Award Winning Blog - Agitator

A REALLY BIG Deal!

Frankly, we’re gobsmacked. Astounded, awestruck and absolutely thrilled by a massive undertaking by UK fundraisers and other leaders in the voluntary sector that should attract the serious attention and participation of all of us — on every continent. Today the Commission on the Donor Experience released its overview of recommended changes to transform fundraising from […]

Learn More June 19, 2017

Selling The Experience

Angel Aloma gave us a hugely important reminder in his recent article — Selling the Experience — in NonProfitPRO. When I first saw the title, I expected another article — like many we’ve written in The Agitator — on the importance of the quality of interaction nonprofits have with their donors and our need to […]

Learn More June 16, 2017

Positioning a nonprofit

Jack Trout passed away last week. And if you don’t know the name, you almost certainly know his concept: positioning. Trout coined the term “positioning” and first used it in a 1969 article. He then co-authored Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind with Al Ries, a classic ranked the top media and marketing book of all […]

Learn More June 15, 2017

In Pursuit Of The Trivial

Slowly, but surely, research in the field of behavioral science is making its way into Fundraising Land. Over the past several years commercial marketers have begun to discover practices which those pundits and commentators who favor high-blown ‘strategic’ insights often consider ‘trivial’. What once seemed relatively trivial has proven to hold monumental importance compared to […]

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What your donation buys: How to get a 42% lift in revenue

Charities are very good at making the abstract act of giving more tangible by explaining what different levels of donations will buy. In the example below, UNHCR USA informs people that $45 can buy high thermal blankets while $85 can buy a heating stove. These symbolic gifts make the abstract donation amount feel more real […]

Learn More June 14, 2017

Giving USA Reports On 2016 Giving

Giving USA has released its annual study on giving, reporting that for 2016 all giving rose to $390.1 billion, or 1.4% over 2015 (inflation adjusted). That represents 2.1% of gross domestic product, slightly above the 1.9% average of the past 40 years. Here’s the giving by source: And here’s the giving by sector: I have to believe the strong […]

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