Author: jonathanpoisner
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Smashwords.Com interview
I recently completed a Smashwords.com interview about my E-Book, Why Organizations Thrive. Admittedly, it was an automated interview, so no human being actually asked the questions. But it was a…
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Tips for fundraising letters
Clients regularly ask me what goes into a good fundraising letter sent to previous donors. Here are some tips, in no particular order: Spend time thinking about the opening sentence…
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Making them move
Lesson 7 of Why Organizations Thrive is to become a very good public speaker. Here’s one public speaking tip that I’ve found useful over the years: make the audience physically…
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“I was waiting for . . .” is not a valid excuse
Pet peeve of mine: Using “I was waiting for” as an excuse. Too often somebody who’s not meeting a deadline responds that they’re failing because: “I was waiting for John…
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The point comes before the story
Readers of Why Organizations Thrive know that I’m a big believer in nonprofit leaders becoming excellent public speakers and organizations knowing and telling their stories. When giving a speech, which…
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Quick thoughts about e-newsletters
Because I try to stay in close touch with both current and former clients, I subscribe to a large volume of e-newsletters from nonprofit organizations. There are a lot of…
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Thinking about triggers in work plans
I’ve previously written about the importance of generating work plans once wrapping up strategic planning. One of the most useful tools in a work plan is the concept of triggers.…
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What you call it doesn’t matter
I was recently talking to someone who plays the staff role for a medium sized nonprofit organization. She had raised the possibility of doing strategic planning with her boss and…
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A riddle about five frogs
A riddle that I recently was told (again). I know I’ve heard this before, but couldn’t remember where/when. If anybody knows the original source, please let me know. The riddle:…
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E-Book Published
In early May 2013, I published my first book. Why Organizations Thrive: Lessons from the Front Lines for Nonprofit Executive Directors. In the first week, more than 100 individuals downloaded…