Holiday Hiatus: Even Agitators Need a Nap
Friends, readers, and fellow troublemakers,
As the holidays descend like a herd of caffeinated reindeer, we at The Agitator are pausing our relentless drumbeat of wit and wisdom. Yes, even agitators need a little time to recharge and reflect.
So, from now until… let’s say “a week-ish” (because precision is for grant proposals, not holiday plans), Kevin and Roger will be stuffing stockings, overindulging on cookies, and possibly engaging in highly opinionated debates about the real original sin of fundraising.
Is it volume-driven asking or those “free” tote bag offers? Either way, we’ll have plenty of time to argue while pretending to relax.
But before we sign off, here’s a fundraising lesson gift-wrapped just for you: scarcity sells. You know how your inbox overflows with “LAST CHANCE” subject lines around this time of year? Well, we’re taking a page from that book. This week, our absence will create the kind of longing in your heart that only a Kevin Schulman diatribe or a Roger Craver soapbox can fill.
When we return, you’ll be ravenous for our takes—starved for the kind of no-holds-barred insight you just don’t get from “7 Tips to Increase Your Year-End Giving” blog posts.
In other words, absence makes the heart grow fonder—or at least, it makes the reader desperate for something more stimulating than the usual nonprofit platitudes. That’s our theory, anyway, and we’re sticking to it.
So, while we’re off “strategically retreating” (a.k.a. collapsing into eggnog-induced comas), take this moment to ponder how you can keep your donors engaged without being that organization—you know, the one sending its 13th year-end email with the subject line, “URGENT: Your Support Needed NOW!”
We’ll be back soon enough, refreshed and ready to tackle the usual absurdities. Until then, enjoy your holidays and remember: the only thing worse than bad fundraising is no fundraising at all.
Cheers,
Roger & Kevin
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Behavioral Science Q & A
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Thank you Roger and Kevin. Have a wonderful holiday! See you in the new year (or sooner). Looking forward to more case studies, more results, more testing and of course, better thanking and more recurring donors!
cheers, Erica