The Agitator

Just when you thought you had figured out how to create emails that look decent and get read, along comes partypooper MarketingSherpa! They say: “64% of key decisionmakers are viewing your carefully crafted email on their Blackberrys and other mobile devices … And, chances are, your ...  Read more

Todd Cohen at Philanthropy Journal has made it easy for The Agitator to furnish a Monday mind stretch this week. Last week he published an outstanding report on Nonprofit Technology. Lots of examples, from nonprofits large and small, of how new communications technologies are being used by ...  Read more

If your job is to market a nonprofit, raising funds or advocating issues, you probably worry from time to time about the fate of your cause or charity. In case you don't, and need a prod, here's my “top five” list of things to worry about: 1. Does the “other” ...  Read more

People devoted to raising funds for nonprofit causes and charities do rather important work. Sometimes when we get down in the weeds we forget that. Here's a reminder Ellen Church, prez of Craver, Mathews, Smith & Company recently sent to her staff. Whether you work as fundraising ...  Read more

Should you think of your nonprofit's homepage as the door to an apartment building, a book, a restaurant, or a first date? Or is it increasingly irrelevant, given today's patterns of internet usage? The issue: fewer and fewer visitors enter a website via its homepage (less than 50% and ...  Read more

Awhile back The Agitator awarded one of its “You deserve a raise” accolades to the marketing team at ASPCA for their creative use of online video. A few days ago the New York Times ran this piece noting some criticism of ASPCA for what some regard as an insufficient allocation of ...  Read more

Environmental Defense is seeking candidates for the following position: Brand Marketing Promotions Director A lot of job openings pass by me, so why note this one … beyond the fact that Environmental Defense is my most recent alma mater? Because branding is becoming a survival skill for ...  Read more

“Can't we all just get along?” asks Kim Cubine of direct response fundraising agency Adams Hussey. She's commenting on yesterday's Agitator post, which referenced the “Great Debate” at recent Bridge Conference between direct mail and online donor fundraising ...  Read more

The recent Bridge Conference in Washington focused attention on the need for nonprofit fundraisers to integrate their direct mail and online channels. Here's a good summary of key points from Karen Taggart at Care2, as published by FundRaising Success Advisor. As we see it, for virtually all ...  Read more

Too many nonprofits treat their donors as just that … money givers. They don't recognize that at least some donors (your “best customers” so to speak) are probably motivated and prepared to take the further step of affirmatively championing a cause or charity they're ...  Read more