Award Winning Blog - Agitator

Mr and Mrs … Kiss Of Death

Blogger Kivi Leroux Miller wants to be recognized when she’s a donor. I don’t mean ‘recognized’ as in ‘applauded’. I mean she expects, at least upon reaching some giving level, that a nonprofit to which she donates actually knows that she is a ‘she’ and, making the point that the 2010s are not the 1950s, […]

Learn More May 10, 2013

Watch Your Pictures!

I subscribe to “Which Test Won” — a feed that proselytizes for A/B testing — both for the fun of testing my own instincts (and often disagreeing with their analysis) and just to remind myself that tweaks of copy, design and imagery, based upon testing, indeed matter. Here’s a recent test (actually a replay from […]

Learn More May 9, 2013

Golden Rules For Your Reply Form

Yesterday we passed along some pointers regarding converting online leads. One of the key bits of advice was not to direct someone responding to your online appeal to your website homepage. The appeal should link directly to a ‘purpose-built’ landing page … no distractions, direct reinforcement of your original (motivating) message, immediate closure of transaction. […]

Learn More May 8, 2013

Don’t Let The HiPPO Squash You

Now, the article I’m going to recommend to you today has this headline — Is Your Online Marketing an F? When I saw the headline, I figured the piece might be good for a few practical pointers. It was … it’s mainly about optimizing online lead conversions. And for that reason it’s worth a read […]

Learn More May 7, 2013

Generosity Pays

Although I doubt it’s intentional, far too many fundraisers spend far too much time and money biting the hands that feed their organization. It happens every day. Poor donor service. Lousy communications. Little or no donor recognition … sometimes not even a simple thank you. Of course this pitiful lack of concern for the donor […]

Learn More May 6, 2013

Stop Mailing! Don’t Stop Mailing!

Here’s a perennial debate that occurs in nonprofits that are large enough to have separate programs (staffs, bureacracies, silos) for direct response versus major gift solicitation … When should the ‘peanuts’ crew — the staff that generate those $25, $50, $100 contributions — give way to the ‘plums’ people — the major gift officers who […]

Learn More May 3, 2013