Focus on the single minded proposition
One of the most difficult parts of creating a good brief is writing the proposition. This is the single most important thing that your advertisement or pack should convey to the reader – the very essence of what you want to say. It most definitely...
Do you want extra foam with your charity?
The Docklands Light Railway is under construction, it's freezing cold in London so the bike isn't getting out as much as it should and, as a result, I'm doing loads more walking. I pass a number of Starbucks on the way to work. I don't...
The nine ways donors filter your appeals
A few years ago my uncle set up a direct debit to an animal protection charity. He has repeatedly been upgraded and now gives them £60 a month. He doesn't want to be upgraded any more. He values the work of the charity so has...
Plant a tree with your iPhone
Here's another example of charities using iPhone Apps. This time it's to raise funds. It's called A Real Tree and is a very simple idea. You buy the app for £0.59 in the UK ($0.99 in the USA) and the purchase price is used to...
Secret taping of ad agency working for the RSPCA
I've managed to get my hands on some more secretly taped recordings. This time it's an agency brainstorming some ideas for a TV ad for the RSPCA. You can hear what was captured by clicking here. Not quite sure which agency it is, but i...
The Salvation Army iPhone App
I've found another great example of a charity using the iPhone to engage volunteers. This time its the Salvation Army (over in the US). They are offering people a chance to download a bell (you can get yours here). A downloadable bell on a telephone...
A little housekeeping
Regular readers will notice that there have been a few changes on the blog. First off, I've moved the navigation column over to the left. The people at Bluefrog who know more about this than I do have shown me some rather powerful eye-tracking studies...
How not to do PowerPoint
I've been both sides of the laptop for a fair number of PowerPoint presentations in my life. I've not seen many of these techniques but sadly, I have seen some of them. Instructional and funny video from Don McMillan. Life After Death PowerPoint from EMT...
Show donors what they can do. Not what they can't
When it comes to creating appeals, there is a natural assumption that high numbers generate high levels of income. If many thousands of people are at risk or in danger, logic would dictate that donors will give more money than if just one person is...
Integrate your media channels
Jennie Yorke and Richard Turner from ActionAid have a great presentation on Slideshare. It shows how the charity's approach to recruiting child sponsors has changed over time. In the three years up to 2005, 70% of all child sponsors were recruited through three channels. Today...
The Essentials
Crack the Code to Regular Giving: Insights, Strategies, and a Special Giveaway!
‘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?