I’m in the middle of a sneak peak of Tom Ahern’s latest book – and don’t worry Tom, I won’t give away the surprise of what it’s called. In one section, Tom looks at the issue of donor fatigue. I’ve sat in meetings where the fundraiser has shared complaints from donors (or board members) that they…
DetailsPeople assume that the AOG natural position is this: Premiums suck. Notepads, pens, shirts, bags, labels, stickers, cards… yah. I would agree. More often than not, those premiums suck. They are often used in acquisition and to me are the equivalent of spotting a friendly looking person across a room and shoving flowers and chocolates in…
DetailsI was asked this past January to do a presentation about direct response by Mazarine at Wild Woman Fundraising – especially how it relates to direct mail. A few days after agreeing to it, I sat at my desk with a glass of wine staring at a blank word file… Cursor flashing. Flashing. Flashing. I was instantly…
DetailsOnce upon a time, the story says, there once was a girl named Pandora. On her wedding day, the mighty God Zeus gave her a beautiful box as a gift. The box came with a note, which said: “DO NOT OPEN.” Attached to the note was the key to the box. “Why would Zeus give…
DetailsYour Agents of Good, as our cherished and punished clients know, have banned the word “data” from our language. It’s not “data”. They are DONORS! It’s not “extracting the data”, or “data segmentation” it’s “finding donors to inspire” and “talking to people the way they deserve to be talked to”. A few nights ago, with…
DetailsLast 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. “BRING $2 IN TO SCHOOL TO SUPPORT AUTISM & GET A CUPCAKE!” I, of…
DetailsWelcome 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…
DetailsYou’ve been to that cocktail party where you’re having a great conversation about “that” thing – that thing you both agree drives you crazy/makes you happy/tears your heart apart/have a fully belly laugh – and in the moment that follows, you look at each other and realize you’ve just shared a moment with another human…
DetailsA boy and his mummy are holding hands on the walk to school on a bright, sunny morning. Mummy breathes a small sigh of relief that today is not the morning he is suddenly to old to reach for her hand. Every day, this is a precious gift, she thinks. She brushes these thoughts away…
DetailsTwo words that send eyeballs rolling, directors scurrying, donors yawning… I’ve talked to fundraisers who would rather shine the leather shoes of the world – twice! – than work on their annual report for their charity. I don’t blame them. Most of them are boring. Like – soul destroyingly boring. But they don’t have to…
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