My Friday Fermentation
On Fridays some folks unwind with mates at the pub … others flee for an airport to get home in time to see the kids … others make that list of weekend chores.
Here at The Agitator we’re all business of course. Tom ends his week by feeding Priscilla, his piggy bank (otherwise known as the Agitator Pension Trust), while I joyfully unwind by reading some of the treasures I’ve discovered while perusing our Blogroll. (You’ll find it on the right hand column of our website.)
This morning I went back to one of my favorites — Thunderhead Works – a delightful and inspiring blog by Tom Peterson. One of Tom’s many contributions to our sector is the fact that decades ago he brought us the wonderful buy-a-goat, buy-a-duck catalog of Heifer International.
Tom didn’t stop there. He’s continued to put his creative mind to work on a range of productive interests. One of them is Thunderhead Works, a joy-to-read compendium of ‘stuff’ of value to every fundraiser. Organized, like all good catalogues, into sections on Marketing, Growth, Innovation, Social Change, How To, Cool Stuff, Fun Stuff, and ending with a fascinating Resources section. Check it out.
Here are some of my favorites from this week’s visit.
- INNOVATION. Tom features a campaign from the German relief agency MISEREOR asking folks to swipe their credit card and make a €2 donation. Not only fun, as you’ll see in the video below, but note the follow-up that comes in the donor’s credit card statement.
- MORE INNOVATION. When it comes to break-through innovations don’t wait and wait for perfection. Just start! In his piece Permanent Beta, Tom outlines a process for innovating and improving core programs and products.The most valuable lesson according to Tom? Our work on good ideas and techniques — especially those that are already working — is never finished. As Tom points out, when it comes to successful innovation the big ‘F’ word is ‘Finished’.
- FUN STUFF. This entry is indeed fun. And it’s also a potent lesson and mini-inspirational for everyone this Friday who feels their work is never done. The ‘to do’ and ‘should do’ lists never seem to end. I’m ending my week with Follow the Frog.
And I wish you a good and restful weekend.
Roger
One response to “My Friday Fermentation”
Behavioral Science Q & A
Integrating an individual giving appeal with other communications from a charity can have both positive and negative effects, and the outcome largely depends on how it’s executed. Advantages of Integration Brand Consistency: Maintaining a consistent appearance and messaging across all communications can reinforce the org’s brand identity and strengthen brand recognition and trust among your […]
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I’m not aware of any in-market tests specifically comparing recurring vs. gift frequency language. I suspect the answer might not be the same with all gift frequencies, nor with all people. It sounds like a great opportunity for you to test and find out what works for your audience. Based on the literature, here’s a couple […]
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Based on what we know from existing data, those renewal notices can actually be pretty effective in getting people to donate. They tap into our psychology – creating a sense of urgency, reminding us of past support, and using personalization to make the message hit home. They’re playing on our natural tendencies to feel obligated […]
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Interesting question. I had a quick look at the testing done on this topic. On the positive side, in all cases, over half of donors decide to cover the fee. In some cases, it goes as high as 65%. Not a negligible percentage at all. Here’s another test from iRaiser showing consistent results (see point […]
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There’s just one thing to consider when designing a supporter journey: the supporter. More specifically, you need to take into account: Who the supporter is i.e. their identity, which is the reason they support this cause, and their personality, which describes the way they “see” and process the world. These will determine the kind of […]
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I’m not an expert in this but a quick search surfaced this article on the effect of tax reforms on 2019’s charitable giving. The researchers didn’t find a reduction. Actually, they observed an “increase in charitable contributions in 2019, even with the lower tax rates and the dramatically smaller number of taxpayers who itemize their […]
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I am fairly new to grant writing. I struggle with the question “What is innovative about your proposal?” Often my answer would need to be “a program not available in our area that is proven to improve the outcomes for persons who have a serious mental illness.” Our population base is about 82,000 in a mixed rural and small urban area. I will never get great numbers but we can make people’s lives better.