The Latest

Every year on St. Patrick’s Day, people embrace the idea of the luck of the Irish—as if success is handed out by magic little people in green suits. But to we only somewhat magical fundraisers, real success has never been about luck, and it isn’t found at the end of a rainbow. It’s built, step by step, with insights and informed decisions.

Now, as someone born on March 17 (a day I like to call St. Todd’s Day), I consider myself a bit of an expert on this whole luck thing. And although I have not driven all the snakes out of Ireland, I do drive results. (Oh, that was terrible, sorry.) Trust me when I say: you don’t need luck to raise more money—you just need to make a few smart moves. And they’re easier than you think.

Stop guessing—start knowing

You don’t need a massive research budget or months of surveys to understand your donors. You just need to pay attention in the right places.

• Ask donors why they give: A simple question in an email, a casual phone call, or a post-event survey can reveal more than pages of data. More verbatims = more insight.
• Watch for patterns: Did a past campaign bring in a surge of first-time donors? Did a certain story resonate more than others? Your best clues are already in front of you. Mix the components and test.
• Listen for what’s missing: If donors don’t mention your mission the way you describe it internally, you may be speaking a different language than they are. Messaging needs to be refined by audience, too!

Make creative decisions that work—not just ones that look good

Fundraising campaigns don’t fail because of one bad word choice or a single wrong color on a donate button. They fail when the creative doesn’t connect.

Instead of wondering what will work, find out—test!

• Photos: Swap out a polished stock photo for a real, emotional image from the field and see what happens. Seek audience specific details.
• Storytelling: Test a first-person donor story against a facts-and-figures approach. Different segments will react differently.
• Visuals and imagery: Compare an AI-generated visual with something hand-drawn, handwritten, or even imperfect—but human.

Great fundraising isn’t about guessing right—it’s about testing smart, and as my friend Lynn says, “It’s about engineering the responses we seek.” And testing to improve doesn’t have to be a big lift. A simple email split test or a side-by-side social media creative comparison can tell you more than an entire strategy meeting.

The bottom line: Fundraising shouldn’t feel like tossing coins into a well and hoping for the best. When you take small, intentional steps to understand your donors and test what truly connects with them, you don’t need luck—you already know what works.

So this St. Patrick’s Day (or, let’s be honest, St. Todd’s Day), let’s raise a glass—not to luck, but to something better: clarity, confidence, and campaigns that actually deliver. Because the real pot of gold? It’s knowing that when you put in the right effort, your messaging and brand will activate your community, and the results will shine.

Looking for more information?

For more information or assistance with developing an insight-driven strategy, contact us at info@thelukenscompany.com.