Agency/Consultant Relationships

If there’s one rule in fundraising that takes years of real experience to be convinced that it’s critical, it’s the need for a fundraising coach. Notice I didn't write consultant...

Your next fundraiser could be even more effective if you hire a fundraising consultant! Check out these five benefits a consultant can bring to your campaign...

If you are hoping for a personal copy of Hermione's time turner, I can't help you (sorry, non-Harry Potter fans), but if you are already using outside resources (writers, designers, full-service agencies, etc.) for your donor communications, there are ways you can free up more of your time without spending more money. Here are some "system tweaks" that may help.

The smart professional knows when to ask for help rather than trying to do it all alone. But the smartest professional makes sure that the money being spent on fundraising service providers is a good investment that ultimately raises money to carry out the mission.

The most important thing to remember is that when it comes to hiring an FSP, clear communication is critical.

As the donor public has been focused on nonprofit overhead in recent months, it seems that nonprofits have in turn been focusing on their costs to raise money. That's perfectly logical and wise, but this has generated a lot of questions and misunderstandings about what and how consultants or agencies charge.

A bad experience with a vendor drives home important points about how to treat your donors.

Today, in an effort to balance my karma and avoid creative hubris, I want to remind all of us on the creative side of the PDF that putting out a direct-mail package or online communication that gets results is a two-way street.

I've been around the block a few times, and I've been on both sides of the block. I've run programs at nonprofits, and I've worked at agencies. What all this means is that I've seen my share of agency relationships. 

In this week's installment, Jo Sullivan talks about picking the consultant that's right for you. Do you need a dictator, pontificator or collaborator? Doesn't matter ... Jo gives you insight into all three.