I want to share with you now.
1. The Long-Lasting Impact of an Awareness Campaign
One of the hallmarks of Lolly’s career at BDI was her role as a trusted advisor to Wheeler Mission throughout their award-winning awareness campaign. Through this campaign, Wheeler Mission set a goal to raise $1.25 million in 125 days to fund the expansion of their Center for Women & Children – which they far exceeded, raising $2.3 million in 125 days… and $11.7 million in 12 months! Find out the strategies they implemented for success…
2. Win Donor Hearts By Getting To Know Them First
At Lolly’s beautiful celebration of life service, her brother described her approach to solving the world’s problems as “more high-touch than high-tech.” One of Lolly’s greatest strengths was her ability to make friends anywhere she went and cultivate deep, lasting relationships… and that guided her approach to nonprofit fundraising. Read her words of wisdom on developing powerful relationships to engage your donors long-term.
3. 6 Steps: How to Develop A Brand Voice
Ask anyone who benefited from Lolly’s leadership, and they’ll tell you she was an expert on all things strategy! You’ll hear many joke that Lolly always had a plan for her next project… whether that was building a new coop for her chickens or creating a step-by-step strategic blueprint for the client partners she faithfully served. You can benefit greatly from the fruit of Lolly’s thoughtful planning in this article on developing your nonprofit brand voice, from start to finish.
4. How Empathy Empowers Nonprofit Leaders
Lolly was one of those rare professionals who knew how to balance executive responsibility with empathy for others. In this helpful article, she shared 10 traits to develop that can empower any nonprofit leader to infuse more empathy into their daily work. Don’t miss her timeless advice!
5. How “Stone Soup” Has A LOT to Say About Nonprofit Fundraising
This article is pure Lolly. Leave it to her to find real-life applications for nonprofit fundraisers in a fairy tale dating as far back as 1548! Grab a cup of coffee and settle in for a strategic storytime that will help you learn how to tell the right message, through the right channel, to the right donor, at the right time.
BONUS: Lolly’s Webinar on Transformational Leadership
I’ll leave you with one last piece of Lolly wisdom, which we have on video! Check out this webinar session where Lolly shared her best advice for nonprofit leaders who are facing hard times. Whether you’re struggling to retain employees, are transitioning to a new position or need help finding new talent for your cause, Lolly’s encouragement will help you find your next right step.
