Award Winning Blog - Agitator

60:40 Rule For Donors?

Usually I agree wholeheartedly with the advice proffered by Canadian fundraiser Fraser Green. But he recently wrote this article — Donors Love 60:40 — with which I beg to differ. Fraser argues that donors care primarily about what you do (i.e., the need you are addressing), and very little about how you do it (which […]

Learn More March 8, 2011

Stories For Relationship Building Too

A couple of weeks ago I posted on the importance of stories to support fundraising. It goes without saying that stories support donor engagement of all kinds. Kimberly Haywood at the March of Dimes provided this impressive illustration … “I wanted to let you know the March of Dimes did something interesting for our Prematurity […]

Learn More March 7, 2011

Which Test Won?

Which Test Won? is a nifty e-newsletter that features results of a variety of head-to-head tests in the online arena — homepage design, copy tests, offer tests, social marketing, etc. They recently announced their first batch of ‘winners’ from a group of tests supplied by over 100 marketers. What you’ll see when you click here […]

Learn More March 4, 2011

Thoughts On A Woman’s Purse

Strange are the thoughts that come to mind at fundraising gatherings. Last night I was blessed with the company of a lot of very smart women (and yes, smart men too) at a fundraising forum in southwest Florida. As I watched and listened, it occurred to me that the secret weapon that helps women excel […]

Learn More March 3, 2011

The Client/Agency Dance

The Agitator has readers on both sides of the dance floor … lots of ‘clients’ and heaps of agencies and consultants. How many of you have been through the following Kabuki dance? Client: “How much will it cost us?” Agency: “How much do you have budgeted?” Client: “It depends.” Agency: “Well, give us a ballpark […]

Learn More March 2, 2011

For sale: baby shoes, never worn

Perhaps the world’s shortest short story … by Ernest Hemingway. So says Lucy Gower in this excellent article about storytelling, published recently on SOFII. Among other advice, including how to find stories within your nonprofit, Lucy notes these principles of good stories from Made to Stick, by Chip & Dan Heath: Simple Unexpected Concrete Credible […]

Learn More March 1, 2011