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Marketing & communications
What is fund development but really good relationship marketing? And donor-centered (or customer-centered) communications are essential. Check out the Fund Development list, too.
Books
Advertising Secrets of the Written Word, Joseph Sugarman
Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, Malcolm Gladwell
Check out Malcolm Gladwell's other books, too.
Confessions of an Advertising Man, David Ogilvy
Don't Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability, 2nd edition, Steve Krug, 2005
Don't Think of an Elephant, George Lakoff
Lakoff explains how to frame what we say – whether it's politics or other stuff.
The Copy Editing and Headline Handbook, Barbara G. Ellis
How to Write Fundraising Materials That Raise More Money, Tom Ahern
“Dammit, man – you've written a book I wanted to write! Excellent, excellent stuff. Seriously, I'm going to have my staff and as many of my clients as possible read it.” —Jeff Brooks
Keep Your Donors: The Guide to Better Communications and Stronger Relationships, Tom Ahern and Simone Joyaux
Learn all about communicating with your donors – and raising more money. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b?url=node%3D154606011&field-keywords=keep+your+donors&x=0&y=0
Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die, Chip and Dan Heath
Read Switch, another great book by the Heath brothers.
Marketing for Nonprofits, Philip Kotler
Nonprofit Internet Strategies: Best Practices for Marketing Communications and Fundraising Success, Ted Hart, James Greenfield Michael Johnston
Open Immediately! Straight Talk on Direct Mail Fundraising, Stephen Hitchcock
Seeing Through a Donor's Eyes, Tom Ahern
Why do you want my hard-earned money?” A good case richly answers that basic but profound question. “Okay,” you say, “but you only need a case for a capital campaign.” Wrong. Behind every successful fundraising program stands a well-argued, psychologically sound case that determines the contents of newsletters, websites, and your appeals. This is the how-to book every ambitious fundraiser should read. I've taken everything I've learned writing dozens of cases for all sorts of clients and campaigns … and clamped it all between two covers.
Tested Advertising Methods, John Caples
The Art of Readable Writing, Rudolf Flesch
Flesch's name should be familiar. Just check out Grammar Check in Miscrosoft Word.
The Brand Gap, Marty Neumeier
See his book The Designful Company, too.
The Copywriter, Robert W. Bly
No matter the publication date, these books are the greats of the great.
The Mercifully Brief Real World Guide to Raising More Money Through Newsletters Than You Ever Thought Possible, Tom Ahern
Tom is one of North America's leading experts in donor communications. Read all his books. Visit his website at www.aherncomm.com.
Tribes, Seth Godin
You want a tribe of committed donors! Read all of Seth's books. Subscribe to his free daily blog at wwww.sethgodin.com.
Type & Layout: Are You Communicating or Just Making Pretty Shapes, Colin Wheildon
The Australian who has taught us all so much about readability. And too few graphic designers know this stuff!
Permission Marketing, Seth Godin
Check out all of Seth's books.