What we think, what we’ve learned, tried & more …
This morning I was reading an article about self-help advice. As it relates to individuals. This life coach had curated what she believed to be the top 10 nuggets of happiness from over 500 books. If you wish, you can read her article here. Hopefully, before you do that, you’ll have a look at mine…
Read MoreIt started with the 7 easy #donorlove principles we use to guide us in our work. You make your donor the hero. You share amazing and inspiring stories. You connect to your donors emotions and values…
Read MoreYou can call it #donorlove, you can call it donor-centred, you can call it whatever you want. But Jen and I have discovered, as we travel around and speak with our fundraising friends, that very few of you (or them) are following these 7 very easy—but not simple..
Read MoreI admit my first post was a little simplistic but more importantly I think I missed the mark in my rant. As a result, it became part of a little virtual dust up between marketers and fundraisers. You can read Gail’s post and then Kivi’s if you want to follow along. (Bonus marks to Kivi for one of the best blog headers I have seen in some time!)
Read MoreThose of you who are on twitter may have heard of “@thewhinydonor“… If you haven’t – I suggest you follow her – she is your donor. Her insights to your asks, activity, automation, lack of gratitude, etc will give you a look into how some of your donors might feel when they get something from you…
Read Morenoun: marketing: the action or business of promoting and selling products or services, including market research and advertising…
Read MoreLast week, I stood in my kitchen sorting through the empty containers, dirty sock (singular), torn pieces of paper and other various pieces of riffraff that sat in my daughters school back pack. I came across a form from her class…
Read MoreWelcome to the latest instalment of our "Star Wars" themed 101 series!
To date, we have had a look at Direct Mail 101, Thank you letters 101, Newsletters 101 and today Rory Green will take us through Legacies 101. We both want to send our massive hugs and appreciation to two incredible Canadian fundraisers, Fraser Green and David Love.
Read MoreThis post could also be referred to as “The Empire Strikes Back”... but I heard that was already used somewhere. Nonetheless, we (Rory Green and John Lepp) are back with a new post to our Star Wars series! The concept was simple. Let's use a story that many, many people of all walks are familiar with…
Read MoreThe traditional donor pyramid. We find it presented at sessions and read about it on blogs. And it’s broken. It doesn’t work anymore. It forces organizations to focus on one thing…
Read MoreYou would have to be living in a cave, or maybe Dagobah right now to not know that YODA is HOT right now. Like, light sabre HOT!First, just over a week ago, a spirited little fellow named @fundraisingyoda showed up on our twitter door step with his inspired and fun thoughts about fundraising…
Read MoreThis is one of those blog posts where Jen says “You’re really going to post this?“. And I nod. Now, my goal is to be helpful. Take a look at your own direct mail pack and see how it compares. Do you see some similarities? If you aren’t sure about something you are considering or have designed..
Read MoreWhat is “good” writing? I’m sharing the 6 things that circle (and circle and circle) through my head each and every time I write, and edit, fundraising copy. “All fundraising copy should sound like someone talking.” – George Smith…
Read MoreThis morning I read over the latest Ahern in my inbox while my coffee brewed and of course, my brain starts spinning. His newsletter talks about how you! too! can make your crappy 12 page newsletter written by marketing and communications that goes on and on about how awesome you are, an actual donor love piece…
Read MoreThis past Friday, April 6th, 2012, CBC marketplace ran an episode called The Busted Edition. You can see it here in its entirety.In this episode, CBC turned its attention to World Vision Canada and how they recently notified their donors that their monthly gift will be upgraded from $35/month to $39/month due to increased costs, inflation, etc…
Read MoreI shudder when people call us consultants – the word has been dirtied by many of them. Excessive billings, talking down to, ignoring, egotism, over use of buzz words… I kind of dry heave when I hear about some relationships my colleagues have with their charitable clients. Bullying, lack of respect…
Read MoreHoly Beep!Successful projects rock. And while it does feel a bit like beeping our own horn, when we celebrate our success here at Agents of Good, it is all the more awesome because in our work, it also means that the world is a little bit of a better place…
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