Blog

#40 Churn and burn your way to failure

In a recent F&P article authored by my friend and colleague, Matt Gilbert, a myth that has haunted our industry since fundraising became...

Adam Watson

3 min read

#39 “It's easier to ask forgiveness than it is to get permission”

U.S. Rear Admiral Grace Hopper’s famous quote is one that many face-to-face agencies subscribe to: “It is easier to ask forgiveness than...

Adam Watson

2 min read

#38 - Things I didn’t learn from fundraising

My 15 years of TM and F2F have taught me so much about myself and other people. It has given me the confidence to approach strangers and...

Adam Watson

2 min read

#37 Tougher penalties for PFRA members

Although the title of this series of blogs is ‘Things I learned this week’, and should be filled with all the new learnings from this...

Adam Watson

2 min read

#36 Regular giving Easter wish-list

A quick foreword before we get into it this week. FIA 2018 is fast approaching, and I am looking forward to seeing clients past, present...

Adam Watson

3 min read

#35 I am a Paid Fundraiser and my employer will receive 100% of your first year’s donations

“The first $250,000 donated will cover costs associated with this appeal” is a line you will have never read at the end of a DRTV charity...

Adam Watson

2 min read

#34 The hidden costs of F2F

A comment from my last post prompted me to discuss further the real cost of face-to-face fundraising. By this, I don’t mean the potential...

Adam Watson

3 min read

#33 The death of a salesman

As of July 2018, only two of Australia’s large F2F suppliers will offer commission-only fundraising as their sole-model. Does this mean...

Adam Watson

2 min read

#32 Seven deadly sins - Why your F2F campaign is failing

Fundraising managers from both sides of the agency/in-house fence can often be found with their head in their hands staring at a sheet of...

Adam Watson

2 min read

#31 They want how much upfront? For what?!

Today’s post is in response to a request for information from a former colleague. Yes, she has found a way to get the answers without...

Adam Watson

3 min read

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Why you should be Mystery Shopping your face to face fundraising campaign?

Face to face fundraising (F2F) remains one of the most powerful ways charities bring new supporters into their cause. A good conversation between a fundraiser and a member of the public can create a genuine connection that leads to years of support. But the reality is simple. Many charities do not actually know what is being said in those conversations. Reports will tell you how many donors were signed up. Agencies will tell you how the campaign performed. Dashboards will sho

3 min read

Training Your Donor Care Team: Support, Save, and Sell

If you’ve ever been on the other end of a donor call or even just read an attrition report you know this truth: your donor care team is the heartbeat of your fundraising. They’re not just answering phones or replying to emails, they are the people who keep your supporters engaged, informed, and feeling genuinely valued. And in the world of regular giving, that engagement is everything. Too often, donor care can be treated as a transactional exercise. “Answer the query, note i

4 min read