Award Winning Blog - Agitator

What people will tell you that algorithms won’t

Predictive analytics are generally very good, to the point that people are living in different product bubbles from their neighbors. (In Weapons of Math Destruction, Cathy O’Neil tells the story of an investor saying that their new technology would make sure he would “never have to see another ad for the University of Phoenix.”) But […]

Learn More April 19, 2018

Attacking the Dreaded Rebrand with Donor Focus

I’ve been through rebrands. I’ve been through prostate exams. And I know which I’d rather go through again. That’s why when the question “what does donor identity mean for a rebranding organization?” came up on last week’s webinar, I started to experience all of the side effects you’d see in the average pharmaceutical ad. (“Ask […]

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The Terrifying Freedom of a Blank Sheet of Paper

It’s a yearly exercise – take what you did for your direct marketing program last year, replace some controls with the tests that beat them, and set up your tests and tweaks for the next year. Lather, rinse, repeat. This system has advantages. You know what each communication is capable of, and what it isn’t. […]

Learn More April 18, 2018

Confucius on Fundraising Tech Tools

The other day I received an email from the admirably and voraciously curious Simone Joyaux attaching the 2018 Global NGO Technology Report listing the “10 Most Effective Tools” for online use by nonprofits around the world. Simone asked: “Do you believe the nonprofits are “correct”? Or, are theser nonprofits thinking stuff is good but they don’t actually know […]

Learn More April 17, 2018

#MeToo Moment for Fundraisers

“I had a meeting with the chair of trustees. The meeting did not go well. As we were walking away from the meeting, he put his arm around me and squeezed me to him whilst saying “this would all be so much easier if you were just friendlier, Jane.” “He went to kiss me but […]

Learn More April 16, 2018

Direct Mail is not Yet Dead

We’ve had some fun this week, talking about blockchains and voice-recognition systems and such. None of this matters if you can’t block and tackle with mail. That’s right, mail isn’t dead. And I know you know it isn’t dead. But from some recent discussions with Agitator Nation members, not all our bosses and board members […]

Learn More April 13, 2018