tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26069484911745849822024-02-03T00:25:32.035-07:00Dollars for $enseThis blog was started in 2007 as a platform to share my "musings" about fundraising and it is time for a revival because too little has changed and there is too much that needs to change! This blog is intended to push the envelope (pun intended) and promote or even provoke change in our industry desperately in need of it!Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09184729052449289633noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2606948491174584982.post-48219046538297644882012-03-03T20:36:00.000-08:002012-03-03T20:38:33.539-08:005 Things I've Learned From My First 100 TweetsSending out this blog post will mark my 100th tweet and so I thought I would take a moment to share 5 things I have learned from my twitter experience so far...<br />
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<strong>1) Follow Quality over Quantity</strong><br />
<ul>
<li>Maybe I am not using the "Lists" well enough but there is a massive amount of content shared via twitter and finding a way to navigate through the noise is difficult. The more people you follow the more difficult it is to keep tabs on things you really care about so choose who you follow wisely!</li>
</ul>
<strong>2) Every tweet should end with #IN and/or #FB</strong><br />
<ul>
<li>All I ever hear about is "integrated marketing" and I have seen very few true cases on integrated marketing be successful because the reality is that the audiences between Direct Mail, Telemarketing, Email and Social Media don't have enough overlap. Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn have tremendous overlap and its an easy way to share great content.</li>
</ul>
<strong>3) You can Tweet too Much</strong><br />
<ul>
<li>What is too much? I have no idea, and it may depend on the day and my mood but you can tweet too much. My first 100 tweets can in just over 100 days...I have not tweeted once a day but more in spurts when I was really motivated to contribute. I think the key here is relevance...if you have something good to say I will probably keep following you but know it is hard to have something good to say that often.</li>
</ul>
<strong>4) Don't Be Afraid to "RT"</strong><br />
<ul>
<li>I struggled with this concept at the outset but I may be more of a "re-tweeter" than I am a "tweeter"...sharing something GREAT that someone else wrote is of high value to me when others do it. It expands the people I follow and great ideas expand my mind and it's a nice way to acknowledge someone who said something great in hopes they will keep it up knowing someone is listening.</li>
</ul>
<strong>5) Automated Messages Still Suck</strong><br />
<ul>
<li>Acknowledgement mailings, emails, etc in fundraising all suck...we always ask for money...again (because it works) but it just never feels sincere. If I follow you and I get your automated "thanks for following me" that is strike 1! The better etiquette I have learned is tweeting a thank you to new followers...it gets their names out to your followers and its a nice way to show everyone there is someone real at the keyboard.</li>
</ul>
I may be a late adapter (a trend in many cases with me) but I see high value in Twitter and am always looking for ways to make it better.<br />
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I am hopeful this post will generate some response because I know I still have a long way to go!<br />
<br />Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09184729052449289633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2606948491174584982.post-23239503395463477802012-01-18T13:30:00.000-08:002012-01-18T13:30:08.690-08:00Order A Whopper And Create Your Next Breakout StrategyOver the last few months I have spent the majority of my time focused on developing 2012 strategic plans for our nonprofit clients and my new favorite theme has become "What's our breakout strategy"? <br />
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I have dedicated several posts on this blog talking about ways to think using the 80/20 rule. And, for me, thinking in terms of "breakout strategies" has helped me separate the true opportunities from the tactics. I believe it is very possible that 80% of your growth in 2012 can come from 20% of our ideas...putting more attention and focus on ONLY the 20% may actually improve your success rate. <br />
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Maybe I am suffering from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetris_effect">Tetris Effect</a> but now I am looking for breakout strategy motivation and found one among the fast food giants to share to get you motivated...<a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-12/burger-king-tests-whopper-delivery-service-in-u-s-to-help-sales.html">Burger King's push into delivery service</a>.<br />
<br />
To be truthful, I have not studied the timeline of innovation among the top fast food giants but would summarize past efforts as follows:<br />
<ol>
<li>Cheaper prices</li>
<li>New french fries</li>
<li>Super Size</li>
<li>The McRib (a category unto itself)</li>
<li>New french fries (again)</li>
<li>Healthy alternatives</li>
</ol>
None of the above qualify as breakout strategies but instead tactical changes to gain incremental revenue, market share, etc. like testing a new OE teaser on an envelope.<br />
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To be clear, nothing is wrong with incremental as long as you spend less time here and more time on areas where you can truly breakout. <br />
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So for your next brainstorm meeting, order some BK for delivery and take the extra time answer this question <b>"What can we be doing differently to TRULY create separation from our competitors?"</b>Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09184729052449289633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2606948491174584982.post-49285189851561643022012-01-14T06:12:00.002-08:002012-01-14T06:26:10.514-08:00More About the 80/20 Rule for Creative...I am starting to sense an emerging obsession with identifying ways in which the 80/20 rule can be applied in marketing considering I have covered this topic in an earlier post.<br /><br />With that disclaimer aside, I came across a great blog post by Michel Fortin on <br /><a href="http://michelfortin.com/copywriting-the-8020-way/">Copywriting the 80/20 Way</a> and this part really resonated with me:<br /><br /><blockquote><em><strong>Less Effort, Better Results</strong></em><em><br /><br />Writing copy the 80/20 way is about getting maximum results with minimum effort. It’s about doing more with less.<br /><br />Don’t waste hours trying to create the “perfect” sales letter. Rather, write a letter that’s good enough. Then split-test it to success. Let the software do all the heavy lifting for you.</em></blockquote><br />How do you see the 80/20 rule applying in your marketing approach to your creative planning, analytics, etc?Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09184729052449289633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2606948491174584982.post-47293478785032751402011-12-30T09:07:00.004-08:002012-01-13T10:13:43.747-08:00A "20 Second Rule" for MarketersI recently finished a book called <a href="http://shawnachor.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=83&Itemid=41">The Happiness Advantage</a> by Shawn Achor. In the book, the author identifies seven principles for improving performance or maximizing our potential to improve our work, lives, etc.<br /><br />In reading this book, my marketing mind got going around Principle #6: The 20-Second Rule.<br /><br />Simply stated, the premise of the 20-Second Rule is based on the fact that we will always gravitate towards tasks that are easy to start regardless of the known fact that it may be less satisfying or productive than something that may take ONLY 20 seconds longer to start.<br /><br /><strong>Attention All Marketers!</strong><br /><br />You have 20 seconds to make a point. Take this advice to heart when planning around any brand campaigns, fundraising efforts, etc.<br /><br />This isn't necessarily a new problem, in the digital world we obsess about "limiting clicks"...the less clicks the more likely the close but has this principle been lost on the world of direct mail?<br /><br />In today's competitive DM landscape with cluttered mail boxes I challenge you to make sure your next DM package makes a point in less than 20 seconds. <br /><br />I look at it, I open it...tick tock!Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09184729052449289633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2606948491174584982.post-88407032339992919532011-12-30T08:04:00.004-08:002011-12-30T08:38:06.422-08:00Is the Data Telling the Real Truth About Online Giving?There was a very informative post recently from Blackbaud about the <a href="http://www.nptrends.com/nonprofit-trends/how-much-money-is-raised-through-online-giving.htm">current statistics around online giving</a>. If you don't have time to read it here are a few key highlights:<br /><br /><blockquote>1) Online fundraising generated $22 billion in 2010 (up 34% vs. '09) Online still only represents about 8% of total giving in the US<br />3) 32% of online donors will switch to offline giving</blockquote><br />Clearly, online is the fastest growing giving channel and we've likely only seen the tip of the iceberg (I hope) but I want to caution fundraisers to be careful what you glean from two other data points.<br /><br /><blockquote>1) Only 3% of offline donors will give online<br />2) Multichannel donors are more loyal than single channel donors</blockquote><br /><strong>It's All About Causation vs. Correlation</strong><br /><br />First, let me be clear, I do not dispute that this is THE DATA. The data clearly shows the correlation (the fact that these two points are related) but doesn't explain the causation (what is REALLY the relation between the two).<br /><br /><em>Only 3% of offline donors will give online</em><br /><br /><blockquote>1) Does this mean that 97% of offline donors don't use email or Internet?<br />2) Does this mean that we shouldn't bother soliciting offline donors via other channels?</blockquote><br />I think that neither of the above are true. My guess, the large majority of organizations started their online giving long after they started their offline giving and that offline represented 92% (or more of the giving) so the Director of "Offline" giving probably got the final say in whether emails were sent to "their donors" when a offline channel effort was underway.<br /><br />Kudos to Steve MacLaughin and the rest of the team at Blackbaud for doing the hard work on aggregating all of this data. All I ask is that we challenge ourselves (fundraisers and agencies alike) to look a layer deeper at what this all means. <br /><br />This may be a job for Market Researchers to find out directly from the donors!Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09184729052449289633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2606948491174584982.post-20780550949178280142011-12-20T19:02:00.006-08:002011-12-21T05:39:53.239-08:003 Things the American Cancer Society's "Report Card" Didn't Tell MeAs a follow up to my blog post yesterday someone sent me the American Cancer Society's 2011 <a href="http://bit.ly/rya3zX">"Report Card"</a> that was recently posted to their website.<br /><br />First, kudos to the American Cancer Society for making strides in the fight against Cancer in 2011!<br /><br />Now here are a few comments (and I welcome others):<br /><br /><blockquote>1) They should email it to me (yes, they have my email address)!<br />2) It feels heavy on facts and figures and lacks a "human feel". <br />3) They didn't tell me why my continued support was needed in 2012!</blockquote><br />The American Cancer Society is a first-class organization in many ways so I will give them a pass on this single page as I suspect it was done by the Corporate Communications and not the Fundraising team so maybe this is type of communiciation is soon to follow!Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09184729052449289633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2606948491174584982.post-28667008627573593072011-12-18T18:22:00.011-08:002011-12-20T08:54:39.859-08:004 Things Nonprofits Should Tell Donors About 2011As we all hold our collective breath waiting to see how the few remaining days unfold for 2011 giving, I think all fundraisers should be polishing up the finishing touches on their "2011 Report cards".<br /><br />To reiterate, I am saying "report card" because I have no time or interest in reading your Annual Report...and I am betting I am not alone there! <br /><br />In our fast paced world of short attention spans I think a report card of sorts may be a worthwile communication strategy nonprofits should consider.<br /><br />Recently there was a <a href="http://www.nonprofitmarketingblog.com/comments/donors_are_looking_for_a_thumbs_up_so_give_it_to_them/">great post</a> on <a href="http://www.nonprofitmarketingblog.com/">Katya's Non-Profit Marketing Blog</a> which cited recent market research that had two findings I found interesting:<br /><br /><blockquote>1) Donors don't spend a whole lot of time researching charities to which they give.<br /><br />2) Individual donors simply want to know they are giving to an organization that will do good with their money.</blockquote><br />Katya's point was make sure you put content on your website to let prospective donors know you're a good charity.<br /><br />Certainly advice all good charities should follow. <br /><br />To build on this, I believe your report card is a chance for the <em>GREAT</em> charities to differentiate the <em>GOOD </em> in an arena we all know is a very crowded marketplace.<br /><br />Donors are not measuring great organizations for raising the most money but for doing the most with it. <br /><br /><strong>As your donor I want to know these 4 things about your 2011: </strong><br /><br /><blockquote>1) What did you do that no other organization did?<br /><br />2) How did your organization become more efficient and/or effective?<br /><br />3) What happened in 2011 that will shape your organizational goals in 2012?<br /><br />4) What you are going to do "this year" with my continued support?</blockquote><br />If you truly did do great work and you make the case for continued support in a quick and simple I may click donate before I get to the P.S. (because I have a hunch if you are great at what you do there will be a P.S.)!<br /><br />Please share your comments and tell me what other questions I have missed!Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09184729052449289633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2606948491174584982.post-82422266056678654132011-12-14T21:06:00.007-08:002011-12-16T08:03:24.072-08:00My 3 Pronged Approach to Effectively Using Twitter...28 days ago I started a personal challenge to "take on Twitter" with the goal of acquiring 100 followers by December 31, 2011 (currently at 63 and counting @jwhichard).<br /><br />During this quest I have pontificated about my strategies to achieve this goal the "right way". To be fair to my critics, my version of the "right way" has taken on many shapes and forms to date including:<br /><br />1) I am only going to count followers with a link back to my focus around Fundraising, Nonprofits, Marketers, etc ("etc" defined as friends, family and Justin Beiber). <br /><br />2) I am aiming for a 2 to 1 ratio (for every two followers I have I can only follow 1 fellow "tweeter")<br /><br />3) I am going to use #Bold as my hashtag so I will show up as a trending topic (this one created the most "lol's")!<br /><br />Simply stated, my goal is to be a focused voice targeting a relevant audience to innovate change in marketing/fundraising and use this medium to share and shape my thoughts and ideas into something much better than I can create on my own.<br /><br />Twitter would become my own marketing agency made up of a larger collective experience pool!<br /><br />My detractors and doubters (and there are many) who have snickered as I ask for proper Twitter etiquette around the use of "RT" and @ mentions have told me this quality over quantity approach is all wrong.<br /><br />And now Seth Godin has come to my defense!<br /><br />In a recent post, <a href="http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2011/12/the-trap-of-social-media-noise.html">The Trap of Social Media Noise</a> he states there are two types of people in social media in what he refers to as "The Game Theory":<br /><br /><em>The game theory pushes us into one of two directions: either be better at pump and dump than anyone else, get your numbers into the millions, outmass those that choose to use mass and always dance at the edge of spam (in which the number of those you offend or turn off forever keep increasing), <br /><br />or<br /><br />Relentlessly focus. Prune your message and your list and build a reputation that's worth owning and an audience that cares.</em><br /><br />Seth refers to the former group who follow the "pump and dump" as "Junk Dealers"...for those who have spent years optimizing, competing for fundraising dollars have fought junk mail and faced this "noise" in what we call "competition in the mailbox".<br /><br />Nothing ever good came from Junk Mail...the volume never helped keep paper costs or postal rates down, it made people more skeptical or less trusting of every mail piece they received, it was the cause for the inception of many 'Do Not Mail' lists on the market today.<br /><br />Social networks have proven in a very short time to be very fickle media and the more we "play for numbers" the less relevant it will become and the less engaged we will be.<br /><br />My suggestion, Be #bold! Be part of the small minority that generates the large majority of the content that really matters!<br /><br /><blockquote></blockquote>Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09184729052449289633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2606948491174584982.post-84156701642083965432011-12-07T19:30:00.005-08:002011-12-08T07:17:30.417-08:00Your PowerPoint...Now A CRM Tool!Came across a very interesting new product/service to make your next presentation count call <a href="https://presentnow.me/">PresentNow</a> which is a platform to help facilitate the all important "2-way Dialogue" and may even help you raise more money.<br /><br />From their website:<br /><br /><strong>How can Present Now help non-profits and charities?</strong><br /><br /><em>First, kudos to you. You're out to do some good in the world and we need more people like you. Ultimately, all charities need donations to carry out their mission. You've no doubt been running lots of fund raisers and you're always looking for new donors. At your next event, make sure to give potential donors the opportunity to connect with you using Present Now. Once you have their contact information you can turning those contacts into donors. </em><br /><br />I have sat in many (not as many as I would like) presentations wanting more information, or more importantly have given several presentations and wanted more feedback.<br /><br />If we are finding ways to create more conversation from our PowerPoint presentations it has to be even easier to create more conversations with our Donors!Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09184729052449289633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2606948491174584982.post-75692240999787052852011-12-06T13:37:00.002-08:002011-12-06T13:39:23.641-08:00The 80/20 Rule Is More than Just Math...Check out my recent blog post at <a href="http://www.donorpowerblog.com/">Merkle's DonorPower Blog</a> and share how you are using the 80/20 rule!Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09184729052449289633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2606948491174584982.post-42405228995180657552011-12-04T14:36:00.002-08:002011-12-04T14:51:19.916-08:00Are Nonprofit Marketers Stuck Tying Our Shoes the Wrong WayThis is a great <a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/terry_moore_how_to_tie_your_shoes.html">short video </a>from Ted Talks that I think illustrates the point that we all must start focusing on challenging what has been the norm. <br /><br />If you watch this and think your organization, your agency, the industry you work in has already uncovered these opportunities I suggest you look again!Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09184729052449289633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2606948491174584982.post-16686507893092199492011-11-28T19:33:00.013-08:002011-11-28T21:46:12.355-08:00Is Your Nonprofit Brand the Best It Can Be?In today's crowded marketplace everyone is seeking ways to stand out in the mailbox or inbox? For many, this question is answered with a myriad of tests ranging from alternative package sizes, adding new components, catchy OE teasers, etc. <br /><br />All of the above are "tactics" and the majority of these tactics fail when tested. So today I challenge us to think bigger.<br /><br />I have read lots of good content on Branding and Mission Statements, most recently <a href="http://www.nonprofitmarketingblog.com/">Katya's blog</a> had a great post on <a href="http://www.nonprofitmarketingblog.com/site/how_to_drastically_improve_your_mission_statement/">improving your mission statement</a> and I think this is one place we can definitely think bigger.<br /><br />Why? Because our space is fraught with an enormous amount of brand confusion and building a great Nonprofit brand identity is a great chance to separate yourself from the rest of the market if you do it well.<br /><br /><strong>What Should Every Nonprofit Brand Strive to Do?</strong><br /><br />In the book <em>Made to Stick </em>the Heath Brothers provide a framework for creating sticky statements called SUCCESS. In fundraising each communication presents a unique set of challenges so creating new "sticky statements" in every communication may be too much to ask but conveying a strong brand should not be and is as simple as doing the following:<br /><br />1) Build Credibility<br />2) Generate Emotion <br />3) Be relevant<br /><br /><strong>Said another way:</strong><br /><br />1) If I recognize your brand I will BELIEVE!<br />2) If I believe in your mission I will CARE!<br />3) If what you ask for resonates with me I will ACT!<br /><br />The work required to achieve all of the above is different for every organization depending on the life stage in which you are in today.<br /><br />Large, long-standing Nonprofits often have a recognizable logo (or Brand) but often struggle with finding ways to get people to act because of their size or wide array of services that dilutes their relevancy.<br /><br />Conversely, small Nonprofits often lack awareness or credibility and need to get the skeptical donors to believe before they will ever give regardless of how compelling their story is.<br /><br /><strong>At the End of the Day...</strong><br /><br />Above all else, your Brand sells your organization. When people buy Volvo they think "safety". When people buy from Apple they are buying "innovation", when people buy from GM or Chrysler they are buying "American"...a great brand is quickly and easily attached to some positive emotion.<br /><br />Does your organizations brand have a clear identity? If not, start by asking yourself, "Why should people believe in us", "Why should people care", and "What would compel people to act". If you can answer those questions clearly you may be on your way to be the Apple of Nonprofits!Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09184729052449289633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2606948491174584982.post-57428428630870557622011-11-27T20:43:00.003-08:002011-11-27T21:03:25.789-08:00I Am Back...AgainI have learned that the good (and potentially bad) news about blogging is that it is somewhat of a historical record so this "comeback" post is merely a follow up to my last post (from 2008...sigh) from my last "comeback" posts.<br /><br />My motivation is not to emulate Brett Farve so Why am I back now? <br /><br />I recently read through my past blog posts written several years ago and realized we sit here today facing many of the same exact problems.<br /><br />We as marketers and fundraisers have not/are not innovating change despite many assertions that change is desperately needed including:<br /><br />1) Charitable donations are on the decline...<br />2) "Direct mail is dying"<br />3) Telemarketing is too expensive <br />4) "our donors do not like email" <br /><br />This industry is full of many smart marketers and fundraisers and my goal is to push forward our best NEW thinking to motivate change and move past the "this is how we've always done it" mentalitiy.<br /><br />Clearly my quickly aging mind isn't dead yet (proof being I remembered my blogger password) but I do not have all the answers and I want to learn as much (or more) than I share on this platform.<br /><br />Read, respond, participate...let's change world of fundraisingJoshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09184729052449289633noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2606948491174584982.post-47205547089875412652008-01-09T19:10:00.000-08:002008-01-09T19:39:39.871-08:00Consider this Post a New Year's Resolution...Who better to motivate me back to blogging than this recent post on <a href="http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2008/01/i-gave-at-the-o.html">Flipping the Funnel</a> by Seth Godin.<br /><br />I won't comment on the concept other than to say just read the <a href="http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/files/FlippingNOpro.pdf">ebook</a> because anything I add will dumb it down. What I will do is call out Godin on his initial comments that "direct mail is dying".<br /><br />I will be the first to admit my sensitivity lies with the fact that I am fully entrenched in the industry and have been working in direct response marketing since graduating college nearly 10 years ago. Sure, the statistics don't lie but I think he should have said, "direct mail as we know it is dying". <br /><br />I'm not asking for much...just three extra words!<br /><br />No question rising paper and postage costs are making mail less economical but I would argue that at least part of what is driving declines in response rate is increased competition in the mailbox. An <a href="http://dollarsforsense.blogspot.com/2007/04/should-charities-consider-consolidation.html">earlier post</a> in my blog regarding the boom in non-profits is just one example.<br /><br />The USPS isn't going anywhere and neither is direct mail...that's not to say direct mail as we know won't or shouldn't change dramatically in the years to come!<br /><br />C'mon Seth!Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09184729052449289633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2606948491174584982.post-7571121967548981742007-08-27T15:28:00.000-07:002007-08-27T15:56:01.383-07:00Blogging for CAREConsidering the content of my last post it would be a bit hypocritical of me if I didn't write a post about a great organization...<br /><br />There are so many to choose from but I take my hat off to Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere (CARE). If you ever received a "CARE package" from friends or family while you were away from home you have this organization to thank for it!<br /><br />CARE was founded in 1945 and today has projects ongoing in more than 60 countries fighting against global poverty. <br /><br />What makes CARE better than the rest? Not only do they offer immediate emergency relief for the poorest communities in the world, but they go a step further to stay as long as needed to offer the tools and training necessary for lasting solutions and economic opportunities to ensure positive change can be sustained indefinitely.<br /><br />For those of you who appreciate innovative efforts on the web I think CARE is leading the way as well with the <a href="http://www.care.org/getinvolved/iampowerful/intro.asp?source=&channel=">Power Circle</a>. <br /><br />The slogan says it all, "She has the power to change the world. You have the power to help her do it."<br /><br />Today I chose to use whatever blogging power I have to help CARE. <a href="https://my.care.org/05/170420990000/?qp_source=170760460000">Donate to CARE today!</a>Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09184729052449289633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2606948491174584982.post-62211446405283223532007-08-27T14:46:00.000-07:002007-08-27T15:28:09.871-07:00Blog for Charity...Because They Can't Do EverythingThe blogosphere is rich with posts about “why you should blog” but I am not offering a savvy list of the “top 3” reasons why you should join in.<br /><br />Instead, I offer you one simple reason…I think you should do it for Charity. <br /><br />I mentioned in an earlier post that I was the facilitator on blogging at the New York Nonprofit DMA where we discussed the “Why’s” and “How’s” of blogging. <br />Everyone thought blogging had great potential for their organization but almost everybody agreed that there organizations didn’t have the resources to do it themselves.<br /><br />Why leave the legwork of blogging to a nonprofit already short on resources when they have well versed blogging supporters like you who could do it for them. Don't you want them putting their time and money to work solving the world's problems anyway!<br /><br />My suggestion, write a post about your favorite charity and why you support them. If I am reading your blog it means I respect your opinion…if your post is compelling I may join you.<br /><br />If 100 million bloggers wrote just one post about why you should support their favorite charity what could happened?<br /><br />If you need motivation or ideas on how to do this well check out <a href="http://beth.typepad.com/">Beth’s Blog</a> and write your post today!Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09184729052449289633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2606948491174584982.post-82343357453620868762007-08-18T17:56:00.000-07:002007-08-19T19:18:38.208-07:00Tell-A-Friend Today!Many nonprofits use creative methods to capture email addresses via online petitions, surveys, etc. and have had great success doing so but you or your organization doesn't need to have the next best campaign to save puppies AND children all at once to increase online subscribers/donors, just give them the option to "tell a friend" whenever and where ever possible.<br /><br />If I visit your website, sign an online petition or donate it means I care about something you are doing. If you get my attention, provide me an answer I am looking for and if I care enough to give money I will probably tell friends about so make it as easy as possible to do so.<br /><br />Include a "Tell-A-Friend" link on your homepage, on your donate page and even try it as part of a "thank you" email and e-newsletter and let us help you spread the word!<br /><br />Might I suggest you start by passing on this post to someone you know?Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09184729052449289633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2606948491174584982.post-10217152204474994892007-08-15T21:23:00.000-07:002007-08-15T18:49:32.923-07:00Everything Nonprofits Need to Know about Web 2.0 is HereThe Nonprofit Technology Network (NTEN) has compiled a great resource of content about how nonprofits are using technology and posted this <a href="http://docs.google.com/View?docid=ddnmpks4_23dh52wt">Google Document</a> for all to view.<br /><br />If you have questions about how you can leverage blogs, myspace, facebook, etc. to further your cause this is a must read.Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09184729052449289633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2606948491174584982.post-75868438582177607532007-08-14T16:33:00.000-07:002007-08-14T17:28:12.923-07:00Web 2.0 - "Cultivate, Educate and Motivate"I spent two days at the New York Nonprofit DMA listening to what's new in direct marketing and took every opportunity to here what organizations were doing in the world of Web 2.0.<br /><br />The good news is that there are several organizations really jumping in with both feet and using the tools well despite the fact that their success appears difficult to measure and the financial support is minimal to date.<br /><br />The bad news, is that much of the focus seemed to be on how much money is being raised using these new tools. If new revenue was the key measure of success in month one, or even year one of any direct mail program would half of these people still have jobs and be hear talking direct mail? <br /><br />Back to the good news, I did make note of a great phrase I heard -- I believe the credit goes to the ASPCA -- "Cultivate, Educate and Motivate". Notice, there was no mention of, "ask to donate". Then again, I suspect if you can do all three of these things well raising money will be no problem!<br /><br />Web 2.0 is a great platform to cultivate, educate and motivate. Building relationships with empowered people who share your views could turn into "boots on the ground" supporters that could have a huge impact on your organizations ability to raise money, gain public support if/when the next natural disaster hits at home or abroad.Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09184729052449289633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2606948491174584982.post-39213451777132941912007-08-14T16:31:00.001-07:002007-08-14T16:31:39.803-07:00Web 2.0 ... The Machine is Us/ing Us<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><p><object height='350' width='425'><param value='http://youtube.com/v/6gmP4nk0EOE' name='movie'/><embed height='350' width='425' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' src='http://youtube.com/v/6gmP4nk0EOE'/></object></p><p>I saw this video for the first time in January and was really impressed with its message and creative delivery.<br /><br />I had assumed "everyone" had seen it until last week when I was the facilitator for a round table discussion on blogging at the New York Nonprofit DMA. <br /><br />If you have seen it, I suggest watching it again as it gets better and better each time. If you joined me for the round table on blogging, and are visiting my blog thanks for a great conversation and welcome to the "blogosphere"!</p></div>Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09184729052449289633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2606948491174584982.post-10080871683923910772007-06-14T16:27:00.001-07:002007-06-14T16:57:20.726-07:00Live Life the Ebay WayI am a huge fan of Ebay and have talked at length about my wins and losses to anyone who will listen.<br /><br />Ebay offers a medium to find almost anything you could imagine and gives you a chance to get it for less than face value if your lucky. <br /><br />Log on, search for what you want, put in the maximum price you are willing to pay for the item and go about your life until the auction ends. Ebay is so helpful that you don't even need to check back to see if you won, they will email you directly as soon as the auction ends to let you know you've won.<br /><br />Yeah right! <br /><br />I have bid on many auctions and can't remember one that didn't end with a flurry of last minute bids by people outdoing the current high bidder by $2.50 and in the interest of full disclosure I can't remember one auction I bid on where I wasn't one of THOSE PEOPLE!<br /><br />The trick here is knowing what your MAXIMUM is...and if you know this you won't only be a power seller on Ebay but a master at life!<br /><br />Outside of the Ebay world this concept can be referred to as your "Walk Away Position". At what point are you simply going to say this price is too high? Knowing the answer to this question before you log on to Ebay or walk into a car dealership will save you a lot of time and agony.<br /><br />Understanding if your walk away position is stronger than the other bidders, the car salesman or your potential clients will make you a master at negotiation!Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09184729052449289633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2606948491174584982.post-10538368548775023742007-06-14T15:47:00.000-07:002007-06-14T16:20:41.489-07:00What Makes You So Special?On the surface this question seems sarcastic, especially when you hear it from your Mother as a young boy or girl caught taking the last cookie without offering it to at least split it 50/50 with a sibling.<br /><br />Fast forward to a time in your life when your priorities extend beyond cookies and this question should be at the top of your list as consumers looking for a new mobile provider, as clients looking for financial or legal advice and most of all as charitable donors!!<br /><br />Let's ask the question a little differently, "What makes you relevant?" In a crowded marketplace of nonprofits a great answer to this question will separate you from the rest of the crowd. <br /><br />When looking to donate dollars would you be compelled by some carefully worded, all encompassing mission statement or an organization that could say, "If our organization were to disappear tomorrow the world would lose XYZ"?<br /><br />It's not an easy question to answer but remember, nothing worth doing ever is! <a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/online/37/ideazone.html">This article</a> can help you start the process of understanding your value proposition.<br /><br />When you can tell me what makes your organization or business relevant I hope to hear from you!Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09184729052449289633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2606948491174584982.post-68482055666616582772007-06-06T20:35:00.000-07:002007-06-06T21:27:29.635-07:00Blogging CadenceThe topic of blogging cadence is widely covered throughout the blogosphere and opinions run the gamet but since this is my first post in nearly two months I thought it was a good time to weigh in!<br /><br />I can offer excuses about my lack of postings (e.g. my home internet connection has been shoddy, I was sheparding a herd of 11-12 year-olds to a championship lacrosse season, etc) all true, but again, just excuses! Having said that, not only did my own blogging disappear but so did my daily review of my RSS feeds, granted I did check in a bit more frequently than once every two months!<br /><br />At last count I am tracking 32 different feeds, not sure where that falls in terms of average volume so let me know. That being said, if every link had 30 posts I am going to need some real free time to get through that. Fast Company was the ongoing winner, in my longest abscence I logged on to find more than 125 postings to review...I probably gave the first 30 headlines a quick glance and I was done.<br /><br />Other bloggers were well within my threshold at 10, 15 or even 30 posts. As like most people my threshold varied based on the value I assigned to each blog. Hence, I assume this will be the most important factor in each individuals "threshold"!<br /><br />The blogging experts would likely destroy me on this post but surely there are people like me who appreciate the valuable content blogs provides and try to put in their fair share as time permits.<br /><br />For those of you still checking in on my blog let me know what you think is the best cadence and I will act accordingly!<br /><br /><!-- Altering or removing this link is a breach of the Vizu Terms and Conditions --><div style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:10px;height:20px;text-align:center;width:180px;margin:0;padding:0;"><a href="http://www.vizu.com" target="_blank"><span style="color:#999;text-decoration:underline;font-size:10px;">Opinion Polls</span></a><span style="color:#999;"> & </span><a href="http://answers.vizu.com/market-research.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#999;text-decoration:underline;font-size:10px;">Market Research</span></a></div><embed src="http://wp.vizu.com/vizu_poll.swf" quality="high" scale="noscale" wmode="transparent" bgcolor="#ffffff" width="180" height="358" name="vizu_poll" align="middle" allowScriptAccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" FlashVars="js=false&pid=36921&ad=false&vizu=true&links=true&mainBG=000000&questionText=FFFFFF&answerZoneBG=EEEEEE&answerItemBG=FFFFFF&answerText=000000&voteBG=C8C8C8&voteText=000000"></embed>Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09184729052449289633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2606948491174584982.post-44182670429017724562007-04-08T19:00:00.000-07:002007-04-08T19:34:13.392-07:00Should Charities Consider Consolidation?According to this <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/25/fashion/25age.html?ex=1332475200&en=243a09252ce09f5f&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss">recent article</a> in the New York Times the number of charitable organizations in the United States between 1994 - 2004 increased 64%. <br /><br />Furthermore, according to Charity Navigator President Trent Stamp there is currently more than 700 breast cancer related charitable organizations in the United States. His <a href="http://trentstamp.blogspot.com/2007/03/less-is-more-in-charity-world.html">blog post</a> suggests we may all be better off with less charities focused on the same cause.<br /><br />In the for-profit sector only the strong survive but it doesn't appear to be that clear cut in the not-for-profit sector. I am sure many of the 700 breast cancer causes are doing good work and probably a few things that other organizations could learn from. What if ten, twenty or fifty of those organizations merged, built a new business plan using the best practices taken from each organization and leveraged the top donors from all of the organizations to support one unified cause?<br /><br />I envy those who are willing to pour their heart and soul into a cause they believe in and start a their own non-profit but I also believe in the law of diminishing returns!Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09184729052449289633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2606948491174584982.post-57301503637174949372007-04-08T18:04:00.001-07:002007-04-08T18:28:23.089-07:00Proof About the Power of Text MessagingI suggested in an <a href="http://dollarsforsense.blogspot.com/2007/02/future-is-text-messaging.html">earlier post</a> that text messaging could be the wave of the future and apparently there is an organization called <a href="http://www.mobileactive.org/">MobileActive </a> who agrees with me and is smart enough to make it work for them!<br /><br />If I told you five years ago that <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/features/e3i034d293b931efa9b533b4ef2b6d10364">65 million votes</a> would be cast via text message during the season finale of American Idol would you have believed me then?Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09184729052449289633noreply@blogger.com0