Man's not hot. How the internet works.

I laughed so hard when I first saw this clip online.

This is the story of how the internet works.



If you want something to go viral. First of all you need to shut up. Then watch this. Then shut up.

That track in all it's glory.

In it. Not at it. Some post #IFC2016 thoughts...

I’ve been meaning to write something about this year’s IFC conference in Holland for ages.

Why?

Because it was so, so good. That’s why.

I think the IFC is an amazing event because it means I get to sit outside the UK fundraising bubble for a few days and talk to people from all over the world about their ideas and experience.

Speaking at the conference helps because it means you get to meet so many more people! Being ‘in’ it rather than ‘at’ it is very, very useful if you are as talkative and inquisitive as I am -  as it means barriers are down when it comes to approaching and introducing yourself to people.

I’ve come away with a huge amount of enthusiasm and inspiration from all sorts of people. There are, however, two key threads of thought for me that I had validated by this year’s event...

Feel the Bern...

In the UK we’re not very good at driving mass response using digital techniques and we’re close to rubbish at email. Listening to Kenneth and Zack from the Bernie Sanders campaign talk with such passion and experience about how they raised over $200 million using digital was a real inspiration. And I know from my own political fundraising experience from three Labour Party General Election campaigns that there is a lot to learn from the theories and practices of mobilisation and fundraising used by political parties.

Create the crowd...

Amanda Palmer did the opening plenary and told us never to forget that ‘you need a crowd to crowdfund’. Obvious, but not something we see enough of. Building a crowd or community around our causes and campaigns should be an everyday task. But all too often the big idea isn’t followed up by the hard graft to bring the public close and keep them interested. We need to do more in digital (and offline) to grow and inspire the communities we need to drive our success.

Very simplistic and of course both are intrinsically linked.  

We’ve some fairly serious challenges to overcome in UK fundraising, and in my view we’re not going to fix them by tinkering with our existing ways of working. We’re going to fix them by stepping outside of the UK bubble, learning from colleagues from all over the world and being brave enough to challenge the status quo.

PS. Amanda Palmer was lovely, I asked her if she'd say a few words to Fiona and she agreed, have a listen...

Asking the right questions...

The theme of this year's IFC conference is ‘Asking the Right Questions’.

As someone who spends most of his time working with UK charities I don’t think there has ever been a better time to pause, breathe and think about the things we can do to drive real change in the way we inspire and move the public to take action for the causes we have the privilege to represent.

For a very long time fundraisers in the UK have been in optimisation mode. Monthly giving by Direct Debit was our goal and all roads have led to the optimisation of the channels and tactics that have delivered monthly givers at scale and for as little outlay as possible.

But now is the time to change. This doesn’t mean that monthly giving isn’t important. But we do need to diversify the methods by which we recruit and retain donors. And we need to offer donors more choice in how they support us than a low value monthly gift.

A major part of my day finds me thinking up how we do this, specifically how we use digital techniques to do this. 

Coming up with ideas is the relatively easy bit: we all exist in a digital world and can all be inspired by the emergence of new technologies to help us come up with new methods to deliver better advocacy and fundraising programmes.

But there is a problem, the problem is that there is so much happening in technology and digital. There’s so much going on that we need a framework or method to make sure we make the right decisions on where to invest our energy and budgets.

So we should focus our decisions on which ideas to develop based on the answers to questions in three key areas:

Technology. What does technology enable?

Does the technology exist to do the thing we want to do? It’s possible to develop anything if you have the time and money. But building from the ground up is expensive and fraught with danger. Before we build anything we need to be sure that there aren’t already platforms or products in existence which we can fuse together to deliver our idea. I honestly believe that the organisations that invest time and resources here will be at the forefront of redefining the fundraising model.

Behaviour. What are people actually doing?

This is the biggie. An idea that is built around a fancy piece of technology that doesn’t have mass appeal or mass adoption won’t drive mass response. It is that simple. And a piece of technology that requires people to do something that sits outside of their existing behaviours has to deliver real value to us and meet an identified audience need if we are to consider it. There are too many ‘cool’ ideas that end up being launched and then die quietly. To get traction, our ideas have to born out of and be built upon existing behaviour.

And while we are here. Not very many people want another login to another closed platform. We all have too many passwords to remember and the only people who will bother are your most engaged. Strive to personalise the experience of people supporting you, but don’t hide it away.

Impact. What will deliver the biggest impact?

I worry this question doesn’t get asked enough. Will this idea deliver impact at the level we want or need? And for clarity I mean impact as defined by you, so that’s money, actions, likes, shares, whatever it is you know you need to do. Will your idea deliver it?

So, by all means develop your Virtual Reality fused with Android Pay idea. But don’t be surprised if those who don’t use Android Pay don’t get involved.

So ask the right questions!

It really is about asking the right questions about the areas that have the biggest potential to transform our future success. If you have an idea that utilises existing technology, is based on what your target audience are already doing and can deliver impact you need you’ve hit the sweet spot - it’s the idea to pursue.

Originally posted on the 101Fundraising blog.

If you had to flee, what’s the one thing you'd take with you?

Watch this on a mobile phone.

MobileMagic: some Friday Magic...

Apple Makes Siri Available To Developers. Ah! Now it all starts to make sense...

Facebook Messenger hits 1 billion users. That’s a lot of people. 1bn use WhatsApp as well. I wonder what the crossover is...

2016 will be the year of conversational commerce. I love this and I want you all to love it as well. Please love it.

From political coups to family feuds: how WhatsApp became our favourite way to chat. See above.

PayPal puts a charitable giving button in its app for the first time. Fancy.

Pew: 72% of U.S. Adults Access News on Mobile Devices. And in other news the bears do their wotsits in the woods.

Transforming Activism: Digital Era Advocacy Organizations. I’m obsessed with fusing activism techniques with fundraising. You knows it.

Telling a story simply...

A phone number on your t-shirt could be the only way to inform your family that you didn't make it to #Europe. pic.twitter.com/s71VNNvwcu

— MSF Sea (@MSF_Sea) May 30, 2016

You've probably guessed that I'm increasingly in awe of the people at MSF.

The humanitarian crisis in Europe has really touched me, so I've been researching and engaging with a lot of organisations who are working there to help.

MSF are the organisation who have impressed me the most for a whole range of reasons.

One of them is they way they are telling the story of what they are doing and the people they are helping.

It's positive when it can be, heartbreaking when it's heartbreaking and most of all - it feels authentic. So whether it's updates from their boat in the Mediterranean or stories from the camps in Europe, they are telling stories in an authentic voice in a way that's grabbing my attention.

I don't know the internal workings of MSF, but I can only assume that to deliver this masterclass in digital communications they've kept it simple. It's clear they trust their staff to tell the story in real time, that they're looking for the human stories and that they recognise that the simple tools of Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are invaluable in building communities and support around the issues. We can all learn a lot from them.

More great examples follow...

Around 900 #people may have died in the #CentralMediterranean in the last week alone. #Europe,this is unbearable. pic.twitter.com/j73FsSsO99

— MSF Sea (@MSF_Sea) May 29, 2016

BREAKING: First goal to Madrid!!!! High excitement for the #championsleaguefinal2016 on the #Argos! pic.twitter.com/CjefL8qR4U

— MSF Sea (@MSF_Sea) May 28, 2016

UPDATE: The 1sttrain is coming through a cleared out #Idomeni -the eviction of 1000s of #refugees is almost over. pic.twitter.com/CGe4tV2YEB

— MSF Sea (@MSF_Sea) May 26, 2016

A child from Syria holds a placard reading: 'EU, Turkey: We are not merchandise' at a camp for refugees and migrants in Idomeni, northern Greece. Two months after the signing of the deal by the European Union and Turkey, the situation continues to deteriorate for migrants and refugees incarcerated on the Greek islands. "Pushing people back to their country of last transit transforms asylum into nothing but a political bargaining chip to keep refugees as far away from European borders and the eyes of the European voting public as possible." - Dr Joanne Liu, MSF international president. #MSF #DoctorsWithoutBorders #Syria #Greece #Refugee #RefugeeCrisis © Gemma Gillie/MSF

A photo posted by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) (@doctorswithoutborders) on May 19, 2016 at 3:36am PDT

Our very own @alvsakaalva is on board the MSF Aquarius for the next couple of months reporting on the refugee crisis. Make sure to follow her for all the latest updates from MSF and @sosmediterranee. #MSF #doctorswithoutborders #aquarius #Mediterranean #MediterraneanSea #Refugeecrisis #Refugee #takepeoplein #sosmed

A photo posted by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) (@doctorswithoutborders) on May 13, 2016 at 1:07pm PDT

If you don't look good on a mobile you don't exist...

I've been meaning to get this off my chest for a while.

The rise of smartphones means we've all got the internet in our pockets.

The way that people communicate with each other and consume media is undergoing revolutionary change and it’s all happening on smartphones. 

If you can motivate people to come and find you it’s highly likely that they will do so on a mobile. The people you want to inspire and move to take action expect you to offer a fabulous mobile experience. Not doing so is not an option if you want to be heard and want to be effective. Your audience doesn't care why you don't look and feel good on a mobile - they just know you don't and they know someone else does.

So what?

Well it means that digital and mobile are one.

Digital is Mobile. 

Mobile is Digital. 

There really is no distinction anymore. If we continue to think there is, we’re missing the point. And probably doing it wrong.

All the digital stats you could ever need courtesy of We Are Social...

Digital in 2016 from We Are Social Singapore

The good people of We Are Social have just released their annual Digital report. Is really is an invaluable resource from quite obviously lovely people. Enjoy.

If you don't look good on a mobile you don't exist...

This?

This is my face when I get to a donation form that doesn't work on a mobile.

What follows is a brilliant presentation from Beate Sørum, it's all about maximising conversion from online donation forms. It's essential reading.

If you ever get the chance to see Beate speak, take it. She's brilliant.

How to get people from intention to donation from Beate Sørum

An alternative to the same old same old...

I wrote a blog the other day with the title ‘Ignore all gurus. Read fewer fundraising blogs. (Yes, including this one).’ And I meant it.

The point buried somewhere in that post was that there are too many fundraising blogs. All covering the same circular debates with no real alternative to the status quo. Which isn’t very exciting or inspiring.

In that post I suggested we should seek inspiration from elsewhere, so here is a list of places on the internet I look at when I need that inspiration or an alternative view.

Mobilisation Lab. One of my favourite corners on the internet. And great people in real life. I had the pleasure of attending one of their events in the woods just outside of Arnhem a few years ago and I’m still drawing inspiration from my experiences with them. The blog has loads and loads of case studies on how the Greenpeace network and affiliates is using tech to win.

Springwise.  A place to see examples of problems that are solved by taking an alternative view.

Meta Activism.  A look at how digital drives activism. 

The Sell! Sell! Blog. A blog that at times can push my thinking and state the obvious in an uncompromising way. Good brain food. 

Two US agencies, Precision Strategies and Blue State Digital. The former set up and staffed by some people who worked at Blue State Digital. Both a great place for a look across the pond at smart things happening in political campaigning & fundraising.

We Are Social. A phenomenal resource for up to the minute thinking and global stats on all things social.

Benedict Evans. Not a blog, but a email list you won’t regret signing up for.

Mobile Fix. And another ace email to sign up to.

I’d love to hear about blogs that inspire you. But please, no purely fundraising ones...

If we keep on doing the same things the same things will keep on happening...

We Are Social Presents The Social Marketing Mix from We Are Social

If we keep on doing the same things the same things will keep on happening.

If all we do is defend the things we've done before we will become defensive.

If we criticise everything that is new we will become outdated and eventually irrelevant.

We need to have an eye on where the supporters, activists and campaigners of tomorrow are.

They are all over social media.

(and we'd be really really stupid to ignore where their kids and grandkids are - they're in the same place)

This set of slides is very good brain food for all progressive fundraisers, campaigners and activists.

Ignore them at your leisure and keep on doing the same old things.

Because that's working just fine right?

All the digital stats you could ever want... (for now anyway...)

Digital, Social & Mobile in 2015 from We Are Social Singapore

The lovely people at We Are Social have been at it again. This time they have compiled all the stats related to digital you could ever need into one monster slideshow.

The headlines...

You should flick through their blog as it's a brilliant resource for all things digital.

'We are social' take a look at Europe (great mobile, digital, social stats)...

Social, Digital & Mobile in Europe from We Are Social Singapore

We are social follow up on their great set of global stats with a look at Europe.

Social, Digital & Mobile Worldwide in 2014

A great collection of stats for your viewing pleasure from the fab 'we are social'.

Social, Digital & Mobile Around The World (January 2014) from We Are Social Singapore

A 2013 internet trend geek fest from Mary Meeker

I've just spent far too much time looking at this.

A wonderful collection of digital/mobile/social stats pulled together by Mary Meeker. A full 117 slides of statistic fun.

KPCB Internet Trends 2013 from Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers

One of my my favourite stats. Mobile traffic made up 15% of all internet traffic in the whole world in May 2013. And it is obviously only going one way.

The adoption of smartphones in China is extraordinary as is the fact that mobile search surpassed desktop search in South Korea at the end of 2012.

Enjoy comrades.

Friend to friend fundraising from Finland

I like this from Plan Finland.

Fundraising is broken. As the film says...

"Fundraising is broken.

More people than ever are in need.

But on the street fundraisers are ignored."



This campaign aims to crack peer to peer, or friend to friend fundraising. The concept is simple and brilliant. The process looks a bit clunky - but it's raising money and getting attention so it has a good chance.

I worry about the requirement for Facebook logins and app authorisations in campaigns like this, as I fear they may suppress response. But in this case it's part of the process, it is the idea, if you want to share something with a friend, it's all about Facebook.

You can see more on the Girls Can website, there is an English version.

I saw this originally on Connor Byrne's blog. Which is a great blog. Go see.

What every charity leader should know...

I was very pleased to be asked to contribute to this.

Some really brilliant people contributed, so it's a bit humbling to be alongside them.

I scrabbled some thoughts together on mobile for slide 39.

Charity Digital Leaders Report from LasaCharity

The launch was also reported in the Guardian.

A charity collecting box for the Facebook generation

I found this brilliant reinvention of the charity collecting box on one of Beate Sorum's Pinterest boards.

My favourite feature is the digital camera that takes a picture of the donor to give a personalised thank you.

But the whole concept is pretty amazing - a really innovative update on an old fundraising technique.

You can read more about it here and here. 

And I've just noticed Mark has blogged about it as well.

My mate Stuart...

My twitter buddy Stuart Glen gave this great Prezi at the IoF conference in Scotland. Sounds like it went down a storm from the Twitter chat that surrounded it.

I was chuffed to see a screenshot of my JustGiving page in there. Stuart told me that the context was that 'these platforms (JustGiving etc) work because people trust their friends'.

Which is why I love what JustGiving do, their technology puts amazing tools in the hands of individuals like me who want to fundraise. I blogged about my experience here.

Digital fundraising: Blurring the boundaries between giving and living. on Prezi

My amazing online fundraising experience...

To be honest I don’t see myself as much of a premeditated writer. I seem to write what I think is my best stuff very quickly when I’m in the moment or am grabbed by something I really want to say. 

So when I decided that I wanted to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society in lieu of birthday presents for my 40^th birthday, I put off writing the reason why on my JustGiving page for weeks.

Then I wrote this, and I like what I wrote...

The fact that you are here means you are thinking about donating which is fantastic.  Thank you so much.  I should explain why I asked.

My grandad, Aniello de Gregorio and I shared a birthday, the 25 August. If he were still alive today he would have been 99 on my 40th birthday. He died aged 95.

There are few people I view as a hero, but my grandad is on the list. A hard working man born in the south of Italy who came to England to make a better life for his family.

He was a man of few words, but I hung on every one of them. He loved his family, his garden, his wife's cooking and the odd glass of red wine. He worked hard to keep southern Italian culture alive in Somerset and for that I love him even more.

He was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and needed full time care.  I didn’t see him enough towards the end of his life, but when I did I was convinced I could see a flicker of recognition in his eyes. I was probably wrong.

I decided to ask for donations to the Alzheimer’s Society in lieu of 40th birthday presents because I don’t need anything. And no one should have to watch someone they love fade away like you do if they are struck with this horrible disease.

Thank you so much for giving.

And what happened next blew me away.

I had set myself the target of £400, well initially £300, but I decided that as a fundraiser I should set what I thought was a stretch target! I expected some close friends and family to give me a few pounds in lieu of the bottle of red wine or novelty gift that they would normally get.

Nothing of the sort. The response was amazing. People I have met briefly in real life or never met ever bar on Twitter proved to be unbelievably generous. And of course my family and close friends were superb. I've said thank you to everyone who has given, but I will say it again. THANK YOU! You're amazing!

Today, Sunday 18^th September the total is £1,830. My JustGiving page helpfully tells me that’s 458% of my target. I am genuinely humbled by this.

And doing it all via JustGiving connected with the geek fundraiser in me. The thrill of getting an email telling you that you have a new donation is extraordinary. And when I sorted out the text to donate function I was in GEEK heaven, some numbers that will satisfy your inner geek:

• 96 donations in total
• £165 in SMS donations - 9% of the total value
• 21 gifts labelled as SMS - 22% of the total number
• £375 in Gift Aid
• £140 offline

So, here comes the financial ask I’m sure you're expecting.

Do you fancy helping me get to £2,000?

You can use your mobile phone and it’s very very easy. Think of it as sector research if nothing else.

To give £10 text PAUL71 £10 to 70070

To give £8 text PAUL71 £8 to 70070

And as all good telephone fundraisers know, 25% of response comes from the third ask, so to give £4 text PAUL71 £4 to 70070

Thanks very much.

http://www.justgiving.com/pauldegregorio