Tom and I are always grateful for Comments by fellow Agitators and we weren’t disappointed to the remarks triggered by the post on the 2015 Fundraising Effectiveness Project Report.

All the insights were terrific, but I was particularly struck by Michael Rosen’s  comment on how quickly some folks seem to dismiss the importance and skill required for solid donor retention.

As Michael reports, “…I’ve been involved with the nonprofit sector for decades. Over the many years, the speakers at the front of the room have preached about the importance of donor retention. On occasion, I’ve even been the one doing the preaching. Sadly, the message never seems to sink in.

“After one speaking engagement, someone came up to me and said, ‘Well, I guess everything you just said in there was just common sense.’ I responded, ‘Yes, it was. And, when it becomes common practice, I’ll stop talking about it.'”

Like Michael, it never fails to amaze me how rare common sense is in our trade. And how rarely it’s applied.

We talk about the need to ‘professionalize’ our sector and I have no argument with that. However, I fear that for too many the path to ‘professionalization’ may mean taking on the next new thing whether it’s the latest glow-in-the dark-technology, a rebranding effort, or dumping ‘old donors’ in favor of recruiting the new.

To me ‘professionalize’ does not mean chasing unicorns.

So I was delighted to read the latest post from Mark Phillips, one of my favorite (favourite) UK fundraisers. With the elegance that springs only from clear thinking, Mark’s post How To Resolve The Fundraising Crisis for Less Than £200 provides a fundamental insight:

Before we begin chasing unicorns and all sorts of silver bullet approaches to solving our problem, let’s learn the basics of fundraising. “Wheels do not have to be reinvented.”

Mark’s post is penned in the midst of the UK fundraising crisis and important proposals for re-orienting and re-invigorating the sector. (A subject we’ll deal with later this week)

His point is that although the new ‘reform’ efforts are very important, there’s something even more important: whether facing a crisis or trying to improve business-as-usual, competence (‘professional skill’) begins with an understanding of basics.

Too many of today’s fundraisers — Agitator readers excepted — lack the basic understanding of the fundamental principles of fundraising. The essential principles such as holding on to — retaining — donors.

What does Mark suggest? Begin by getting up to speed with the basics. As in READ. Yes, books!

Here are Mark’s suggestions for the basic books you need. (Note, Mark’s list is referenced for Amazon UK, but each is available on Amazon.com in the U.S. and Canada.)

• Asking properly – George Smith (£28.50)
• Relationship Fundraising – Ken Burnett (£34.99)
• Keep your Donors – Tom Ahern and Simone Joyaux (£47.52)
• The Fundraiser’s Guide to Irresistible Communications – Jeff Brooks (£13.62)
• Retention Fundraising – Roger Craver (£30.19)
• How to Love Your Donors (to Death) – Stephen Pidgeon (£28.80)

Please add to the list if you think Mark has missed any. And please share and discuss these books with colleagues. Ignorance may lead to bliss, but not to great or even good fundraising.

Roger