FREE FOOD - 10 Tips for Mobile Apps

A conversation with a friend leads to this "helpful hint" post.

I usually only eat "fast food" as a last resort, rushing to or from an airport, or stuck in one. But McDonalds promoted their mobile app with the offer of "download the app and get a free sandwich." Not bad. How many apps offer to pay you the equivalent of $3 - $5 to download their app. I thought I'd download, get the freebie and delete it. But... so far, it's paying off... A few weeks ago Alice got to use her app (scan) coupon twice, scored about $8 free. (Mine only worked once. $4 for me.) But I noticed they had two offers expiring today, "buy one, get one free" breakfast and regular sandwiches. So, for dinner...I got a Quarter Pounder Deluxe, Buttermilk Fried Chicken Club, 2x Sausage McMuffins, large order of fries and a large Diet Dr. Pepper.... for $10.29! 4 meals for under $11. I enjoyed the Quarter Pounder, most of the fries, and half the drink for dinner. I stuck the rest in the fridge for later.

Here are a few tips if you download this, or similar apps...

1. ONLY buy when it's a “true” 100% discount value (or better value). "Buy one, get one free" with no other strings attached. You aren't getting a deal if they make you buy a drink, etc.

2. Don't be a sucker. Avoid the "Buy 5 get one free" deals. (Like the lame McCafe offer.) That is only a 20% discount at best. It costs them about $0.25 to sell you each $3 drink.

3. Want to redeem more than one offer on the same visit? Then make more than one transaction. Place your first order, pay for it. Then get back in line or simply say "I changed my mind, I want this other thing too." If they say no, find a different franchise because a manager that won't take your money in this circumstance is likely such a cheapskate that he/she underpays and mistreats their staff as well. *This does not apply to the unfortunate managers and teams whom work for a "cheap jerk" owner. I'd still leave, but be nice to the team. They’re just trying to pay the bills.

4. Never pay for something that is not properly prepared. Don't be afraid to ask for a "do over." Tonight my fries weren't sufficiently fresh. I only eat those things piping-hot, fresh from the frier. So, I drove around from the drive-through and stepped inside and asked for a "do over." I waited about 3 minutes to get the fries replaced, fresh from the frier. It is...always...worth it. 

5. If you go to any chain restaurant (or store) EVER, understand that you rarely have to pay full price if you educate yourself before you pull up to a drive-through or step through their doors. There is a deal offered every week. If you don't have their app, just ask if they are running any specials.

6. Cognitive Dissonance: I have great disdain for fast food restaurants in particular and chains in general. And I "know," yes, it's McDonalds...and yes we should stop eating beef altogether...and yes I loathe their scary marketing in schools, etc. but I'll fight those battle separately.

7. Read "Fast Food Nation." (yes, there's a movie too.)

8. Watch "Supersize Me."

9. Cook. Try to eat food that takes more than 5 minutes in your kitchen to un-package and heat.

10. Make an effort to enjoy food in an environment that allows you to look into the eyes of the person you cooked for, or who cooked for you. (If you live alone like me, don’t do this. It’s incredibly weird eating soup in the bathroom.)

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Connect with GoalBusters     

Jim Anderson      GoalBustersJim

Alice Ferris      alice.ferris

Fast Food Nation (book)

Fast Food Nation (film)

Super Size Me (film)

100 Days of Gratitude, Day 6: How to Thank "Just Because"

“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.” 
― Ralph Waldo Emerson

I wrote another thank you note today. It was to someone who's been a good friend who has had a tough few months.

As I was writing the note, I realized that, just like my first note in the 100 days, I don't write these often enough. Also, it's one thing to write a note to someone for a tangible item, like a gift. It's completely another to thank someone "just because."

In the nonprofit world, we as fundraising practitioners often ask our volunteers to call someone to "just thank them for their support." Equally as often, our volunteers put it off. Why?

Because it's different to thank someone for something intangible.

So based on the first week of the 100 Days of Gratitude, here are my tips.

1. Acknowledge that this thanks is "out of the blue." We live in a transactional environment. The recipient might think, "What are they buttering me up for?" Identify right away that this is not about getting something from them.
2. Identify one concrete example of something they said or did that was important to you. I found that I was writing in vague generalities and it started to not make sense, even to me. If I used one example, then I could do the next step.
3. Draw one or two conclusions as to how that thing impacted you and why you're grateful for it. It may have seemed pretty simple to them--a single phone call, a passed along opportunity, whatever--but it impacted you.
4. Sign off with gratitude. 

I'm already feeling that my next gratitude encounter will better communicate my appreciation for the recipient.  Hmmm, who can I thank next?

(P.S.: It seems like all "thank you" stock photos include a fountain pen. Are thank you notes that old fashioned?)

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Chinese New Year Traditions for Nonprofits

Welcome the Year of the Dragon, the most auspicious year of the Chinese zodiac! On January 23, 2012, Chinese communities throughout the world begin two weeks of celebrations to mark the lunar new year, the culmination of many preparations and traditions that have been in place for generations.

As we begin this new year, here are some of the traditions that can be productive to apply to your nonprofit life:

Conduct a thorough cleaning. Of your database, that is. Are you collecting useful information? Is it organized the way that is productive? Are there pledges that should be written off or past donors that can be archived?

Reconcile old debts and grudges. It's not just about money. Are there people to whom you owe follow up, or prospective donors that you should "bless and release?" In some cases, you're better to let a donor go than continue to pursue a gift that doesn't work for the contributor. Reassess the donors that are in cultivation and decide what you need to do to move them forward or to move them on to another cause.

Give "lucky money." The iconic red envelopes are given to children to insure that they have good luck for the coming year. In the same vein, think about your own philanthropy and consider a gift to a charitable cause that is not the one you work for. Was there an organization you missed in December? Is there a new cause you would like to support? Being a donor makes you a better, more aware fundraiser.

Look forward, not back. Earlier this month, you may have assessed how things went last calendar year. Now is the time to finalize the calendar year plan if you haven't already. If you've already set goals for the year, plan out milestones and action steps now.

Wear red. This has no translation to the nonprofit field. It's just good luck.

Celebrate abundance. The New Year's Eve dinner is traditionally a large celebration for the family to celebrate how much wealth they have, regardless of what actual physical wealth they hold, and carry over that optimism to the new year. Too often, with the bustle of the holidays and year end giving campaigns, and the stress of having to raise every dollar, development program staff do not have the time to celebrate the generosity of their donors and the successes of their efforts. Now that the year end gifts have been processed and thank you letters sent, take a moment to be thankful for the support you receive. Gather those close to your cause and say, "We have so much!"

Wishing you, and your nonprofit, prosperity in the new year! Gong Xi Fai Cai!

Other links:

Here's how GoalBusters celebrated Chinese New Year

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Connect with GoalBusters     

Alice Ferris, ACFRE      alice.ferris
Jim Anderson      GoalBustersJim

Rush Hour: Is Time a Fundraiser's Greatest Luxury?

You've just start a new job as a development director for a nonprofit organization. How much money can you raise by Friday?

Now you've been on the job for two months. Have you raised enough money to cover your salary?

Oh, and the board members are asking--we gave you that list of cold calls to make. Why haven't we seen a major gift yet?

In a tough economy, there is a lot of pressure to "show me the money." Yet in the traditional fundraising model, we talk about the development cycle:

Fundraising Tips: A Snapshot of Rural Donors - Press - AFP

From the Association of Fundraising Professionals

Fundraising Tips: A Snapshot of Rural Donors - Press - AFP

(April 6, 2010) Although people from rural communities are less likely to donate to charity, those that do give donate a higher percentage of their income than urban donors, according to a recent study by the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University.

The research, funded by a grant from AFP, found that all else held constant, rural respondents were almost 5.2 percentage points less likely to be a charitable donor, and donated less, on average, than urban donors, after controlling for human and social capital variables, such as education level, income level, health status, religious affiliation, family composition, and others.

Rural respondents were significantly less likely to be donors to secular charities, and gave less on average to secular causes overall.

However, rural donors donated a statistically significantly higher percentage of their income to charity than did urban donors. Also, rural donors are more likely to donate to religious causes than secular causes. Frequent religious attendance is associated with a higher probability of giving for rural residents, as is itemization of deductions on income tax returns.

Researchers found that rural donors give $122 less, on average, after controls. However, for both urban and rural residents, the amount contributed is closely related to some of the same factors that are associated with the probability of giving: being a college graduate, being married, frequency of religious attendance, level of wealth, level of income and itemizing charitable deductions.

Note: The researchers defined "rural" as those living in small towns with a population of less than 20,000. In this study, approximately 18 percent to 21 percent of respondents lived in rural areas.

College Educated Give More

The researchers offered several suggestions for fundraising in rural areas. Because college education is a factor associated with giving, engage college educated people in your work, researchers recommend. Rural residents who have gone to college give more than those who had not had that opportunity, even after taking income differences into account. Especially for secular causes, it is important to cultivate the interest of people with a college education, and people likely to be itemizing deductions (people who have recently purchased a home, for example).

Segment potential donors by income in order to structure appeal amounts matched to different areas. Values expressed most frequently by rural donors include:

• Those with more should help those with less (equity of responsibility);
• Giving is a form of reciprocity for benefits received;
• Giving is a way to express religious beliefs; and
• Nonprofit organizations are perceived to be more effective in delivering services than government agencies.

Even with attention to fundraising in rural areas, the total amount of charitable giving from rural areas will naturally be smaller than the total gifts from urban areas, because fewer people live in rural areas.

Urban Communities

Urban residents donate almost 85.4 percent of total charitable giving, according to the study. Average and median giving amounts, whether for overall giving, religious or secular causes, from urban donors were always higher than the averages from rural donors.

Suggestions for fundraising in urban communities based on the findings of this study include:

• Ask couples to give to charity, not simply the men in the household. Men report lower giving and lower probability of giving to secular causes, compared with women. Married people report giving more than unmarried people of either gender.

• Segment on income but expect lower rates of return in lower income areas. Structure appeal amounts matched to different income levels. Income is associated with the probability of giving (higher income means higher probability of making a charitable gift) and with higher gift amounts.

• Structure requests to highlight connections to the prospective donor's friends and family, in addition to the appealing to broader concerns for equity and reciprocity. Urban donors were more likely than rural donors to say they gave to support the efforts of their friends and family.

To visit the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University's website, go to www.philanthropy.iupui.edu.

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5 Misplaced Social Networking Fears - Social Networking Tips - Entrepreneur.com

5 Misplaced Social Networking Fears - Social Networking Tips - Entrepreneur.com

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