Award Winning Blog - Agitator

Pushing The Right Buttons

I guess there’s two ways of thinking about branding (actually three, taking into account the view of our esteemed colleague, Jeff Brooks, at Future Fundraising Now). One view is that ‘branding’ is simply shorthand for the emotional relationship a consumer or donor develops with the provider of a product or service or experience. The notion […]

Learn More November 5, 2014

How You Should Really Be Thinking About Acquisition Costs

Editor’s Note: The e-Book version of Retention Fundraising: the new art and science of keeping your donors for life is now available. You can click here to order either the e-Book or print versions. Part 5 of the book is titled “Do The Math” and the chapters in this section deal with key metrics, ranging […]

Learn More November 4, 2014

Re-engaging Lapsed Customers/Donors

Everybody in marketing — whether they’re selling cars, cell phones or causes/charities — has the same problem … keeping their current customers engaged. In the commercial world, marketers use all sorts of personal and individual behavior (or inactivity) data to trigger relevant customer contacts aimed at repeat sales or ‘softer’ relationship building. Here’s a ‘tip […]

Learn More November 3, 2014

Trick Or Treat?

October 31st brings two things to mind. First of course, it’s Halloween and ‘Trick or treat?’ time. Naturally, the (usually) little costumed person blurting that question is always dumbfounded when a mischievous door-answerer responds ‘trick’. ‘Just hand over the goodies’ is all the poor kid has in mind. Is it too big a stretch to […]

Learn More October 31, 2014

Heading For A Brick Wall

No fundraiser concerned with the future should take solace in the fact that your programs may be solid or even thriving today. Not in this world of change where venerable and seemingly invulnerable mega-enterprises like Coca Cola and McDonalds are posting declining profits … where broadcasters and newspapers are massively losing audience share and advertising […]

Learn More October 30, 2014

Are You A ‘Modern Marketer’?

I came across a discussion of a Forrester Research/Oracle report on the qualities marketing executives are currently seeking in their new hires. Of some curiosity, ranked very low were capabilities in email marketing, mobile marketing and social media. I thought these were supposed to be premium skill sets in these digital times. The most prized […]

Learn More October 29, 2014