Award Winning Blog - Agitator

Consider What Went Wrong … Then Fall On Your Knees

With all your online solicitation programs firing away like an AK-47 on auto-pilot until January 1, I don’t think fundraisers are doing much heavy lifting today or tomorrow … unless it’s setting big presents under the Xmas tree. But maybe — over some spiked punch at the office Christmas party — you are contemplating and chatting […]

Learn More December 23, 2015

Yodish for Fundraisers

In case you’re feeling guilty as you steal away to watch the latest release of Star Wars I suggest you instead treat it as an important part of your continuing education in fundraising. In fact, while munching popcorn you’ll actually be mastering more powerful and effective communications skills. So, ditch the guilt. Let me explain. […]

Learn More December 22, 2015

Year End Fundraising Numbers

A perennial question in fundraising shops between now and the end of January will be, “Did we make the numbers for 2015?” Regardless of the answer, there are several questions that are far more important for the future of your organization, and there’s no better time than in these closing days of 2015 to ask […]

Learn More December 21, 2015

Online Appeals I Like — 2,501

But first … WOW! As I sit down to write this post, I notice that Roger’s article of yesterday was The Agitator’s 2,500th post. No wonder I’m feeling tired. What’s sad about it is that only two people — Roger and I — have read all 2,500 … and I’m not too sure about Roger. […]

Learn More December 18, 2015

Canadian Squirrels, Fear and Fundraising

Tom and I each maintain a sort of electronic compost pile where ideas, press releases, reader suggestions and the memorable blog posts of others accumulate. Then, about this time of year I begin working my way through “This Year’s Pile” setting aside those items I want to carry over into the “Pile for Next Year”. […]

Learn More December 17, 2015

11 Questions Every Donor Asks

An advert in one of the fundraising ‘trades’ triggered me to look up Canadian fundraiser Harvey McKinnon’s ’11 questions every donor asks’, as presented in his book of the same name. Whenever I see a teasing list like that I just can’t resist taking a look … will I agree/disagree … could I add to it […]

Learn More December 16, 2015