Award Winning Blog - Agitator

The Fundraising Firing Squad Forms A Circle

Three weeks ago we announced the Agitator’s sponsorship of “The Summit”— a different and serious effort to challenge sacred cows and hopefully trigger desperately needed change in our sector. Alas! Over the weekend, the organizers announced the cancellation of The Summit. The reason: furor (‘furore’ for our UK and Commonwealth readers) over the composition of […]

Learn More February 11, 2013

10 Ways To Build Donor Loyalty

Advice doesn’t get any more straightforward than these ten suggestions and examples for enhancing donor loyalty from Bridget Brandt at Sage North America, writing in Fundraising Success. Listen to your donors Share your good news Measure (and report) your success Survey your donors Leverage donor loyalty Involve donors in the cause Get social Customize your […]

Learn More February 8, 2013

Acquisition: Premiums, Crack Cocaine And Nonprofit Suicide

Almost every direct response fundraiser who can count eventually comes to the realization that reliance on premiums to boost short-term acquisition response rates is a long-term prescription for poor retention and lousy lifetime value. Many are unaware of the ample evidence in behavioral science for why premiums not only delude fundraisers but, far more importantly, […]

Learn More February 7, 2013

Non Profit Premiums Are Literally Crack Cocaine – the Why and How of Stopping the “Drug Trade”

The Economist publication was first published in 1843 with the stated mission of “taking part in a severe contest between intelligence, which presses forward, and an unworthy, timid ignorance obstructing our progress”. Harsh? Maybe. Accurate? Absolutely. A similar contest exists between academia and the real world, with the former having answers too many of the […]

Learn More February 6, 2013

The Best Words

Copywriting pro Denny Hatch is writing a book on, well, writing. He says he titling it: Never Use a Word You Can’t Spell. Should be a gem. Here he teases us with the chapter on words. Anybody who needs to deal with the written word would benefit from a read, but you’ll especially enjoy it […]

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Fundraising GPS: Steering On The Past Or Future? Or Both?

Fundraisers, unlike practitioners in most other sectors, generally navigate their way forward by steering through the rear view mirror. Today, we’re offering Agitator readers two rear view mirror views … and one through-the-windshield view. Two recent reports on 2012 US giving have just hit our desk. Plus one sophisticated forecast for 2013. I regret to […]

Learn More February 5, 2013