Is there anything you can do to help your non-profits pull in more contributions during 2009? This is the year, according to a recent Harris Poll, that nearly ¼ of consumers will donate to fewer organizations and nearly 1/3 will give less in general. But not all of the news is negative.

One of the key findings of this survey is that 60% of donors prefer to give ‘designated’ gifts to a non-profit. In general, consumers do not find the idea of general giving very appealing. But  if you help your client launch a fundraising campaign for a specific program or goal such as buying new equipment for a free health clinic or constructing a new building at a school which serves disadvantaged youth, donors may be more likely to open their wallets.

Another way to increase donations may be to reach out through social networking. Currently only 6% of adults say they use social networking to follow their favorite charities. However, this group of adults seems to be particularly active in terms of spreading the news to friends and family members. Over half of these adults discussed a specific nonprofit organization or event with others. These discussions may act as multipliers in reaching consumers who would otherwise not have heard about the nonprofit. These  discussions also build a community of people who may ‘adopt’ the charitable organization as a means of staying connected with friends. All of this activity leads to a higher profile for the organization and possibly an improved rate of contribution.

Review the results of this survey with non-profit organizations in your market. Suggest new ways to market fundraisers and if the organization cannot afford to pay  your fees, you’ll at least gain some community visibility of your own.

[Source: Harris Poll, March 17, 2009]

Now that consumers are accustomed to downloading tunes to their favorite digital music players, book publishers are beginning to bow to a new delivery model and are hoping that digital releases will improve their fortunes. The e-book market was valued at $100 million in 2008 and is predicted to grow rapidly. This production shift is being accompanied by the release of a proliferation of new software and portable e-readers.

Amazon leapt into this marketplace early with its Kindle.  While publishers and authors have been putting content on the Web for several years now, many in the e-book industry credit Oprah with giving mobile e-readers a boost when she discussed her Kindle on her TV talk show. Other  mobile device manufacturers have taken notice. Users of Apple’s iPod Touch and RIM’s BlackBerry can now easily download books. Another indication of the shift was the recent Barnes & Noble purchase of Fictionwise, an exclusive e-book publisher.

Industry watchers believe the e-book market is just beginning to gain mainstream status. Whether you’re working with book publishers, software developers or hardware manufacturers, opportunities for marketing and advertising programs are clearly growing.

[Source: Trachtenberg, Jeffrey and Silver, Sara. "E-Book Market Heats Up," Wall Street Journal 3.25.09; E-Book Week]

Is speed causing your sales to falter? While we live in a very fast-paced world, in regards to business, there may times during the sales process that moving too fast equals the death of a sale. By clamoring for results too quickly, you may make small mistakes and turn others, including prospects, off, both of which can hamper your best efforts. “Speed kills” is the overall theme of sales consultant Kevin Eikenberry’s most recent blog post. He writes that rushing can lead to a failed goal and presents five situations in which this is case. The following is his first example, and the rest of the article, and the four other haste-makes-waste situations, can be found here.

Speed kills creativity. For most people, creativity isn’t like a light switch. So, it’s tough when you call a meeting and ask people to share their creative ideas to a problem “right now”. Have you ever spent a day or two thinking about a situation – and voila – an idea comes to you in the shower, while you’re exercising, getting out or bed or driving your car? You maximize creativity when you allow your subconscious mind to help – and you must allow time for that to happen.

Housing sales may be creeping back up but many expect that the remodeling industry won’t return to the recent high levels of activity any time soon. Analysts at the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University point out that some of the recent home improvement spending was fueled by consumer belief that rising prices would allow owners to realize a return on their investment. The current housing climate offers no such assurance but there are pockets of opportunity in this industry.

You can help your clients target spenders by differentiating between homeowners who have lived at their current house less than 2 years and those who have lived at the current house for more than 20 years. These groups allocate their home improvement spending quite differently:

Short-term owners

• Kitchens and baths 21%
• Other room additions 17%
• Systems and equipment 12%
• Exterior replacements 12%
• Interior replacements 15%
• Property improvements/outside attachments 19%
• Disaster repairs 4%

Long-term owners

• Kitchens and baths 19%
• Other room additions 14%
• Systems and equipment 13%
• Exterior replacements 23%
• Interior replacements 11%
• Property improvements/outside attachments 13%
• Disaster repairs 7%

Your clients can also increase their revenue opportunities by targeting the three main demographic groups likely to spend on these projects:

Rental Housing Owners – These buildings were not invested in at the same rate as private residences during the recent housing boom and now require remodeling/maintenance and improvement.

Immigrant Homeowners – At least 10% of home improvement spending is linked to this demographic which is rapidly growing and forming new households.

Green Consumers – With tax credits in place, some consumers may be prodded to spend on replacement windows and doors and energy efficient heating systems.

Share this news with clients who sell goods and services related to home improvement and remodeling projects and show them how a targeted marketing campaign can reach consumers most likely to spend.

[Source: The Remodeling Market in Transition, Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, 2009]