Award Winning Blog - Agitator

F-2-F Part 2: Avoiding the Sins of the Past

A common and dangerous misperception of F2F is that it’s seen as a powerful acquisition channel for securing monthly donors. As a result, most current F2F programs—just like their direct mail forebears– focus on acquisition volume while ignoring any serious attention to retention. And, just as in the case of direct mail, F2F will face […]

Learn More June 26, 2019

Is F-2-F Acquisition a Sustainer Oasis or a Mirage?

Face-to-Face fundraising in the United States holds great promise if for no other reason than it isn’t a grossly oversaturated channel and we’re a big, populous country. This likely explains the Paul Revere feeling some have as the Brits (and Canadians and Australians) “invade” to setup shop on U.S. shores. Why? Because in those countries […]

Learn More June 24, 2019

Your 7 Updates for June

It’s time for our monthly updates! The sky is still falling. OK, probably not the most cheerful opening… The newest Fundraising Effectiveness Project data is out on the sector. Previous reports have shown a serious decline in the number of donors to nonprofits, potentially threatening the health of the sector. This report shows this downward […]

Learn More June 21, 2019

Thanks But No Thanks: Part 2

Thanks to everyone involved in the robust discussion here and on social media about the study of thank you calling on subsequent giving Kiki and Roger discussed Monday. In particular, discussion from Penelope Burk and other minds in fundraising have centered on who calls, when they call, and what is said. I’ll have a brief […]

Learn More June 19, 2019

Thanks, But No Thanks

A new study strongly questions the near-universal assumption that saying “thank you” and showing “impact” is the silver bullet for improving supporter value or increasing second gift conversion. Take a deep breath. Now, read on. Titled Do Thank-You Calls Increase Charitable Giving? Expert Forecasts and Field Experimental Evidence, the study has spawned lots of debate […]

Learn More June 17, 2019

What If We’re Wrong?

One of the central theses of Agitator | DonorVoice is that the future of fundraising lies in attracting and retaining more and more deeply committed donors. We’ve talked about how the areas of fundraising that are increasing – mid/major giving, planned giving, and recurring donations –are driven by the most committed donors to your organization. […]

Learn More June 14, 2019

Award-Winning Blog

F-2-F Part 2: Avoiding the Sins of the Past