Data management truths As we step firmly into 2025, let’s take a moment to reflect on some data management truths that, if ignored, will come back to haunt you. These aren’t just best practices; they are survival tactics. If you want to keep your data clean, your...
My Husband Hates Olives Me and Mr Husband fit into Pareto’s 80/20 rule. We have about 80% shared likes and for the other 20% we metaphorically go our separate ways. For example, I love olives, which my husband loathes, they make him heave. Bear with me – there is a...
When experts collide! I’ve been reading a book called Humble Pi written by mathematician, Matt Parker, about real-life failures caused by bad maths. Did you know that Enron's downfall was probably caused by a dodgy Excel spreadsheet where someone had =sum 2 numbers...
Why do I need a pivot table? Well, picture this; you’ve got tonnes of data about your supporters. You’ve got the donations they've made, the raffle tickets they’ve bought, the fun runs and bake sales they’ve sweated over, and so much more. In fact you have a badly...
Tell me all about the dialogue of problems, Julie! Ok - here goes with the dialogue of problems - as you asked so nicely! When we are presented with a problem it can be difficult to see how and where to find creative solutions. Countless issues go unresolved because...
The 12 days of Christmas as we sing it at PtG. We all know and love the 12 days of Christmas - especially the "5 gold rings" bit which we can sing out loud and proud - but this is a data and fundraising specific12 days of Christmas - or as I want to call it: The 12...
We do like a bit of data segmentation! Data segmentation and selections seem to be a constant thorn in the side of fundraisers. Why is that? Over the years I’ve seen plenty of dead people who’d been mailed by some of our clients, and I’ve often seen that the right...
It is never too early to think about your Christmas checklist Is it too early to mention the C word? I was sitting in a cottage near the coast in the Norfolk Broads, looking out at a grey and miserable afternoon in July. Whilst my brain was telling me it’s July in...
Need a business case for investment in fundraising data? When you’re putting together a business case for investment in fundraising data or a CRM, how do you frame your request? At this point you’re probably wondering where I’m going with this or maybe questioning my...
The art of story telling for fundraisers Words and language have to be the most amazing thing about human development. Words have the ability to generate emotion, draw pictures, mobilise people into action, instruct, entertain and discourage. As fundraisers, our use...