Do you believe in the Pareto Principle?
If you’re a fundraiser, you should.
Early 20th century economist Vilfredo Pareto noticed that in his garden, 20% of the pea plants produced 80% of the peas. He then started looking around, and saw that the same dynamic played out in other places, like the distribution of wealth and land ownership in Italy.
Sure enough, it shows up almost anywhere you look. Including fundraising, where 80% of revenue comes from 20% of donors – more or less. Also: 80% of your results come from 20% of your effort. It’s everywhere.
Including, I think, blogs.
The Moceanic Blog published 49 posts this year. According to Mr. Pareto, that means about ten of them are the 20% that produce 80% of the results.
So, according to our blog readers, here are the top 10 posts of 2024. (Some of them were published in 2023, but were highly read still this year.)
The Easy Way to Raise More Money by Being Relevant to Each Donor
How to customize and target the amount you ask each donor to give.
I’ve Had the Same Fundraising Job for 20 Years — Here’s Why
A fundraiser who has beat the typical 18-month job tenure that’s typical in the fundraising sector.
Fundraising Is about Love … and It’s Not Always Easy
A ground-breaking panel discussion on a difficult topic: “How to Grow Love and Tackle Saviorism in Fundraising Copywriting.” If your organization is struggling with these issues, this is a must read!
Donors Are Not You: A Guide to the Differences
A guide for getting outside your own head – one of the most difficult but revenue-boosting things any fundraiser can do.
The Overhead Myth, and the Pie Chart Solution
Turn the overhead myth on its head for amazing fundraising results.
The Type of Board Member Who Can Transform Your Fundraising (In a Good Way)
It’s easy to complain about board members, but sometimes they can make a huge difference for your fundraising.
3 Things that Disconnect Donors from Your Cause … and 4 That Connect Them
Three things you may be tempted to do that can chase away your donors … and four things to do instead.
7 Ways to Encourage Your Donors to Upgrade Their Giving
Are your donors giving as much as they could? Here’s how you can help them get there.
3 Temptations that Undermine Your Fundraising Storytelling, and How to Stop Them Cold
How to avoid the hidden traps that make our storytelling counterproductive.
Invisible but Important: Less-Known Ways to Improve Open Rates for Email
Surprising ways to improve your email open rates.
Looking for some quick improvements to your fundraising? Get the Moceanic FREE Guide: 5 Donor Love Tips To Boost Your Fundraising In Hard Times. These are easy, proven tactics that help you connect with donors for more revenue, better retention, and stronger relationships. Click through for your copy today!
Related Blog Posts:
- Mid-Value Donors: Neglected and Desperate to Help
- VIDEO: How to Use — or Misuse Donor Lifetime Value
- 7 Ways to Encourage Your Donors to Upgrade Their Giving
