Three things you need to get right in mid-value fundraising
There has been a surge of interest in mid-value fundraising over the last year, so I thought it might be worth sharing a few thoughts about the technique. For those who don’t know, mid-value fundraising is a focused, engaging and highly personal version of direct marketing that asks…
Thoughts on the roots of the fundraising crisis and what might happen next
For all the headlines, news reports and criticism of fundraising over the last year, the point that seems to have escaped attention is just how we found ourselves in so much trouble. It's all too easy to blame elements of the media for whipping up a…
Time to change tactics – the view from Australia
Last year, I spoke at the Australasian Fundraising Forum in Sydney. I shared my thoughts on the fundraising crisis in the UK and how we ended up in such a mess. I also looked at what was happening in Australia and found a number of similarities…
Who should influence the future of fundraising?
With the most influential fundraiser/popularity contest up and running, I thought it presented a rather interesting opportunity. I’ve always been of the view than rather an opportunity to vote for mates, colleagues and famous faces, it should be presented as a means to introduce some…
What do donors actually read when you write to them?
There aren’t too many fundraisers who can be unaware of the power of using YOU in copy. One of my favourite fundraisers, Tom Ahern, gives the word central importance in his brilliantly effective Ahern Audit, with the famous You test. But why does such a simple word make such…
What is wrong with trojan horse fundraising?
There's a fundraising technique that's caught on in the last few years based on offering important information as a means to obtain someone's contact details. You probably have seen the type of thing I'm talking about on TV or train ads. Rather than directly offer…
How do we change the public perception of fundraising?
With the ongoing media storm, improving the public perception of fundraising is near the top of every fundraiser's list of concerns. But luckily, not only do we have the Commission on the Donor Experience working on the problem, senior staff from the UK’s top charities recently got together…
Avoid stone age fundraising techniques
The Super Fundraiser seemed to go down well, so here's her nemesis - The Neanderthal Fundraiser. Where the Super Fundraiser focuses on answering donor needs, our Stone Age chum is driven by a burning desire to get as many donors on board as possible – even with…
What makes a Super Fundraiser?
In the face of the UK's fundraising crisis, lets not forget there are some super fundraisers out there. This is what I think makes them special.
The truth about giving compiled from 250 million lines of data
The More Partnership has just published a great (free) booklet that illustrates some important truths about giving. The facts you'll find inside are based on analysing the supporter files of 33 British universities. That's a load of data. In just one year, it adds up to 161,000…
The Essentials
‘Tis Halloween. Keep to the light and beware the Four Fundraisers of the Apocalypse!
Why do people give? The Donor Participation Project with Louis Diez.
A guide to fundraising on the back of a postcard
What does the latest research tell us about the state of fundraising?
How do donors manage their philanthropic budgets?