BIG’s Blog: Innovation

Recently, someone asked me why we called our firm Browne Innovation Group. The point of their question was the word “Innovation.”

Actually, that was a really good question and after I told them the reason, they said, “You should write that in a blog.”

So, here it is.

If you look up the word 'innovation' in the dictionary, it can be a bit confusing and even misleading on first read. Typically, the first definition is: “Something new or different introduced, as in; numerous innovations in the high-school curriculum.”

But, you need to be careful that you don’t confuse innovation with invention. 'Invention' is defined as: “something that did not exist previously.”

Invention is something brand new.

Innovation is something new or different, but, refers to a variation on a theme or an iteration of the previous thing or idea.

The point of drawing the distinction is to explain that our philosophy at Browne Innovation Group is not to invent something new; frankly, that is way too hard and way too expensive.

Innovation used in the context of nonprofit fund raising means looking for new business models . . . coming mainly from the commercial world . . . and applying them to nonprofit fund raising.

We do not intend to invent something new; our clients still raise funds as fund raisers, but the way they do their fund raising changes as they adopt a new business model. Their new fund raising business model is an innovation over the old fund raising model.

Browne Innovation Group has found successful business models that today’s fund raisers can use as their old business models begin to fail.

In other words; we let the commercial world pioneer and perfect successful methodologies (business models) and then we borrow them for nonprofit fund raising.

-Mike

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BIG’s Blog: Mobile for Fund Raising – Part Three

How do we get information quickly and inexpensively to people with mobile smartphones that want to know about your organization's mission and work?

To listen to Laura Marriott, the CEO of NeoMedia, the answer is the convergence of mobile and mobile barcodes; also called QR-codes.

Ms. Marriott says, “Mobile is changing the way in which consumers (read donors) interact with the world around them. Mobile provides marketers with an enormous opportunity to engage a target audience in a way that has not been possible using other channels before. The consumer/donor is looking for flexibility, convenience and control over their interactions with organizations and mobile provides them with that ability.”

Mobile barcodes are a key means of enabling a rich media experience allowing them to quickly access content and relevant information.

Want to see how this looks? Click here.

While you are still producing copious quantities of direct mail, maybe you should printing QR-codes on the mail.

-Mike

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BIG’s Blog: Mobile for Fund Raising – Part Two

Yesterday, we learned that people are increasingly using mobile devices . . . smartphones and tablets . . . to check out Web sites. But, does your organization have a smartphone or tablet version of your Web site?

If you do, then you are ahead of the game.

But if you don’t, it turns out you are in good company. According to Sean Carton in his article entitled, Go Mobile Now!, 70% of all business Web sites do not have mobile smartphone or tablet versions. I wonder what the number is for nonprofit Web sites?

Sean states, “We’ve gone past the point where having a mobile device is an option. Currently, upwards of 80 million people in the U.S. have smartphones. The mobile Web has clearly reached critical mass.”

So, why are so many behind in mobilizing their Web sites? Sean Carton believes it is the usual suspects; tight budgets, expertise in mobile is hard to come by, and most organizations are still struggling with social media and expanding marketing channels. Sound familiar?

It turns out it doesn’t have to be expensive, time consuming or technically difficult. Click on the link above and read the full article which offers options for converting your Web site.

-Mike

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BIG’s Blog: Mobile for Fund Raising – Part One

Where is mobile today and what does it mean for fund raisers?

IBM’s Coremetrics Benchmark Industry Report released November 4 predicted online holiday shopping in November to grow 15% compared to last year. This is huge.

“Mobile commerce is expected to surge this holiday season because of an increase in iPad and Android device adoption,” said John Squires, chief strategy officer of IBM Coremetrics. “We are witnessing the end of the PC era,” he added.

“All of those people who predicted the last ten years that next year would be the year of mobile are finally right,” said Squires.

So what does this surge in people going to Web sites through their mobile devices have to do with your fund raising organization?

Have you bothered to create a mobile smartphone or tablet version of your Web site?

If you have, great!

If you haven’t . . . well, check out our blog tomorrow for quick ideas to help.

-Mike

Welcome to BIG’s Blog and yes, by all means forward our blog to your friends and co-workers. 

BIG’s Blog: The iPod Killed the Walkman

At a recent family reunion, iPads outnumbered laptops eight to one. And yes, the laptops were driven by 50ish uncles.

And the PCs, well, my take is that if I were Meg Whitman at HP, I’d reverse my decision to keep the PC division and close it.

iPads are already devastating the PC marketshare. What the kids and adults used to do on PCs, they now do on iPads. You still use a laptop or PC at work, but at home it’s the iPad.

And the future? A recent Neilson survey shows kids electronic appetites run to the iPad. The Neilson survey quantifies what I saw in my own family.

By-the-way, the iPad falls under the category of mobile.

The iPod killed the Walkman.

The iPad is killing the PC.

The Kindle and the iPad are killing printed books.

And all the above are killing direct mail. So, it is no surprise the U.S. Postal Service just announced proposed rate increases for 2012.

So what should fund raisers do?

Starting next year, we will be partnering with several different organizations and companies offering ½ day seminars on transforming your fund raising. If you are interested, please send me an email and I will make certain you get an invitation if there is one in your area.

-Mike

Welcome to BIG’s Blog and yes, by all means forward our blog to your friends and co-workers. 

BIG’s Blog: Digital?

Later this week, I will be blogging about the rise of mobile. Mobile and mobile media is a game changer for marketers and fund raisers. To prove the point, a recent IBM report states that 15% of all online holiday shopping this year will be done on mobile devices.

I’m always conflicted when I write blogs about the growth in digital and digital media because although all nonprofit charities have Web sites, and a few are starting to use social media, there is no real plan on how to use the shift to digital to transform fund raising. There is just huge institutional momentum to keep doing what we have always done and for long-established fund raisers that means direct mail.

But, it isn’t just the charity realm of nonprofits; it seems other nonprofit industry sectors and even the governmental sector are the last bastions of the pre-digital.

The four industry sectors most resistant to digital transformation are: 1) Education, 2) Healthcare, 3) Charities and 4) Government. And of these four, government is starting to make the most strides to embrace digital reacting no doubt to the economic pressure of less revenue.

My personal goal for government and the day I will be able to say government has fully embraced digital is when I can vote online.

Think about that.

I believe the day is fast approaching where you will be able to vote online, at your desk, at work, or at home.

Then, of course, you will either; go to work or if you voted at work, turn around and start planning your next pre-digital direct mail campaign.

-Mike

Welcome to BIG’s Blog and yes, by all means forward our blog to your friends and co-workers.