J. Erik Potter

SOBCon08 - Have We Met?

jerikpotter — Wed, 07 May 2008 02:24:31 +0000

Is “life altering” an overused phrase? Well, I don’t care. This past weekend at SOBCon08, I was able to match flesh to avatar in downtown Chicago. Folks I’d only met through the written word were within sight. It amazed me how easily it was to find the folks I’d had the most online conversations with. Robert Hruzek was easy to spot in his traditional Texas head covering. Joanna Young was equally easy to find with her signature red hair (it helped that she was standing next to Robert at the time, too). And then there was Brad Shorr, yet another of the early faces who was spot-on to his avatar.

Now while recognizing faces from avatars might not seem that strange, this next part was. EVERY person I met at SOBCon08, who I’d had an online conversation with, sounded EXACTLY like I’d pictured in my mind. Liz Strauss sounds like Liz - not Fran Drescher (thank God). And while Terry Starbucker may have a passing resemblance to a short-haired Agent Smith, I can assure you he sounds nothing like him.

Some other random observances:

Christine Kane’s first name is Christine, not Carolyn. My apologies once again! I’m blaming it on the Fat Tire.

Jen Knoedl is the nicest person you’ll meet next to Buddy Elf.

Chris Brogan doesn’t like the song “Freebird”, but is good at flipping the bird to cabbies without GPS.

Phil Gerbyshak is the most genuine person I’ve met in an age.

I highly recommend a walk through the park with Chris Brown.

John Hong and I have very similar green raincoats.

Timothy Johnson and Stephen Smith were separated at birth. They could have easily given Lindsey Lohan a run for her money on The Parent Trap remake if Disney scouts had met them.

Sandra Ponce de Leon and Dawud Miracle need to form a secret society of kick butt names.

Rick Mahn knows how to talk politics and religion AND keep it civil.

Wendy Piersall is the real deal.

Stephen Hopson is the best listener I’ve ever met.

Pete Jones makes me want to work out. And get a new phone.

I like playing devil’s advocate with Kristen King. Shareholder theory rules!

I expect great things from Bryan Kress.

Shashi Bellamkonda is a multitasking monster.

And Thomas Knoll has the BEST bar game on the planet!

The weekend was enough to keep even my ADD in check (no small feat). Thanks for memories everyone!

Photo courtesy of Chris Garrett - Flickr

Stepping Into the Artist’s Shoes

jerikpotter — Tue, 06 May 2008 21:15:43 +0000

I’ve been reading H. Peter Karoff’s site today and was struck by the following analogy:

“You don’t have to be a Yeats or a Van Gogh to produce to high performance generosity. Robert Frost’s three-part definition of a good poem is relevant —did the poet have anything to say, was he true to it, and did he use good words. Variations of the same questions apply to each of us: what do we most believe in, did we act on those beliefs, and did we execute at the highest possible level. The very process itself, a mix of strong vision, mission, and execution has a simple genius of its own, one that is accessible not to the select few but to the many.”

Its all fine and dandy to believe in a cause but it takes action to keep it moving.

The great thing about giving and generousity is that we can all participate in our own way. Start recyling, mentor a teen, join a service organization, or break out the checkbook.

Once you’ve started down the path, keep up the momentum. You’ll be surprised how far you can get. Don’t be afraid of the first step.

Road Trippin’

jerikpotter — Fri, 02 May 2008 03:26:02 +0000

I’m heading out to SobCon08 in a matter of hours with Tim Johnson and Pete Jones. Nothing like a 4:30am wake up call to start the weekend off with a bang! I have a feeling I’m going to need every ounce of energy to keep up with all of these folks:

BTW, we’re having a little Utterz contest during the conference. You can check out my entry here. The winner gets some kind of Nokia phone (doubt half the features work in Iowa). If I should happen to win it, the phone will be placed on ebay the following day. All proceeds of the auction will be donated in honor of the SobCon08 attendees to Youth & Shelter Services, Inc. Be sure to check out their website. They do some amazing work for at-risk youth in central Iowa.

See everybody soon!

Are You Clear Like CARE?

jerikpotter — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 02:16:29 +0000

What is it about numbers and non-profits?

I’ve taken my share of kind ribbings from Phil the last few months over this topic. To some in the non-profit world, the entry of business-trained and or business-minded individuals into the fundraising and/or philanthropy realm doesn’t make sense.

After all, to some, the “business” of a non-profit isn’t and shouldn’t be about number crunching or bottom lines. Its about helping out and making the world a better place. KPI and ROI aren’t routinely entered into the equation.

But when it comes to fundraising, the need for numbers is growing. Donors want to know where and how the funds will be used. Like it or not, they are making an investment in your venture. While they don’t expect a monetary return, they do expect a social return.

Beyond an annual report, how are you presenting this information to your donors? I like what CARE has done. Several others are using a similar approach. Are these numbers the best indicator of whether or not a non-profit is doing a good job? Of course not. But they provide a window into your organization.

Suppose you are used car shopping on a Sunday afternoon (to avoid any salespeople). You pull up to two similar looking 4 door sedans. One has clear windows, the other has dark tinted windows. The car with the clear windows allows you to see the shape of the interior, whether its a manual or automatic, and how many miles are on the odometer. The tinted windows block your access. The only way to glean additional information is to actually talk to a salesperson the following week. They have to grant you access to the interior. Donors don’t want to wait around for a salesperson. They want to look around and “kick the tires” if you will.

Are your organization’s windows clear or tinted?

Good Knight and Have a Pleasant Tomorrow

jerikpotter — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 19:18:16 +0000

I was knighted this weekend. No, I didn’t get to meet the Queen of England, I don’t get to carry around a sword and shield, and I don’t have my own squire (although I do have a Squier guitar. . .but I digress).

I joined my local Knights of Columbus council. The Knights were founded around the ideal of charity. During the late 1800’s there wasn’t a safety net for widows and their children. The Knights banded together to provide for needy families.

Today, the Knights provide financial and volunteer support for community programs and national events like Special Olympics. I’ll keep you posted on our activities throughout the year.

Are you a Knight? Or are you a member of another service organization? I plan on starting a monthly service organization highlight. I’d love to hear from you.

Earned. Never Given.

jerikpotter — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 23:37:41 +0000

I saw these words on the side of a semi will driving up I-35 a couple weeks ago. It’s part of a marketing campaign for the U.S. Marines.

It got me thinking. How many fundraisers feel like they need to earn a donation? You do. However noble your mission or dire your cause, you need to prove to the donor that your mission matters. Just because you understand the importance of your mission, doesn’t mean the average person does.

How are you earning it?

Amazing Conversation

jerikpotter — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 18:57:49 +0000

Last September, I was introduced to the book Age of Conversation and to blogging by Tim Johnson. The short seven months since then has been nothing short of amazing. The world’s gotten a LOT smaller. And the power of the individual has grown exponentially stronger. The original Age brought together 103 authors from around the world.

Now I find myself included in some grand company (275 authors!) for the next Age of Conversation book:

Adam Crowe, Adrian Ho, Aki Spicer, Alex Henault, Amy Jussel, Andrew Odom, Andy Nulman, Andy Sernovitz, Andy Whitlock, Angela Maiers, Ann Handley, Anna Farmery, Armando Alves, Arun Rajagopal, Asi Sharabi, Becky Carroll, Becky McCray, Bernie Scheffler, Bill Gammell, Bob Carlton, Bob LeDrew, Brad Shorr, Bradley Spitzer, Brandon Murphy, Branislav Peric, Brent Dixon, Brett Macfarlane, Brian Reich, C.C. Chapman, Cam Beck, Casper Willer, Cathleen Rittereiser, Cathryn Hrudicka, Cedric Giorgi, Charles Sipe, Chris Kieff, Chris Cree, Chris Wilson, Christina Kerley (CK), C.B. Whittemore, Clay Parker Jones, Chris Brown, Colin McKay, Connie Bensen, Connie Reece, Cord Silverstein, Corentin Monot, Craig Wilson, Daniel Honigman, Dan Goldstein, Dan Schawbel, Dana VanDen Heuvel, Dan Sitter, Daria Radota Rasmussen, Darren Herman, Darryl Patterson, Dave Davison, Dave Origano, David Armano, David Bausola, David Berkowitz, David Brazeal, David Koopmans, David Meerman Scott, David Petherick, David Reich, David Weinfeld, David Zinger, Deanna Gernert, Deborah Brown, Dennis Price, Derrick Kwa, Dino Demopoulos, Doug Haslam, Doug Meacham, Doug Mitchell, Douglas Hanna, Douglas Karr, Drew McLellan, Duane Brown, Dustin Jacobsen, Dylan Viner, Ed Brenegar, Ed Cotton, Efrain Mendicuti, Ellen Weber, Emily Reed, Eric Peterson, Eric Nehrlich, Ernie Mosteller, Faris Yakob, Fernanda Romano, Francis Anderson, G. Kofi Annan, Gareth Kay, Gary Cohen, Gaurav Mishra, Gavin Heaton, Geert Desager, George Jenkins, G.L. Hoffman, Gianandrea Facchini, Gordon Whitehead, Graham Hill, Greg Verdino, Gretel Going & Kathryn Fleming, Hillel Cooperman, Hugh Weber, J.C. Hutchins, James Gordon-Macintosh, Jamey Shiels, Jasmin Tragas, Jason Oke, Jay Ehret, Jeanne Dininni, Jeff De Cagna, Jeff Gwynne, Jeff Noble, Jeff Wallace, Jennifer Warwick, Jenny Meade, Jeremy Fuksa, Jeremy Heilpern, Jeremy Middleton, Jeroen Verkroost, Jessica Hagy, Joanna Young, Joe Pulizzi, Joe Talbott, John Herrington, John Jantsch, John Moore, John Rosen, John Todor, Jon Burg, Jon Swanson, Jonathan Trenn, Jordan Behan, Julie Fleischer, Justin Flowers, Justin Foster, Karl Turley, Kate Trgovac, Katie Chatfield, Katie Konrath, Kenny Lauer, Keri Willenborg, Kevin Jessop, Kris Hoet, Krishna De, Kristin Gorski, Laura Fitton, Laurence Helene Borei, Lewis Green, Lois Kelly, Lori Magno, Louise Barnes-Johnston, Louise Mangan, Louise Manning, Luc Debaisieux, Marcus Brown, Mario Vellandi, Mark Blair, Mark Earls, Mark Goren, Mark Hancock, Mark Lewis, Mark McGuinness, Mark McSpadden, Matt Dickman, Matt J. McDonald, Matt Moore, Michael Hawkins, Michael Karnjanaprakorn, Michelle Lamar, Mike Arauz, Mike McAllen, Mike Sansone, Mitch Joel, Monica Wright, Nathan Gilliatt, Nathan Snell, Neil Perkin, Nettie Hartsock, Nick Rice, Oleksandr Skorokhod, Ozgur Alaz, Paul Chaney, Paul Hebert, Paul Isakson, Paul Marobella, Paul McEnany, Paul Tedesco, Paul Williams, Pet Campbell, Pete Deutschman, Peter Corbett, Phil Gerbyshak, Phil Lewis, Phil Soden, Piet Wulleman, Rachel Steiner, Sreeraj Menon, Reginald Adkins, Richard Huntington, Rishi Desai, Beeker Northam, Rob Mortimer, Robert Hruzek, Roberta Rosenberg, Robyn McMaster, Roger von Oech, Rohit Bhargava, Ron Shevlin, Ryan Barrett, Ryan Karpeles, Ryan Rasmussen, Sam Huleatt, Sandy Renshaw, Scott Goodson, Scott Monty, Scott Townsend, Scott White, Sean Howard, Sean Scott, Seni Thomas, Seth Gaffney, Shama Hyder, Sheila Scarborough, Sheryl Steadman, Simon Payn, Sonia Simone, Spike Jones, Stanley Johnson, Stephen Collins, Stephen Cribbett, Stephen Landau, Stephen Smith, Steve Bannister, Steve Hardy, Steve Portigal, Steve Roesler, Steven Verbruggen, Steve Woodruff, Sue Edworthy, Susan Bird, Susan Gunelius, Susan Heywood, Tammy Lenski, Terrell Meek, Thomas Clifford, Thomas Knoll, Tiffany Kenyon, Tim Brunelle, Tim Buesing, Tim Connor, Tim Jackson, Tim Longhurst, Tim Mannveille, Tim Tyler, Timothy Johnson, Tinu Abayomi-Paul, Toby Bloomberg, Todd Andrlik, Troy Rutter, Troy Worman, Uwe Hook, Valeria Maltoni, Vandana Ahuja, Vanessa DiMauro, Veronique Rabuteau, Wayne Buckhanan, William Azaroff, Yves Van Landeghem

Amazing times indeed. To all of my fellow authors - “Hi”. I’m looking forward to more amazements.

Rabbits and Groundhogs

jerikpotter — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 03:32:54 +0000

Jason over at asmallchange.net questions whether fundraisers should treat all donors, regardless of gift size, as major donors.

Here’s my take - in an ideal world - yes. Unfortunately, that nasty real world keeps holding us up. We all operate with limits resources - time, money, people, and desire. Once these are factored in - the debate becomes an academic exercise.

It got me thinking though. What if you were handed the keys to the kingdom - unlimited time, unlimited money, and unlimited people to cultivate donors. Suppose a big, white rabbit walked into your office and offered to stop your clock? You could do whatever you wanted, for as long as you wanted. And when you’d had enough, the rabbit would kickstart your clock again but no time will have passed. You’d be free to sit down and really get to know each and every donor. We’d move past the simplistic “how are the kids” talks and figure out what each donor’s passion is.

Then there’s that whole “desire” thing. Even if you could spend all that time with a $25 donor, would you? Or is the idea of unlimited time too far out there to even comprehend? We can look to another Hollywood creation to get a glimpse into this world, Groundhog Day. Phil got to know each and every person in the town of Punxsatawney over the course of a single day (repeated ad nauseum). By the end of the movie, he knew everyone’s life story. He was loved, admired, and respected. He also took home top prize (note - largest fundraiser) in the bachelor auction. All because he took the time to get to know everyone.

How many of you would take advantage of clock stopping to cultivate donors? How many of you would be sitting under a shade tree in Akron sipping beer? What else would you do?

Schooled in Giving?

jerikpotter — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 22:24:55 +0000

How many of you took a class specifically on giving or philanthropy in elementary school? High school? Your place of worship perhaps? Surely, college then? No?

Instead of focused individual solicitations there needs to be more general conversations about giving. We’re giving, but are we giving enough? Every individual needs to assess the need, do some research, make their own choice, and think of different ways they can help.

How can we instill a desire for giving? Look at the big picture. Form coalitions of like-minded causes. Share your stories. Encourage giving, any kind of giving. Avoid “us versus them” mentality. It shakes the foundation we attempt to build upon.

For the next generation, start at home with your children or the children in your lives. Beth has some great resources on this post. Or perhaps, the U.S. can take some lessons from our friends across the pond and start teaching about giving in primary/elementary schools.

What about you? How were you indoctrinated into the wonderful world of giving?

Connects and Disconnects

jerikpotter — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 18:14:10 +0000

It’s been a surreal few days for me so this post will follow that vein. I awoke to the news of the tragedy at Northern Illinois University on Friday. A lone gunman walked into a classroom and opened fire killing five students and wounding others. For the gunman, there existed a terrible and incomprehensible disconnect between his world and the real world. There is speculation the incident could have been caused by the gunman going off of his medications. Yet, he was conscious enough to remove the hard drive from his computer and the SIM card from his cell phone.

The outpouring of community support since the tragedy has been tremendous. Virginia Tech has reached out to NIU to offer what advice and support they can. Virginia Tech basketball fans are being encouraged to where NIU colors at games. The overflowing turnouts at memorials have been equally moving. So while the act was the result of some disconnect, the NIU community has grown stronger.

“A heightened sense of togetherness now felt on campus is a wonderful thing purchased at a horrible price,” said Jonathan Perry, director of counseling at the University of Arkansas.

Juxtapose to Saturday afternoon. I participated in my first Oovoo.com chats. It started off with what turned into a one-on-one conversation with Geoff Livingston, author of Now is Gone. We discussed the steps necessary of introducing social media into your overall marketing strategy. He also introduced me to the concept of the “magic middle” (which I’m happy to be a part of at the low end of the scale).

A couple hours later, I was talking about the next Age of Conversation book with Gavin Heaton, Drew McLellan, Luc Debaisieux, Kris Hoet, and Paul Mcenany. It was a crazy and contagious mixture of dialects and time zones. Kris and Luc joined us from Belgium, Gavin in Australia, Paul in Texas, and Drew and me in Iowa.

The connecting nature of this technology was an eye opening experience. You can now enjoy an immediate and engaging conversation with anyone in the world one on one. Where blogging opened the door for conversation, oovoo has the capacity to eliminate any latency issues with your discussions. The feedback is immediate.

The possibilities are endless: virtual conferences, virtual jam sessions with musicians around the world, the discussion/sharing of diagnosis with doctors anywhere, or one-on-one counseling. What other uses of this technology can you envision?