The case against the case for support
On the face of it, the case for support should be the key organisational tool for fundraisers, but having seen a fair number over my working life, I'd question how many are actually fit for purpose. Tim Seiler, Director of the Fund Raising School at…
How to win donors and influence them
How to win friends and influence people was one of the first self-help books ever published. Written by Dale Carnegie in 1936, it has been constantly in print and sold millions of copies world-wide. I don't know if Dale ever turned his hand to fundraising,…
Five things we learned at the IFC
Following a very enjoyable few days at the International Fundraising Congress in Amsterdam, I've put together my key take aways from the event. 1. There's loads more to data than just numbers. Chuck Longfield, Blackbaud's chief scientist, has a job where he can crunch millions…
The anatomy of a failed campaign
A few weeks ago, I questioned the decision of the D&AD to award a coveted Yellow Pencil to a student team for an idea that they developed for Oxfam. The D&AD asked me to write a follow up piece that you can read here. Or…
If you think stewarding donors is expensive, try ignoring their needs instead
Rapidata has released their August direct debit cancelation figures and they don't look particularly good. At 4.58% they are the highest seen for August since the monitoring of regular giving trends started back in 2003. In a worrying commentary, Rapidata's Managing Director, Scott Gray, says…
600 thank you letters
Charities spend a huge amount of money and time on creating appeal packs but the most important part of the relationship building process – the acknowledgement – is often little more than an afterthought. If you think your own set of thank you letters might…
Coca Cola turns vending machines into collection boxes
If you feel a little thirsty next time you're in Japan and decide to make a trip to your nearest vending machine for a refreshing beverage, you'll find more than a few cans of Coke on offer. You'll also be able to support the Japanese…
Direct debit cancellation rates on the rise
Following my post on the general downturn in DM response rates experienced at the time of the Royal Wedding in April, we have more evidence that this might be the start of a more pronounced trend. Rapidata has released details of direct debit cancellations for…
Using mobile to make press ads speak
Interesting use of mobile / QR codes to turn a press ad into a multi-media experience. The original inspiration looks like it came from this idea used to spice up a CV.
The real life adventures of David Ogilvy
As featured in ADWEEK as a tribute to his 100th Birthday. Illustration by Joao Maio Pinto.
