Daily Fix - Marketing Blogs to Inspire You

June 30, 2006

Commercial marketing blogs have proliferated lately, and can be an excellent source of creative stimulation for non-profit marketers. The Viral Garden blog assembles a weekly top 25 list of marketing blogs based upon Alexa rankings of site visits. Two of my favorites are Seth's Blog and Daily Fix, but hey, different strokes for different folks. I'm sure if you browse this list you'll find a blog or two you'll want to consult often.

Any marketing blogs you'd recommend?

Posted by admin | Filed Under Uncategorized | Leave a Comment 

Donor Loyalty — the Holy Grail

June 30, 2006

Face it. Nothing sends more shivers up the line from Membership Director to CEO to Renewal mailing #1 isn't performing as well as last year!” Prospecting returns ebb and flow. We sigh. But nobody can tolerate an underperforming renewal series. We panic. Wouldn't we all enjoy donor retention rates marred only by death! Wouldn't we like to see the hard-earned, expensive new members and donors we recruit each year actually top-off the barrel of our house file, instead of barely plugging the leak at the bottom?

What happens during that exodus of first year donors who never renew their giving? They can't all have suddenly suffered amnesia or financial misfortune, can they? Small gift fundraising works economically for one reason only – an appreciable proportion of initial donors give again, and again, and again. They renew gifts and memberships. Is it too much to suggest that donors indeed become loyal, like sports fans, Harley bikers and bourbon drinkers? Here is a DonorTrends white paper, based upon proprietary survey research, examining some of the issues surrounding the Holy Grail of donor loyality.

Continue reading “Donor Loyalty — the Holy Grail”

Posted by admin | Filed Under Don't Miss these Posts | Leave a Comment 

National Fundraising Performance Down in 1st Quarter of 2006

June 30, 2006

The Target Analysis Group has just released the Index of National Fundraising Performance for the 1st Quarter of 2006. It shows declines in most key measures of giving when compared to the 1st Quarter of 2005.

  • Number of donors fell by a median of -4.6%
  • Revenue remained essentially flat, falling by a median of -0.6%
  • New donor acquisition fell by a median of -5.5%

The report notes that “these declines were not, however entirely unexpected. As we have seen in previous quarters, the Asian tsunami in December 2004 generated unprecedented levels of non-profit giving during the first quarter of 2005….At least a large part of the declines in key measures this quarter can likely be attributed to donors returning to a more normal giving pattern.”

Read the Executive Overview carefully 'cause there are some interesting — and potentially troubling trends revealed. For example, all-important retention rates

Continue reading “National Fundraising Performance Down in 1st Quarter of 2006″

Posted by admin | Filed Under Hot Research | Leave a Comment 

Online Video Fundraising Coming Soon?

June 30, 2006

As the 2006 election season heats up, vendors of online TV ads are promoting their new tools to campaigns. Online video advertising is blossoming alongside the deepening penetration of broadband access in the home. Seems like a no-brainer to me — a marriage of fine-tuned targetability and the impact of video. But it's new so campaigns are resisting. Joe Trippi, where are you?!

Here's an excellent report on the subject from clickz.com

Online video ads should be a no-brainer for cause fundraisers and advocates as well. To the impact of video and the targeting capability, add the ability to immediately capture the donor with one click! The international child welfare groups have demonstrated that conventional direct response TV ads can work (especially in the economic context of soliciting dependable monthly gifts). Online video offers better targeting and lower placement costs (low CPMs).

Who's going to be the first to experiment?

Posted by admin | Filed Under Don't Miss these Posts | Leave a Comment 

Speaking of Thank You’s

June 29, 2006

Roger's post about “thank you's” to donors got me wondering … how do you thank someone adequately for a $30 BILLION+ gift?!

Shouldn't we ALL write notes to Warren Buffett? Should (did) Bono or President Bush call him … or award him the Presidential Medal of Freedom?

Should every newspaper, magazine and newscast in the country … in the world … commend his generosity? Checking via Google, it appears most did. From the United Arab Emirates, here, with an excerpt below, is what the Khaleez Times had to say:

“Dear readers, we have to admit it. When it comes to charity and the spirit of giving and caring, the rest of the world cannot beat the West. You never come across rich individuals in the Third world making such generous contributions despite their enormous riches. This only happens in the West.”

Should we all just thank god he's not a right-wing nut?! (Buffett, that is.) The only folks I can detect who are unhappy about Buffett's gift are some grumps from the anti-choice, anti-family planning movement.

Actually, as fundraisers with our own goals to meet, maybe we should all just thank god that it wasn't a matching gift!

Once upon a time, when I was running a tiny “save the world” non-profit for Ted Turner, I received a call out of the blue from Warren Buffett. He said he was impressed with what Ted was up to and just wanted to give a token amount to show his support … and was sending a check for $50,000. I stammered a meek thank you (couldn't squeek out an up-sell). This at a time when many folks I approached to support Ted's cause responded as one very wealthy Wall Street fellow did: “Tom, I support what you're doing, but sending money to Ted Turner is like sending coal to Newcastle!”

Fortunately, Mr. Buffett doesn't think that way.

Thank you Warren Buffett.

Posted by admin | Filed Under General Post | Leave a Comment 

Dipping Your Toes into Blogging-II?

June 29, 2006

You'll be hearing plenty from us on the subject of blogging - why, whether, how, best practices etc. (obviously we're believers!). Here are observations from some of the best in the new biz, collected by MarketingProfs: Daily Fix.

As usual, we like Seth Godin: “They don't care about what you write. They care about what they get.”

Posted by admin | Filed Under Don't Miss these Posts | Leave a Comment 

Thank You Helen Keller

June 29, 2006

We report a lot on The Agitator about the wonders of technology, the beauty of effective communications. Yet, despite today's technology — or maybe because of it — good manners and good fundraising seem to be on a marked decline. Gifts made over the web receive an instant thank you. As if any mere mortal were alive to thank someone at 3:00 a.m in the morning! Computer forms regurgitate myriad “thank yous” almost as heart-felt and believable as instant messages off the internet.

The art of saying “Thank you”, probably the most important part of great donor relationships, is truly endangered. By and large today's fundraisers view “acknowledgements” (the term alone speaks volumes) as either cost centers, scheduling and production problems, or just a 'pain.' Sad.

Helen Keller, the great American icon and leader of the movement for education of the blind, was also a great fundraiser.

Take a look at her thank you letter to Alexander Graham Bell, a major donor to the cause of education for the blind, and you'll see what I mean. Mr. Bell, as a way to celebrate the marriage of Anne Sullivan (The Miracle Worker and Helen Keller's teacher) made it possible for Ms. Keller to give her beloved teacher a fine wedding present. In gratitude Helen Keller thanked him, saying…

“Dear Mr. Bell,

I was perfectly delighted to get your letter, and I thank you ever so much for sharing with me the pleasure of giving Teacher a present. I should have written sooner, but the gift arrived only yesterday. I bought her a beautiful clock and candlebra that go with it, as I happened to know that was just what she wanted. I value a secret both for itself and for the exercise it gives my faculties to keep it, and I felt delightfully important and responsible when you put such a large secret into my hands! You know how hard it is to conceal anything from Teacher who is quite a clair-voyante, and I was quite proud when she told me that neither she nor Mr. Macy suspected our secret…

How beautiful the scene on the lawn must have been, and how fitting it was that her happiness should thus be blended with the glory of the blue sky and the fragrance of growing things! I was with you all is thought, and I leave it to your loving understanding to tell you the messages I cost out to her. Teacher's carriage will take place Tuesday instead of Wednesday. There is a boat which leaves Wednesday, and she and Mr. Macy want to take it for a fine trip.

My mother is here, and I shall go home with her after the wedding and speed part of the sooner with my other dear ones in the South.

With dear love to you and Mrs. Bell, I am,
Your affectionate friend,
Helen Keller”

Continue reading “Thank You Helen Keller”

Posted by admin | Filed Under You Oughta Be Fired | Leave a Comment 

Can You Say “Billion” Without Stuttering?

June 27, 2006

Authored by JerryHuntsinger, Guest Agitator

Here they come! The hurricanes of 2006! How many? How deadly? They already have names…Berly, Rafael, Debby, Oscar…

And why was 2005 such an active and disastrous hurricane season? According to Dr. Jeff Masters, Director of Meteorology at Wunderground.com, your guess is as good as his. Maybe global warming. Maybe Al Gore is right. Maybe it’s just a natural cycle.

But what I’m really interested in is this – will charities be ready to assist the 2006 victims? I can absolutely guarantee you that the Salvation Army is going to be fantastically positioned, finance wise.

Continue reading “Can You Say “Billion” Without Stuttering?”

Posted by admin | Filed Under General Post | Leave a Comment 

Still in Silos?

June 27, 2006

The Boston Globe has announced that it is merging the editorial staffs of its print and online editions. This reflects today's digital realities in terms of the need for cross-platform brand consistency, the economics of producing content, and the desire of readers to use both media.

Are your printed newsletters and publications still in a different silo from your online publishing? If so, you're falling behind the curve of best practices.

Posted by admin | Filed Under General Post | Leave a Comment 

About Warren Buffet’s $37 Billion Plus Gift

June 26, 2006

The morning papers and networks lead with the story of Warren Buffet's decision to give away 85% of his wealth ($37+ billion) beginning in July. The story first appeared yesterday in a Fortune Magazine exclusive by Carol J. Loomis, FORTUNE's Editor-At-Large. In an interview with Ms. Loomis, Buffet tells how and why he arrived at his decision — including why most of the wealth of the world's second richest man will go to the foundation set up by the world's most wealthy man–The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Check out the Fortune story and the sidebar pieces to this main story for a fascinating look at this thoughtful and remarkable process. And, take a moment to see the most thoughtful and moving acknowledgement by Bill and Melinda Gates at their foundation's website.

How does the Buffet gift compare with those of other philanthropic legends? In today's dollars Andrew Carnegie give $7.2 billion over a 17 year period; John D. Rockefeller $7.1 billion over a 38 year period and John D. Rockefeller, Jr. $5.5 billion over a span of 33 years.

Posted by admin | Filed Under Don't Miss these Posts | Leave a Comment 

Next Page »