Award Winning Blog - Agitator

Was It The Envelope?

“The letter seems OK, let’s test another carrier!” You heard that — maybe said it — before. It occurred to me as I was listening to this Ethan Boldt (Direct Marketing IQ) video reviewing a new carrier format he thinks will light up response rates. One example is from Obama for America 2012; the other […]

Learn More February 8, 2012

Tips from commercial sector on Facebook engagement

Virtually every nonprofit has a Facebook page and most are probably still experimenting with content, metrics or both. There is some interesting research (from a Sept 2011 report from Buddy Media, NYC) on what works and what doesn’t to drive retail couponing on Facebook. This is all about getting clicks, which is an outcome any […]

Learn More February 7, 2012

Lessons From Komen Versus PPFA

A final comment on this affair … Learn from it! Follow some of these accounts of how Komen is responding (or should): From Holly Hall at the Chronicle of Philanthropy From the Washington Post From social media commentator Erik Sass From blogger Kivi Leroux Miller, a play-by-play I’m sure there will be more. This affair […]

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Has Your Check Arrived?

I’m not sure there’s any lesson here, but I just can’t resist browsing through lists like this. From the Chronicle of Philanthropy, here’s a list of America’s Top 50 donors in 2011, the amounts given and the lucky charities. These 50 donors gave $10.4 billion … although #1, Margaret Cargill, an heir to the fortune […]

Learn More February 6, 2012

Komen Versus Planned Parenthood

Officially The Agitator is a blog about nonprofit fundraising and communications. So I’m recommending you read Getting Attention’s Nancy Schwartz’s excellent analysis of the Komen vs. Planned Parenthood debacle from the perspective of what makes for effective (and ineffective communications) and smart fundraising (on Planned Parenthood’s part) in response to threat. Tom P.S. Stuff ’em […]

Learn More February 3, 2012

Want to know what donor centric should look like?

This is a fantastic Rorschach test for nonprofits (courtesy of a London based shop, Targetbase Claydon Heeley). What do you see on the left side? What do you see on the right side? If the answer to the both has the words “cute” and/or “funny” then you’re human. If both responses do NOT include […]

Learn More February 2, 2012