Search Results for: deceased
7 Easy Retention Wins
My local mechanic has a sign over his workbench: “I can explain it to you, but I can’t make you understand it.” Visions of that sign popped up as I worked on The Top Five Barriers to Retention post. That’s when it occurred to me that there are many well-intentioned folks who really don’t have the […]
Fundraisers I Fear: Part 2– Insufficient Knowledge of Basic Information
In Part 1 I urged all of us to become “expert novices” –fundraisers who have knowledge and confidence but are capable of maintaining a seed of doubt that they may be wrong. Of course, the building blocks of knowledge, skepticism and curiosity must be stacked on top of the rock-solid granite foundation of fundamental fact. You […]
The New Agitator
After 11 years and 3,191 posts The Agitator has a new look and a new address: agitator.thedonorvoice.com, instead of theagitator.net. I’m using this first post on the new site to summarize the changes, additions and, most importantly, the guiding philosophy going forward. Why the Change? We’ve increasingly been drawing on the research, testing and results of pilot […]
Nick’s Brief Instructional Video on the Benefits of Data Hygiene
Editor’s Note: At the Agitator’s weekly editorial meeting we lamented the fact that even the most seemingly sophisticated fundraisers seem to forget the rudimentary/fundamental/absolutely necessary basics–like sending thank-you notes –which we dealt with yesterday. On the top of our list of “Needless and Dangerous Neglect”is the basic and all-important task of maintaining accurate data on […]
Don’t Forget the Fundraiser’s Most Basic Tool
Most of us spend so much time focusing on the latest research, the latest book, reports of the latest dynamite campaign that we lose sight of the basic tasks essential for long-term success. The result of ignoring these mundane, seemingly boring tasks and sub-tasks is often disastrous. For example, tomorrow we’ll post the results of an […]
Donor-Centric or Faux Donor-Centric? Check the Plumbing.
When it comes to donor-centricity/obsession/love/devotion/passion I fear many fundraisers talk a good game while ignoring the fundamental and routine practices that should exist in any organization that truly cares about its donors. Tom’s and my mentor John Gardner, in his book Excellence defined the issue perfectly: “An excellent plumber is infinitely more admirable than an […]
Introducing TrueAppend for Fundraisers
Today we’re adding TrueAppend to The Agitator Toolbox. This easy-to-use tool enables you to go online and quickly—and without charge – get a demographic overview of your donor database. In a matter of minutes, you’ll receive charts and graphs identifying key characteristics of your donors. Attributes like Age, Net worth, and Income. Lifestyle markers like marital […]
Toolbox
Identify Deceased Donors on Your File. February 26, 2018 Profile Your Donor Base and Individual Donors In Minutes February 15, 2018 Easy-to-use address correction system. Any quantity. Just $20. April 30, 2017 Get More ROI from Your Website September 14, 2014 18 Months’ Worth of Testing in a Day January 18, 2012
What to Listen for in Donor Onboarding
“Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.” ― Stephen R. Covey In the previous on boarding post I emphasized the imperative to listen as soon as possible. But that brings up the question: listen for what? There are several variables that, when learned from donors during the […]
What Is ‘Donacanto Serto’?
No, it’s not an Italian dessert wine, Tom! In Esperanto, the international auxiliary language, ‘donacanto sperto’ translates into ‘donor experience’. And whether used by fundraisers speaking Esperanto, French, Spanish, German, English or Urdu, this buzzword raises the legitimate questions: “What is it?” and “Why should I care?” I suspect no one is quite sure because […]