If you’ve browsed The Agitator, you might be puzzled by its breadth of topics — blogging, online fundraising, generational issues, direct mail, Latino media, branding, podcasting, planned giving, online videos, relationship marketing, social networking, environmentalism, major donors, video games, integrated marketing and more.

Are we confused? Unfocused?

No. We think we are reflecting the rapidly changing environment in which non-profits are competing for attention as they attempt to fundraise, educate, persuade, energize and mobilize.

It’s an environment where huge demographic shifts are proceeding alongside truly transformative changes in how we can reach and communicate with people. Smart marketers in the commercial world are fond of saying that the “balance of power” has shifted from the seller to the consumer, because the consumer has so much more information immediately available, so many more competitive choices, and so many ways to purchase … all while they have become more resistant to conventional “intrusive” marketing and advertising approaches.

Well, we believe the “empowered consumer” is now also the “empowered donor” and the “empowered activist.” And non-profit marketers — whether raising money, seeking activists, or trying to get a message out — will need to pick up the pace bigtime to stay ahead of their constituents. To survive and thrive they will need to learn how to engage new and different demographic groups, how to use new media, how to compete against even more communications clutter, how to “win permission” versus intruding, how to contend with tougher demands for accountability and performance … or yield to “upstart” competitors who will eat your lunch.

So, we’re consciously offering a broad canvas of news, trends, innovations and insights, because the exposure and range of vision and understanding for all of us engaged in the non-profit fundraising, communications and advocacy sectors needs to be wider than ever if we are going to successfully advance the missions and causes we all hold so dear.

We would be delighted to hear from you about areas you would like to see us cover, or cover more deeply. And, of course, we urge you to weigh in with your own observations in response to our posts.

Finally,to make this dialogue as easy as possible, we urge you to use our blog features that enable you to receive The Agitator automatically each day. You can sign-up using the FeedBlitz button to get new posts delivered in your email automatically. Or you can use the RSS buttons to add The Agitator to the sources you automatically scan for news.

We hope to hear from you!