http://charitybloggers.com/siriam Just another Charitybloggers.com weblog Sun, 15 Feb 2009 16:25:32 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en A further simple and powerful reason for charities chasing down possible tax refunds on their donations (refer prior blog) has now been noted by myself. This is that while the latest Budget and Finance Bill confirms the reduction of basic rate tax from 22% to 20%, and thus potentially the ... http://charitybloggers.com/siriam/2008/03/30/charities-working-smarter-a-postscript/ As I begin to drown under increasing numbers of requests in the mail asking me to include in my will, specific legacies for the charity sending (and then tell the charity about it for their records?) plus not far behind those letters from charities asking me to change from annual ... http://charitybloggers.com/siriam/2008/03/29/do-charities-need-to-learn-how-to-work-smarter-and-not-harder-a-simple-suggestion/ A recent experience in my firm set me thinking about how most people may approach charity making decisions. The event was choosing of two nominated charities who would then benefit over the next year from all firm wide charity raising, matched funding etc such sponsorship brings. From a long list of ... http://charitybloggers.com/siriam/2008/03/29/are-we-largely-conservative-and-nationalistic-in-our-charity-giving/ All charity donors will have one assumes some level of interest in how the funds they give to a charity are used. As stated in an earlier blog the question of such application ("focus, focus, focus") is often the key determinant for me in making initial charity choices and ... http://charitybloggers.com/siriam/2008/03/02/it-aint-what-you-do-its-the-way-that-you-do-it/ While charity Xmas catalogues with the usual mix of standard fare of cards, wrapping paper and other charity branded goods have been around for a long time it was good to see a very innovative and I hope successful (well at least it got me buying when I normally rarely ... http://charitybloggers.com/siriam/2008/03/01/a-unique-and-charitable-approach-to-xmas-gifts/ In an earlier blog entry (my 5 pet hates) I listed receiving letters for further donations at inappropriate times, most typically just after I had made a donation. This has led me to ask myself whether charities actually use data they have in their possession in maximising its value and ... http://charitybloggers.com/siriam/2008/02/29/data-mining-by-charities/ While I appreciate they may duplicate other blog entries, here are the 5 major turn offs for me in how charities choose to communicate in interesting or creating empathy with donors: 1. Gifts to prick your conscience - Whether it is coins sellotaped to the letter; packets of salt or seeds ... http://charitybloggers.com/siriam/2007/10/18/my-5-charity-turn-offs/ What makes you want to donate to a specific charity? Clearly a secret that all charity fund raisers would no doubt like to understand. While for many there will be an emotional connection (the popularity in fund raising of cancer and heart disease evidencing I would suggest) once one gets ... http://charitybloggers.com/siriam/2007/10/07/focus-focus-focus-the-secret-of-successful-charities/ The recent receipt of four charities magazines in a few days (Cystic Fibrosis; Arthritis Research; Lepra & The Stroke Association) by mail led me to the thought "Is this the right approach for all donees to be communicated with?" The reason for the thought is that when reading so many in ... http://charitybloggers.com/siriam/2007/10/07/charity-mags-time-for-a-rethink/ Across the Summer months each year it happens, with more and more charities each year it seems now sending out Xmas catalogues. Many of the smaller charities usually just offer Xmas cards, others go a bit further with limited added items of Xmas paper or trinkets and a few select ... http://charitybloggers.com/siriam/2007/09/17/charity-xmas-cards/