Award Winning Blog - Agitator

Factual or Emotive?

Which of these two marketing appeals for blood donation worked best? The enterprising Agitator subscriber has learned that this is a trick question as all our marketing works differently for different people – whether we know it or not. This experiment was no different. The researchers found that people with a high sense of social […]

Learn More August 4, 2023

Limiters are Liberating

Opportunity cost is almost certainly your biggest expense in an agency or charity. It’s the value and upside of the path not taken versus your chosen route. And your alternative isn’t a single path, it’s countless ones, a veritable multiverse of different endings. Consider this choice, attraction or persuasion fundraising. This probably ain’t in your […]

Learn More August 2, 2023

A Fundraising Metaphor? Choose Wisely.

Humans are messy and complex, so are the societal issues your raising money for – a double whammy of messy complexity. Metaphors can serve as bridges, connecting abstract ideas to concrete, familiar images, making complex concepts more digestible. Contemplating abstract things is easier with the use of concrete and familiar mental images. But metaphors are more […]

Learn More July 28, 2023

The “Fill it Up” Supporter Journey Approach

Our calendar is 12-months and most of civilization has been using since 1582. These 12 months have a natural, logical basis tied to lunar cycles but having lunar cycles dictate the supporter ‘journey’ for charities starts to quickly lose both logic and reason. And yet, how many charities start with a blank calendar (or more […]

Learn More July 26, 2023

Celebrating the Wonder and Wisdom of Jerry Huntsinger

“It happened September 21, 1962. My first day on the new job. At last! I was a writer! Hired to create publicity releases, news stories, feature articles. Or so I thought. “Instead, at 9:00 a.m., the Executive Director of the charity comes into to my office and says: “Write the quarterly appeal.” “ ‘Excuse me?’ […]

Learn More July 24, 2023

Work Next to AI, Not With It

I’m struck by the hubris of AI prognosticators, perhaps including myself in that category though at least I’m admitting it… There are some forecasters who have a pretty good track record – geopolitical gurus and bridge (card game) experts are good as are meteorologists (really). Technology forecasters on the other hand are pretty lousy, including […]

Learn More July 19, 2023