Award Winning Blog - Agitator

The Plague of Churn – Donors and Staff

Money isn’t everything. Direct cash outlays to the poor can make them psychologically worse off if those outlays are temporary. In an experiment poor people were given $2000, $500 and $0 (control group). Both groups getting the money were objectively better off having spent it on bills, food, clothing for kids, etc. But, both were […]

Learn More July 11, 2022

Be Distinctive, Not Differentiated

“If I had a nickel.…” No good story ever comes from that start. But, seriously, if I had a nickel for every time I heard a charity brand talk about what makes them unique and then sit through a rattling off of a completely undifferentiated list of programmatic focus areas – e.g. we help women, […]

Learn More July 8, 2022

Words Matter. Handle With Care.

Words have always mattered. In this highly partisan, explosively charged times they matter even more. Take the term ‘white privilege’. To some people it summarizes the combined effects of historical, economic, and cultural forces that allow a larger percentage of whites to climb the socioeconomic ladder than Blacks or Hispanics To other folks use […]

Learn More July 6, 2022

Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore

July 4th, the day to celebrate and remember what America’s all about. On this fraught-filled, future-fearing July 4th I sure as hell hope we’re all taking the remembering seriously. Because Agitator’s mission focuses on direct response fundraising, I’ll forego the usual patriotic platitudes. Instead for Independence Day 2022 I’m invoking the memory and wisdom of […]

Learn More July 4, 2022

Fundraising Silver Bullet

It’s almost free to do and can raise a lot more money without asking for it more. That’s as close to silver bullet as one can get. What’s the one thing that created this much lift? Asking for feedback about the online giving experience. That’s it. You get lift from those who give feedback plus […]

Learn More July 1, 2022

How to Fundraise Like a Big Mac Marketer

Old school Big Mac marketers would sell a Big Mac… By hiring an agency to come up with a clever, “emotional” ad. Like this one. This ad would be shown to the McDonald’s rewards customers in email and on social. It would be aimed at anyone on mobile doing a search for “fast food near […]

Learn More June 29, 2022