June 22, 2012

1. How readable are your donor communications – or any communications from your organization? Check out Jeff Brooks’ blog of June 21, 2012, “Real-world fundraising design is aimed at deteriorating eyes.” And for more about readability, read Tom Ahern’s e-news. And read Roger Dooley’s neurosciencemarketing blog and his book BrainFluence.

2. Read the newly-released Giving USA Annual Report on Philanthropy. Share highlights with your development office, your board’s development committee, your CEO, and your board of directors. This is important stuff! What are the trends – and what are the implications for your organization? Get your own copy.

3. Read “Sweetened Charity,” from The Economist magazine, June 9, 2012.

4. Read the Schumpeter column in the June 9 issue of The Economist, “A tissue of lies.” You’ll learn about social psychologist Dan Ariely and his new book, “The (Honest) Truth about Dishonesty.”

About Simone Joyaux

A consultant specializing in fund development, strategic planning, and board development, Simone P. Joyaux works with all types and sizes of nonprofits, speaks at conferences worldwide, and teaches in the graduate program for philanthropy at Saint Mary’s University, MN. Her books, Keep Your Donors and Strategic Fund Development, are standards in the field.

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