Award Winning Blog - Agitator

Addition by subtraction in nonprofit marketing (or how Coke’s brand would work as a non-profit)

Don’t worry – as a direct marketer, I too shutter a bit at “brand.” It’s often used as code for “that’s going to be too effective, so the brand guidelines forbid it” or “here’s the new logo; have fun getting people to open their envelopes for the next year or two.” But organizational brands are […]

Learn More December 8, 2016

Far Bigger Than A Big Mac

Last week the mainstream media marked the death of Michael ‘Jim’ Delligatti, who invented McDonald’s two-tiered burger at his Uniontown, Pennsylvania franchise. He was 98. Back then, in the mid-1960s, Delligatti’s Big Mac sold for US$0.49 cents and left a lasting, if questionably nutritious, mark on consumer habits in the U.S. and around the globe. […]

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Beware Of Gifts!

As Roger noted yesterday, for many nonprofits it’s budget season, which — at least in theory — involves some performance assessment of the current year. And not just the performance of ‘the organization’ or its revenue results, but review of the people as well. Getting nervous? So, on what basis do you want to be […]

Learn More December 7, 2016

Show Me Your Budget

As we near the end of 2016 some folks will be checking the rear-view mirror to determine how they did and whether they met their goals. Others will be looking out the front windshield and focusing on their plans and goals for 2017. Regardless of the direction in which they’re looking, there’s a pretty good […]

Learn More December 6, 2016

Which Fundraising Stat Impresses You Most?

In his Friday post, Roger asked: How many donors must we lose before we learn? The Chronicle of Philanthropy reported that initial results from #GivingTuesday show terrific growth. As they put it, the initial “haul” of #GivingTuesday looks to be $168 million, up from the estimated $117 million last year. On the other hand, in an […]

Learn More December 5, 2016

Losing Donors In The Sea of Sameness

When will some fundraisers wake up to the fact that the tragedy of donor flight is largely self-inflicted. Other than the 16% of donors lost to death virtually every other reason for not giving — abandoning support of an organization — is influenced and controlled by the actions the organization itself takes. Perhaps nowhere are […]

Learn More December 2, 2016