Award Winning Blog - Agitator

Is Your Copy Authentic?

Authentic might be my favorite, least favorite word. There was a time when I liked it, back when authentic meant, well, you know, authentic. But, like many English words it got misused and overused to the point of almost making it the opposite of itself. Authentic can’t be claimed, only bestowed. But the concept matters […]

Learn More April 27, 2022

How to Make Your Copy Better

It’s here. It’s time. Heck, it’s past time. You can stop holding your breathe, especially the purple person in the back. No more waiting, you’re a minute or two from reimagining and reinvigorating your fundraising copy. Finally, objective scores for your fundraising copy. Want to know, for sure, if your copy is Readable and has […]

Learn More April 25, 2022

Earth Day 2022: The Fundraiser’s Carbon Shadow

Today marks the 52nd Earth Day. A most appropriate time for all us fundraisers to think about what we’re really doing –professionally, personally and collectively—to save our planet. Before I report on a pioneering climate change effort now being undertaken by a Canadian direct mail agency a brief review of how the cause of helping […]

Learn More April 22, 2022

The Power of $.99 Not Created Equal

The consumer world is way ahead in understanding the science and psychology of price on decision making. Suffice to say what a person is willing to pay and how they feel about it is highly malleable. In our world there’s still a lot to learn and optimize for our price equivalent– ask amounts. We’re not […]

Learn More April 20, 2022

Nonprofit-ness?

What makes a nonprofit a nonprofit? Is it the tax designation, its actions, its beneficiary or its aim? Academics and professionals in the field likely have sharp lines drawn between different actors, be it businesses, government, traditional, tax status defined charities and the growing 4th sector of social enterprise and entrepreneurship that often sidestep 501(c)(3)s. […]

Learn More April 18, 2022

Hidden Threats to Democracy

A healthy democracy, as I pointed out in my last post, is a precondition for moving forward on most of the issues and causes we fundraisers serve. When democracy breaks, the systems, and institutions we strive to fix or improve become far harder or even impossible to repair or advance. The daily flood of human […]

Learn More April 15, 2022