I know. Maybe you’re tired of me recommending resources. But hey! I see myself as a curator of good info.
1. I recommend that everyone subscribe to Roger Dooley’s neuroscience marketing e-news. A recent issue offers this very cool persuasion concept. (And then The Agitator people produced an e-news with more info, too. And, speaking of persuasion, check out Robert Cialdini, the influence guru. Read his books, too!)
Roger Dooley also tells us how to persuade people with BYAF (But You Are Free). This can double your success rate. Read this one and try it.
And – for amusement but also insight – read the newest Roger, “Women Can Be Irrational, Too.”
2. Never forget those great agitator people, Roger Craver and Tom Belford. A must-read for all fundraisers (and their bosses and boards) is the October 3, 2013 myth-busting e-news from The Agitator is “Dangerous Myth #1: Too Much Solicitation Causes Poor Retention.” Read it. Destroy that myth in your organization. And raise more money.
3. Check out Larry Johnson’s “Misplaced focus-misspent energy.” Also see Larry’s book The Eight Principles of Sustainable Fundraising.
4. Look at the love pyramid from John Lepp of Toronto’s Agents of Good. The love pyramid can replace that typical donor pyramid. Just try it!
5. I subscribe to Seth Godin‘s daily blog. I read Seth for his general strategic approach to stuff. My most recent favorites:
- “When to speak up,” September 28, 2013. Seth talks about decision-making and speaking up. The blog makes me think about conversation, which is inquiry not advocacy. Conversation, both formal and informal. Avoiding dysfunctional politeness. Remembering that silence is consent. Complainers complaining about decisions made when those complainers didn’t offer insights before the decision was made. So check out that blog.
- And here’s one for sales people (which includes fundraisers): “The failure of the second ask,” September 19, 2013. Seth says: “Asking the first time might be brave. Asking again (more forcefully) after you get a no is selfish and dumb.”
6. Then there’s Jeff Brooks and his daily blog, Future Fundraising Now. My recent favorites from Jeff:
- “Designer or art school grad?” You want a designer who understands fundraising and audiences.
- “How and why you should speed up your donor acknowledgements.” And Jeff refers us to Claire Axelrod’s “3 Secrets to Getting Your Donor Thank You Out in 48 Hours.”
- And how sad that we still have to convince fundraisers, bosses, and boards that emotions rule, not reason. See Jeff’s blog, “Is your fundraising just a lot of blah blah blah?” Thanks to Inspiring Generosity’s commentary, “Why Reason Alone Doesn’t Work in Fundraising.”
- Also see Jeff’s blog of October 7, “The most bone-headed fundraising meme of our time.” Jeff reminds us all that yes, donor retention is a big problem…but to focus on retention only…and ignore acquisition…is pretty silly!
7. And today’s last recommendation, visit the new on-line learning community, the Knowledge Fountain. The Knowledge Fountain offers courses, and provides an on-line chat room about nonprofit topics. Take a look. Topics include social media and analytics, fundraising, marketing communications, personal productivity, and more.
