Award Winning Blog - Agitator

How Do Fundraisers Do This?

Recently I read two articles from the commercial marketing world that — for me — raised the question: "How do fundraisers do this?" The articles deal with the importance of the non-cerebral side of, first, making a sale, and then, winning loyalty. In this report from Science Daily, we read that if the customer touches […]

Learn More March 2, 2009

The Intimacy Of Social Networks

Today I’m forwarding two quite different articles about online social networks — both have relevance to online fundraising. The first, from Center for Research, is your typical report on social network usage — who does it, what they do, etc. It’s actually a compilation of two other reports from Netpop Research and Insight Express. When […]

Learn More February 27, 2009

More Tips On Using Social Media

I see a lot of articles these days advising how to use social media. Here’s one by Stephanie Miller of online marketing agency Return Path that I particularly like. Why? Because it draws interesting insights from successful email marketing, and those in turn reflect some fundamental principles of direct marketing. I’ve extracted the basic thoughts, […]

Learn More February 26, 2009

Loyalty Lesson From The Who

New ads for Shure, the microphone maker, feature various artists — like Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey of The Who — professing their steadfast loyalty to the brand. Says Daltrey: "These mics are the only ones I’ll use." Do you have stories of commitment from your most loyal donors? Have you asked for them? Don’t […]

Learn More February 25, 2009

Debunking Six Social Media Myths

One of the savviest online marketers around, B.L. Ochman, takes aim in this article at six social media myths that you — and maybe your boss — ought to avoid … 1. Social media is cheap, if not free. 2. Anyone can do it. 3. You can make a big splash in a short time. […]

Learn More February 24, 2009

Resist The COOL Factor

I was about to post on this article, Five New Ways to Communicate in Social Media, from Gary Stein at Clickz. The ideas he suggests for marketers to interact on online social networks with the customers of their brands are indeed intriguing … actually, a bit scary. But then I read this comment made by […]

Learn More February 23, 2009