You Knew This Day Would Come!
Well, maybe in your childlike innocence you didn’t.
Nonetheless, that day has arrived and we now have to make the decision of whether or not to continue publication of The Agitator.
The deadline for killing or continuing The Agitator is June 30th.
Here’s the deal. After 7 years of delivering The Agitator each weekday morning to 6,000 readers who get it by email and about the same number who venture onto our website, we’re having an existential crisis. Do we really matter … at least in the guise of The Agitator?
Sure, we get lots of pats on the back and emails thanking us for keeping the pot stirred and even raising occasional hell. And we sure appreciate the lively back and forth in the “Comments” section.
All of this leads us to believe there’s a reason to continue. And, from our perch, we see a definite a need to challenge today’s fundraising thinking and practices and we’re happy to continue agitating away.
But we don’t want to kid ourselves either. Is the effort worth it to you? Is it important and useful enough to you that you’d help pay something — anything — toward the cost of having your cage rattled several days a week?
We decided to resort to ‘the market’ for the answer.
You, Dear Reader, are ‘The Market’.
The question is quite simple. Will you pay some money each year to help publish The Agitator? The choice of ‘how much’ is entirely up to you. And you can exercise that choice today by clicking one of these two options right now.
I think The Agitator should live beyond June 30th. That’s why I’ll do my part to keep the complete, unabridged edition coming my way each weekday after July 1st.
I understand I can choose to give more or less than the $50 a year you’re suggesting. I understand that I will receive a full refund of my annual support if you decide not to continue publishing The Agitator.
I’d rather live in ignorance and bliss. Kill The Agitator and stop sending the full version on June 30th — at midnight. Back into your caves.
Quite frankly, we’d love it if everyone says Continue! and kicks in what they can. We’re also realistic enough to know that won’t happen. So, if enough readers are willing to do their part, we’ll continue. If not we’ll take it like grown-ups, stop agitating on June 30, give a full refund to those who paid, and return to our caves.
Please let us know whether we should Continue or Kill by voting with your personal set-your-own-amount contribution today. Don’t leave us twisting in the wind.
Given our clear and published prejudice against premiums — both front-end and back-end — you can be certain there are no mugs, stamps, calendars, watches, umbrellas, tote bags, day planners, rain jackets, sun glasses, note cards, bean bags, calendars, signed certificates or logo-emblazoned t-shirts associated with this request.
We’ll also spare you the benefit of attending Agitator banquets, marathons, awards ceremonies and reunions of our non-existent Editors’ Club.
Don’t want to contribute? We respect your decision.
But that said, we must reserve the best of The Agitator for our contributors. So, if sufficient readers ‘vote’ with their wallets and purses to continue The Agitator, only those who do contribute will get the complete, unabridged version of each day’s article and full access to the website and archives.
Because hope springs eternal from our hearts, between now and June 30th we’re giving everyone the full version so you have plenty of time to make your annual contribution. After that the full content and archives of The Agitator go behind a pay wall (The Wall).
Once The Wall is up, those who don’t contribute will receive in your weekday email feed only the preview version of Agitator posts.
Choose any amount you feel comfortable with. We‘re suggesting $50 a year, but the amount is entirely up to you.
In return for your generosity we promise our continued devotion to improving the craft of fundraising and donor communications, occasional online briefings, webinars and reports of genuine value, not to mention the occasional sprinkle of irreverence.
So, please let us know what you’d like to do. You can vote below to Continue or Kill right on this page.
Thank you.
Roger and Tom
P.S. We’re well aware of the immense diversity — financial and otherwise — of The Agitator readership. That’s why we’re leaving it up to you to determine your level of participation. You can ‘vote’ right here.
14 responses to “You Knew This Day Would Come!”
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O Jeez!
Bold move Agitators!
Paywall!
Your content is totally worth it.
I hope everyone clicks Continue!
If even 1/6th of your readers click Continue, that’s a nice chunk of change to continue publishing the Agitator!
I’ll vote to continue but why can’t I get a mug — you cheapskates!!
Roger and Tom, I get $50 worth of usable material to raise more money every week.
Such a deal.
Not only is your column worth paying for, but I think you should give yourselves a break and publish just 3 times per week – sometimes I’m so busy that I have to skip one!! But of course I always read it later.
I appreciate your transparency and also think your writing is well worth being paid for.
That said, one of the reasons why your writing is so worthwhile to me is that I can share it with others. I can tweet it, I can spread the word on NPHub. The benefit of your work can extend far beyond me.
I’d pay an annual amount to support the Agitator for everyone. I’m not sure I’d do the same for a paywalled version that only I can access. I donate annually to Wikipedia, but I don’t know if I’d support subscribers-only Wikipedia.
Seth Godin just wrote a great post about this that’s highly relevant:
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2013/06/the-free-rider-benefit.html
How about you decide on a (hidden) revenue goal that would be worth keeping agitating, keeping it public, but posting fewer times a week–and then make a decision to go on? I’d support that.
Thanks as always for your great work.
Nice use to guilt and humility. 😉 Of course I will make a donation!
CBI, that is hilarious!!
First appeal that I’ve read in awhile that didn’t start with the option to become a monthly sustainer.
You could go to 3 times a week if you like. I’ll still give you money. Thanks for keeping me informed, amused, only sometimes bored, and agitated. I often forward posts to others in the nonprofit arena.
I’m okay with no mug!
Whoa . . . i admit i don’t read it EVERY day but there are lots of gems and a plethora of insights, professional connections and almost daily laughs.
I’m searching thru the last two years of receipts because i think i was brilliant enough (and more gainfully employed) to pay $75 to have “life-time” access to Agitator archives. Is this your higher level Giving Club?
I’m voting YES after finishing this post and looking for the last $75 i ponied up thinking i’d have lots of time to rummage thru the archives. BTW — i agree with Kerren — think about slowing down now that you two are at least 55.
Let me know about my $75 too! JW
What others were afraid to ask: Can we pony up the 50 bucks AND get you back in caves?
P.S. Oops. Too late. I was sweet-talked into immediate ponying by irresistible links to multiple payment options. Sigh.
I am not going to lie. I kept waiting for the “Just Kidding” or this was just a test to see how well this button or that format did. I’m not saying your writing is not worth it, but I am a little sad that my go to blog for new development people is no longer going to be free. What about a free one month trial for new subscribers? Just a thought.
I understand we all have to get paid, so I ponied up. I hope you guys continue. Even if you just run through repeats of the best of the last 6 years for a while. There has to be enough good stuff in the archives to last a year at least, right?
On a formatting note, you didn’t tell us that the suggested was $50, but referenced it like you did. Just pointing that out.
It’s worth the price of admission just to save myself having to stay on top of the new research you keep us informed about. The time I save alone is worth the money. I’d hate to see you publish less, esp now that Katya’s blog is done.
btw, I also thought this post was a joke for a while.
Ask (directly) and you will receive!
I used to love Mathematics as a child and used to rush home and do my homework if I had not already done it during one of the other classes! Now I look forward to seeing (ok – love) the alert every day from you and it always makes me smile, laugh, think or cry (like the movies).
Happy to support as my life is made easier, but why is the default at $15 and the suggested $50 gets a low profile? It is easily worth more than $1 per week, so this is my little effort at agitating and challenging you.
$1 a week keeps me better informed and makes my life more fun!
I am sure that you will get the numbers…
Now how about that reminder before the end of the month?
Sanjeev