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 Customer Reviews
Surely it can't get any better?!, 26 Jul 2007
After reading this book, you are left with the feeling that the sky is the limit - nothing but your own self doubt and delusions stand in your way. If Charlie can do it, why can't I? As with the rest of the 'Instant' series, Brad lays it all bare with simple to understand and use real life, cast iron strategies that have been shown to work time and time again. This book is crammed with page after page after page of real life tips and strategies which I guess can turn any business into a profit making super machine in simple no nonsense steps. Not Theory laden or dry to read - just easy to digest and more importantly, quick to implement tips honed from real life the best strategies around the world. Misleading feedback, 30 Jun 2007
Strange how all the Brad Sugars titles are reviewed by Action Coach members, don't take my word for it, take the reviewer's name & action coach & do a search on google.
Bit poor really! Really goes against what the whole Amazon feedback form is all about! Improve your Cashflow NOW, 12 Jul 2006
Too many of the businesspeople I've come across say they've tried everything they know to improve cashflow in their business. Basically they run out of ideas and give up. Or place all their efforts into one or two ideas oblivious to all the other opportunities for cashflow. This book contains 100s of ideas to improve cashflow in 5 different areas of your business (did you even know there were 5 areas to work on?). Each idea is rated as to its expected effectiveness. Never be short of cashflow ideas again... Instant Cashflow, 14 Jan 2006
Wow - this book changed my life...so simple yet so powerful! I highly recommend Instant Cashflow to those looking to get more from their business!
Instant Cashflow, 13 Jan 2006
A great insight into how to alter you mindset and think about what you are doing within your business, why you are doing it and how can this be improved. The book provides many tips and strategies through which that all important bottom line figure can be maximised.
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Customer Reviews
Surely it can't get any better?!, 26 Jul 2007
After reading this book, you are left with the feeling that the sky is the limit - nothing but your own self doubt and delusions stand in your way. If Charlie can do it, why can't I? As with the rest of the 'Instant' series, Brad lays it all bare with simple to understand and use real life, cast iron strategies that have been shown to work time and time again. This book is crammed with page after page after page of real life tips and strategies which I guess can turn any business into a profit making super machine in simple no nonsense steps. Not Theory laden or dry to read - just easy to digest and more importantly, quick to implement tips honed from real life the best strategies around the world. Misleading feedback, 30 Jun 2007
Strange how all the Brad Sugars titles are reviewed by Action Coach members, don't take my word for it, take the reviewer's name & action coach & do a search on google.
Bit poor really! Really goes against what the whole Amazon feedback form is all about! Improve your Cashflow NOW, 12 Jul 2006
Too many of the businesspeople I've come across say they've tried everything they know to improve cashflow in their business. Basically they run out of ideas and give up. Or place all their efforts into one or two ideas oblivious to all the other opportunities for cashflow. This book contains 100s of ideas to improve cashflow in 5 different areas of your business (did you even know there were 5 areas to work on?). Each idea is rated as to its expected effectiveness. Never be short of cashflow ideas again... Instant Cashflow, 14 Jan 2006
Wow - this book changed my life...so simple yet so powerful! I highly recommend Instant Cashflow to those looking to get more from their business!
Instant Cashflow, 13 Jan 2006
A great insight into how to alter you mindset and think about what you are doing within your business, why you are doing it and how can this be improved. The book provides many tips and strategies through which that all important bottom line figure can be maximised.
Simply superb, 06 Sep 2006
By far the best book I have read on the subject of bid preparation. Comprehensive and focussed material throughout. Expensive in camparison to others, but worth every penny.
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Customer Reviews
Surely it can't get any better?!, 26 Jul 2007
After reading this book, you are left with the feeling that the sky is the limit - nothing but your own self doubt and delusions stand in your way. If Charlie can do it, why can't I? As with the rest of the 'Instant' series, Brad lays it all bare with simple to understand and use real life, cast iron strategies that have been shown to work time and time again. This book is crammed with page after page after page of real life tips and strategies which I guess can turn any business into a profit making super machine in simple no nonsense steps. Not Theory laden or dry to read - just easy to digest and more importantly, quick to implement tips honed from real life the best strategies around the world. Misleading feedback, 30 Jun 2007
Strange how all the Brad Sugars titles are reviewed by Action Coach members, don't take my word for it, take the reviewer's name & action coach & do a search on google.
Bit poor really! Really goes against what the whole Amazon feedback form is all about! Improve your Cashflow NOW, 12 Jul 2006
Too many of the businesspeople I've come across say they've tried everything they know to improve cashflow in their business. Basically they run out of ideas and give up. Or place all their efforts into one or two ideas oblivious to all the other opportunities for cashflow. This book contains 100s of ideas to improve cashflow in 5 different areas of your business (did you even know there were 5 areas to work on?). Each idea is rated as to its expected effectiveness. Never be short of cashflow ideas again... Instant Cashflow, 14 Jan 2006
Wow - this book changed my life...so simple yet so powerful! I highly recommend Instant Cashflow to those looking to get more from their business!
Instant Cashflow, 13 Jan 2006
A great insight into how to alter you mindset and think about what you are doing within your business, why you are doing it and how can this be improved. The book provides many tips and strategies through which that all important bottom line figure can be maximised.
Simply superb, 06 Sep 2006
By far the best book I have read on the subject of bid preparation. Comprehensive and focussed material throughout. Expensive in camparison to others, but worth every penny.
A must for any fundraiser, 15 Dec 2006
Ken's style of a user friendly writing style means that this book will suit anybody involved in fundraising. It presents easy to implement, but seldom put into practice, ideas which quite literally are 'timeless' since most of the ideas have been around for as long as fundraising has. It is this timeless 'Zen' which appeals to me the most since most of Ken's ideas are basic commonsense but unfortunately for one reason or another these ideas are either neglected or misunderstood.
Throughout the book Ken places a strong emphasis on donor care and although this may seem obvious, how often is it that the charities we support fail to engender within us a level of trust in their activities? This book is a guide for every fundraiser on how to get the basics right and how to ensure that the rights of donors are looked after.
Ken's ideas present themselves as an ideal checklist which any fundraising manager can use to audit his or her charity's donor care activities. I would therefore strongly recommend this book to any fundraiser serious about ensuring that the rights of donors, and therefore of beneficiaries, are looked after.
Speaking professionally..., 15 Jun 2006
This book is a snap shot of everything that works in donor relationships - and some good advice about things that don't. It's about building a relationship that really means something to the donor as well as the charity they are donating to. And it's also about being proud to be a fundraiser - stand up and be counted!!
Through a writing style, which stays light right to the last few pages, Ken manages to capture the essence of a lot of jargonese which penetrates the fundraising world. This is a simple book - but not for simple minds. If you like the snap shot style of American quick fixes then this is a great introduction to relationship fundraising and a whole lot more. At the end Ken makes some personal points and a bit of a plea for better customer service - well made, and if only half the advice in this little book is put into practice, there would definitely be a shift.
Just try one simple thing which Ken outlines - I would suggest a fundraiser working on their own would really benefit from number 17. Really understand your donors - no amount of consultancy and research by other people can ever replace that one!
If you are new to fundraising, then take advice from number 71 - Be proud to be a fundraiser - and number 76 - `Be respectful of your donors, and show that respect even when they're not present' - and lastly number 78, which gives the ultimate in reading lists for fundraisers, both old and new.
The fact that Ken points us in the direction of best practice from a great variety of sources - big household names from the UK such as the RNLI but also from across the globe is great. Reading this on the London Underground was ideal, it is possible to dip in and out and I enjoyed creating my own `fundraising menu'. Recommended is a number 78, 72, 48, 22 and 17. Oh and definitely 87, the outlawing of killer phrases such as `'That won't work' and `There isn't time'. But then again...
Written as it was for an American publisher - and the author is upfront about that - occasionally the American `English' grated. But that shouldn't put you off reading it and then looking for those books to add value and depth where something captures your imagination.
Thoughts on the Zen, 26 May 2006
I've admired Ken Burnett's work since the mid 1990s when I first encountered a copy of Relationship Fundraising, which has since become required reading for anyone truly serious about fundraising. He is one of the most lucid, accessible and entertaining writers on the fundraising circuit, able to blend humour with the practical knowledge gained from a career's worth of both agency and client side experience.
The Zen of Fundraising is classic Burnett, but unlike Relationship Fundraising can sit neatly in your pocket to be thumbed on your travels or when there are a few moments to spare. The bite sized chunks that comprise this text make it ideally suited to this purpose.
An odd title though? As Ken says in his introduction, the term Zen has come to mean `thoughtful wisdom and insights' and there are 89 of these `timeless ideas' in this text. No more than a page and half is devoted to each so they come at the reader at quite a pace. Not all are new, extensions only of common sense, but it is always amazing how much of `common' sense turns out not to be common at all. Conference speakers, for example, have stressed the importance of thanking donors appropriately for as long as I can remember, yet as a donor, I'm frequently surprised at how few organizations manage to do this well. The Zen offers a number of suggestions for improvements here.
The Zen also offers a poses a number of suggestions that are altogether more thought provoking; suggestions that will hopefully prompt readers to review the way they approach their supporters and thereby improve the quality what they do. At a number of points in the text Ken refers to a `90 degree shift'. Again, a simple idea but one with profound implications. Rather than managing the communications the organization sends out, Burnett argues that fundraisers should consider the relationship the donor perceives. To use Ken's words the 90 degree shift `is putting yourself in your donor's shoes, seeing your communication and even your role as a fundraiser through your donor's eyes rather then through the eyes of your CEO or your head of finance or fundraising.' All too often we can make entirely inappropriate assumptions about why people support us and what they want in return for this support from the organization. Understanding donor needs and thinking through how best to respond to these needs lies at the core of securing loyalty and therefore at the core of this text.
There are precious few really first rate texts on loyalty. I'm often asked to recommend some at conferences. Resisting the temptation to recommend my own, I steer readers towards Penelope Burk `s Donor Centred Fundraising or the aforementioned Relationship Fundraising. The contribution of the Zen of Fundraising is really to distil this and other knowledge down into a series of bite sized chunks that can be easily digested by anyone, even if they have only a few minutes to spare at each sitting. I doubt they will regret the expenditure. The book is designed to simultaneously entertain and educate, something that Ken is able to do better than any other fundraising writer I've encountered.
With 89 ideas there really should be something for everyone in this text. If you find just two or three of them to be worthwhile implementing, this little book will have paid for itself many times over.
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Customer Reviews
Surely it can't get any better?!, 26 Jul 2007
After reading this book, you are left with the feeling that the sky is the limit - nothing but your own self doubt and delusions stand in your way. If Charlie can do it, why can't I? As with the rest of the 'Instant' series, Brad lays it all bare with simple to understand and use real life, cast iron strategies that have been shown to work time and time again. This book is crammed with page after page after page of real life tips and strategies which I guess can turn any business into a profit making super machine in simple no nonsense steps. Not Theory laden or dry to read - just easy to digest and more importantly, quick to implement tips honed from real life the best strategies around the world. Misleading feedback, 30 Jun 2007
Strange how all the Brad Sugars titles are reviewed by Action Coach members, don't take my word for it, take the reviewer's name & action coach & do a search on google.
Bit poor really! Really goes against what the whole Amazon feedback form is all about! Improve your Cashflow NOW, 12 Jul 2006
Too many of the businesspeople I've come across say they've tried everything they know to improve cashflow in their business. Basically they run out of ideas and give up. Or place all their efforts into one or two ideas oblivious to all the other opportunities for cashflow. This book contains 100s of ideas to improve cashflow in 5 different areas of your business (did you even know there were 5 areas to work on?). Each idea is rated as to its expected effectiveness. Never be short of cashflow ideas again... Instant Cashflow, 14 Jan 2006
Wow - this book changed my life...so simple yet so powerful! I highly recommend Instant Cashflow to those looking to get more from their business!
Instant Cashflow, 13 Jan 2006
A great insight into how to alter you mindset and think about what you are doing within your business, why you are doing it and how can this be improved. The book provides many tips and strategies through which that all important bottom line figure can be maximised.
Simply superb, 06 Sep 2006
By far the best book I have read on the subject of bid preparation. Comprehensive and focussed material throughout. Expensive in camparison to others, but worth every penny.
A must for any fundraiser, 15 Dec 2006
Ken's style of a user friendly writing style means that this book will suit anybody involved in fundraising. It presents easy to implement, but seldom put into practice, ideas which quite literally are 'timeless' since most of the ideas have been around for as long as fundraising has. It is this timeless 'Zen' which appeals to me the most since most of Ken's ideas are basic commonsense but unfortunately for one reason or another these ideas are either neglected or misunderstood.
Throughout the book Ken places a strong emphasis on donor care and although this may seem obvious, how often is it that the charities we support fail to engender within us a level of trust in their activities? This book is a guide for every fundraiser on how to get the basics right and how to ensure that the rights of donors are looked after.
Ken's ideas present themselves as an ideal checklist which any fundraising manager can use to audit his or her charity's donor care activities. I would therefore strongly recommend this book to any fundraiser serious about ensuring that the rights of donors, and therefore of beneficiaries, are looked after.
Speaking professionally..., 15 Jun 2006
This book is a snap shot of everything that works in donor relationships - and some good advice about things that don't. It's about building a relationship that really means something to the donor as well as the charity they are donating to. And it's also about being proud to be a fundraiser - stand up and be counted!!
Through a writing style, which stays light right to the last few pages, Ken manages to capture the essence of a lot of jargonese which penetrates the fundraising world. This is a simple book - but not for simple minds. If you like the snap shot style of American quick fixes then this is a great introduction to relationship fundraising and a whole lot more. At the end Ken makes some personal points and a bit of a plea for better customer service - well made, and if only half the advice in this little book is put into practice, there would definitely be a shift.
Just try one simple thing which Ken outlines - I would suggest a fundraiser working on their own would really benefit from number 17. Really understand your donors - no amount of consultancy and research by other people can ever replace that one!
If you are new to fundraising, then take advice from number 71 - Be proud to be a fundraiser - and number 76 - `Be respectful of your donors, and show that respect even when they're not present' - and lastly number 78, which gives the ultimate in reading lists for fundraisers, both old and new.
The fact that Ken points us in the direction of best practice from a great variety of sources - big household names from the UK such as the RNLI but also from across the globe is great. Reading this on the London Underground was ideal, it is possible to dip in and out and I enjoyed creating my own `fundraising menu'. Recommended is a number 78, 72, 48, 22 and 17. Oh and definitely 87, the outlawing of killer phrases such as `'That won't work' and `There isn't time'. But then again...
Written as it was for an American publisher - and the author is upfront about that - occasionally the American `English' grated. But that shouldn't put you off reading it and then looking for those books to add value and depth where something captures your imagination.
Thoughts on the Zen, 26 May 2006
I've admired Ken Burnett's work since the mid 1990s when I first encountered a copy of Relationship Fundraising, which has since become required reading for anyone truly serious about fundraising. He is one of the most lucid, accessible and entertaining writers on the fundraising circuit, able to blend humour with the practical knowledge gained from a career's worth of both agency and client side experience.
The Zen of Fundraising is classic Burnett, but unlike Relationship Fundraising can sit neatly in your pocket to be thumbed on your travels or when there are a few moments to spare. The bite sized chunks that comprise this text make it ideally suited to this purpose.
An odd title though? As Ken says in his introduction, the term Zen has come to mean `thoughtful wisdom and insights' and there are 89 of these `timeless ideas' in this text. No more than a page and half is devoted to each so they come at the reader at quite a pace. Not all are new, extensions only of common sense, but it is always amazing how much of `common' sense turns out not to be common at all. Conference speakers, for example, have stressed the importance of thanking donors appropriately for as long as I can remember, yet as a donor, I'm frequently surprised at how few organizations manage to do this well. The Zen offers a number of suggestions for improvements here.
The Zen also offers a poses a number of suggestions that are altogether more thought provoking; suggestions that will hopefully prompt readers to review the way they approach their supporters and thereby improve the quality what they do. At a number of points in the text Ken refers to a `90 degree shift'. Again, a simple idea but one with profound implications. Rather than managing the communications the organization sends out, Burnett argues that fundraisers should consider the relationship the donor perceives. To use Ken's words the 90 degree shift `is putting yourself in your donor's shoes, seeing your communication and even your role as a fundraiser through your donor's eyes rather then through the eyes of your CEO or your head of finance or fundraising.' All too often we can make entirely inappropriate assumptions about why people support us and what they want in return for this support from the organization. Understanding donor needs and thinking through how best to respond to these needs lies at the core of securing loyalty and therefore at the core of this text.
There are precious few really first rate texts on loyalty. I'm often asked to recommend some at conferences. Resisting the temptation to recommend my own, I steer readers towards Penelope Burk `s Donor Centred Fundraising or the aforementioned Relationship Fundraising. The contribution of the Zen of Fundraising is really to distil this and other knowledge down into a series of bite sized chunks that can be easily digested by anyone, even if they have only a few minutes to spare at each sitting. I doubt they will regret the expenditure. The book is designed to simultaneously entertain and educate, something that Ken is able to do better than any other fundraising writer I've encountered.
With 89 ideas there really should be something for everyone in this text. If you find just two or three of them to be worthwhile implementing, this little book will have paid for itself many times over.
Practical handbook about a crucial skil, 01 Sep 2006
The managers of most corporations and nonprofits do not understand or appreciate the process of writing proposals and grants, yet developing this skill can be the gateway to winning large contracts and substantial funding. In his practical handbook, author Tom Sant demystifies this important task, providing details about almost every aspect of the process, both pre- and post-award. He elaborates upon the materials you should include and lists mistakes to avoid. This book seems to have a good handle on increasing your success rate if you bid on contracts or apply for philanthropic funding. Therefore, we recommend it to public- or private-sector managers who respond to Requests for Proposals (RFPs), write bids for contracts or prepare grant proposals.
It's helped us win more business already!, 15 Dec 2003
When I read the book, the sound principles offered up by Tom Sant resonated as so pragmatic, and so logical, I felt compelled to put them into practice immediately. Clearly Tom Sant has been there, done it, and got the tee shirt. The whole process of creating a winning proposal; from deciding whether to even bid or not, giving it a winning title - anything but "A proposal for XYZ Corp". Using the persuasive paradigm - a pattern of communication - which constructs a compelling sales document, and linking the return on investment (ROI) case to something the reader actually cares about; make this book a must for anyone who writes sales documents. In a world where - common sense is not very common - this book was absolutely riddled with common sense. It was easy to read, very logical, humorous, has plenty of anecdotes, and just makes sense. We deployed the suggestions made in the book immediately. We improved our win ratios and are seeing tangible results already.
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Customer Reviews
Surely it can't get any better?!, 26 Jul 2007
After reading this book, you are left with the feeling that the sky is the limit - nothing but your own self doubt and delusions stand in your way. If Charlie can do it, why can't I? As with the rest of the 'Instant' series, Brad lays it all bare with simple to understand and use real life, cast iron strategies that have been shown to work time and time again. This book is crammed with page after page after page of real life tips and strategies which I guess can turn any business into a profit making super machine in simple no nonsense steps. Not Theory laden or dry to read - just easy to digest and more importantly, quick to implement tips honed from real life the best strategies around the world. Misleading feedback, 30 Jun 2007
Strange how all the Brad Sugars titles are reviewed by Action Coach members, don't take my word for it, take the reviewer's name & action coach & do a search on google.
Bit poor really! Really goes against what the whole Amazon feedback form is all about! Improve your Cashflow NOW, 12 Jul 2006
Too many of the businesspeople I've come across say they've tried everything they know to improve cashflow in their business. Basically they run out of ideas and give up. Or place all their efforts into one or two ideas oblivious to all the other opportunities for cashflow. This book contains 100s of ideas to improve cashflow in 5 different areas of your business (did you even know there were 5 areas to work on?). Each idea is rated as to its expected effectiveness. Never be short of cashflow ideas again... Instant Cashflow, 14 Jan 2006
Wow - this book changed my life...so simple yet so powerful! I highly recommend Instant Cashflow to those looking to get more from their business!
Instant Cashflow, 13 Jan 2006
A great insight into how to alter you mindset and think about what you are doing within your business, why you are doing it and how can this be improved. The book provides many tips and strategies through which that all important bottom line figure can be maximised.
Simply superb, 06 Sep 2006
By far the best book I have read on the subject of bid preparation. Comprehensive and focussed material throughout. Expensive in camparison to others, but worth every penny.
A must for any fundraiser, 15 Dec 2006
Ken's style of a user friendly writing style means that this book will suit anybody involved in fundraising. It presents easy to implement, but seldom put into practice, ideas which quite literally are 'timeless' since most of the ideas have been around for as long as fundraising has. It is this timeless 'Zen' which appeals to me the most since most of Ken's ideas are basic commonsense but unfortunately for one reason or another these ideas are either neglected or misunderstood.
Throughout the book Ken places a strong emphasis on donor care and although this may seem obvious, how often is it that the charities we support fail to engender within us a level of trust in their activities? This book is a guide for every fundraiser on how to get the basics right and how to ensure that the rights of donors are looked after.
Ken's ideas present themselves as an ideal checklist which any fundraising manager can use to audit his or her charity's donor care activities. I would therefore strongly recommend this book to any fundraiser serious about ensuring that the rights of donors, and therefore of beneficiaries, are looked after.
Speaking professionally..., 15 Jun 2006
This book is a snap shot of everything that works in donor relationships - and some good advice about things that don't. It's about building a relationship that really means something to the donor as well as the charity they are donating to. And it's also about being proud to be a fundraiser - stand up and be counted!!
Through a writing style, which stays light right to the last few pages, Ken manages to capture the essence of a lot of jargonese which penetrates the fundraising world. This is a simple book - but not for simple minds. If you like the snap shot style of American quick fixes then this is a great introduction to relationship fundraising and a whole lot more. At the end Ken makes some personal points and a bit of a plea for better customer service - well made, and if only half the advice in this little book is put into practice, there would definitely be a shift.
Just try one simple thing which Ken outlines - I would suggest a fundraiser working on their own would really benefit from number 17. Really understand your donors - no amount of consultancy and research by other people can ever replace that one!
If you are new to fundraising, then take advice from number 71 - Be proud to be a fundraiser - and number 76 - `Be respectful of your donors, and show that respect even when they're not present' - and lastly number 78, which gives the ultimate in reading lists for fundraisers, both old and new.
The fact that Ken points us in the direction of best practice from a great variety of sources - big household names from the UK such as the RNLI but also from across the globe is great. Reading this on the London Underground was ideal, it is possible to dip in and out and I enjoyed creating my own `fundraising menu'. Recommended is a number 78, 72, 48, 22 and 17. Oh and definitely 87, the outlawing of killer phrases such as `'That won't work' and `There isn't time'. But then again...
Written as it was for an American publisher - and the author is upfront about that - occasionally the American `English' grated. But that shouldn't put you off reading it and then looking for those books to add value and depth where something captures your imagination.
Thoughts on the Zen, 26 May 2006
I've admired Ken Burnett's work since the mid 1990s when I first encountered a copy of Relationship Fundraising, which has since become required reading for anyone truly serious about fundraising. He is one of the most lucid, accessible and entertaining writers on the fundraising circuit, able to blend humour with the practical knowledge gained from a career's worth of both agency and client side experience.
The Zen of Fundraising is classic Burnett, but unlike Relationship Fundraising can sit neatly in your pocket to be thumbed on your travels or when there are a few moments to spare. The bite sized chunks that comprise this text make it ideally suited to this purpose.
An odd title though? As Ken says in his introduction, the term Zen has come to mean `thoughtful wisdom and insights' and there are 89 of these `timeless ideas' in this text. No more than a page and half is devoted to each so they come at the reader at quite a pace. Not all are new, extensions only of common sense, but it is always amazing how much of `common' sense turns out not to be common at all. Conference speakers, for example, have stressed the importance of thanking donors appropriately for as long as I can remember, yet as a donor, I'm frequently surprised at how few organizations manage to do this well. The Zen offers a number of suggestions for improvements here.
The Zen also offers a poses a number of suggestions that are altogether more thought provoking; suggestions that will hopefully prompt readers to review the way they approach their supporters and thereby improve the quality what they do. At a number of points in the text Ken refers to a `90 degree shift'. Again, a simple idea but one with profound implications. Rather than managing the communications the organization sends out, Burnett argues that fundraisers should consider the relationship the donor perceives. To use Ken's words the 90 degree shift `is putting yourself in your donor's shoes, seeing your communication and even your role as a fundraiser through your donor's eyes rather then through the eyes of your CEO or your head of finance or fundraising.' All too often we can make entirely inappropriate assumptions about why people support us and what they want in return for this support from the organization. Understanding donor needs and thinking through how best to respond to these needs lies at the core of securing loyalty and therefore at the core of this text.
There are precious few really first rate texts on loyalty. I'm often asked to recommend some at conferences. Resisting the temptation to recommend my own, I steer readers towards Penelope Burk `s Donor Centred Fundraising or the aforementioned Relationship Fundraising. The contribution of the Zen of Fundraising is really to distil this and other knowledge down into a series of bite sized chunks that can be easily digested by anyone, even if they have only a few minutes to spare at each sitting. I doubt they will regret the expenditure. The book is designed to simultaneously entertain and educate, something that Ken is able to do better than any other fundraising writer I've encountered.
With 89 ideas there really should be something for everyone in this text. If you find just two or three of them to be worthwhile implementing, this little book will have paid for itself many times over.
Practical handbook about a crucial skil, 01 Sep 2006
The managers of most corporations and nonprofits do not understand or appreciate the process of writing proposals and grants, yet developing this skill can be the gateway to winning large contracts and substantial funding. In his practical handbook, author Tom Sant demystifies this important task, providing details about almost every aspect of the process, both pre- and post-award. He elaborates upon the materials you should include and lists mistakes to avoid. This book seems to have a good handle on increasing your success rate if you bid on contracts or apply for philanthropic funding. Therefore, we recommend it to public- or private-sector managers who respond to Requests for Proposals (RFPs), write bids for contracts or prepare grant proposals.
It's helped us win more business already!, 15 Dec 2003
When I read the book, the sound principles offered up by Tom Sant resonated as so pragmatic, and so logical, I felt compelled to put them into practice immediately. Clearly Tom Sant has been there, done it, and got the tee shirt. The whole process of creating a winning proposal; from deciding whether to even bid or not, giving it a winning title - anything but "A proposal for XYZ Corp". Using the persuasive paradigm - a pattern of communication - which constructs a compelling sales document, and linking the return on investment (ROI) case to something the reader actually cares about; make this book a must for anyone who writes sales documents. In a world where - common sense is not very common - this book was absolutely riddled with common sense. It was easy to read, very logical, humorous, has plenty of anecdotes, and just makes sense. We deployed the suggestions made in the book immediately. We improved our win ratios and are seeing tangible results already.
in my opinion, 05 May 2006
This book is well written, thought out and very helpful.
The writer embraces you within the pages of this book, to carry you though fund raising letters. The years of experience which the writer has had, helps you understand what works and what does not work.
Page after page I was engrossed in this book I was very fascinated, this book in my opinion is a must on any shelf of a voluntary or none profitable organization.
I hope you enjoy it just like I have done very fascinated subject.
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Customer Reviews
Surely it can't get any better?!, 26 Jul 2007
After reading this book, you are left with the feeling that the sky is the limit - nothing but your own self doubt and delusions stand in your way. If Charlie can do it, why can't I? As with the rest of the 'Instant' series, Brad lays it all bare with simple to understand and use real life, cast iron strategies that have been shown to work time and time again. This book is crammed with page after page after page of real life tips and strategies which I guess can turn any business into a profit making super machine in simple no nonsense steps. Not Theory laden or dry to read - just easy to digest and more importantly, quick to implement tips honed from real life the best strategies around the world. Misleading feedback, 30 Jun 2007
Strange how all the Brad Sugars titles are reviewed by Action Coach members, don't take my word for it, take the reviewer's name & action coach & do a search on google.
Bit poor really! Really goes against what the whole Amazon feedback form is all about! Improve your Cashflow NOW, 12 Jul 2006
Too many of the businesspeople I've come across say they've tried everything they know to improve cashflow in their business. Basically they run out of ideas and give up. Or place all their efforts into one or two ideas oblivious to all the other opportunities for cashflow. This book contains 100s of ideas to improve cashflow in 5 different areas of your business (did you even know there were 5 areas to work on?). Each idea is rated as to its expected effectiveness. Never be short of cashflow ideas again... Instant Cashflow, 14 Jan 2006
Wow - this book changed my life...so simple yet so powerful! I highly recommend Instant Cashflow to those looking to get more from their business!
Instant Cashflow, 13 Jan 2006
A great insight into how to alter you mindset and think about what you are doing within your business, why you are doing it and how can this be improved. The book provides many tips and strategies through which that all important bottom line figure can be maximised.
Simply superb, 06 Sep 2006
By far the best book I have read on the subject of bid preparation. Comprehensive and focussed material throughout. Expensive in camparison to others, but worth every penny.
A must for any fundraiser, 15 Dec 2006
Ken's style of a user friendly writing style means that this book will suit anybody involved in fundraising. It presents easy to implement, but seldom put into practice, ideas which quite literally are 'timeless' since most of the ideas have been around for as long as fundraising has. It is this timeless 'Zen' which appeals to me the most since most of Ken's ideas are basic commonsense but unfortunately for one reason or another these ideas are either neglected or misunderstood.
Throughout the book Ken places a strong emphasis on donor care and although this may seem obvious, how often is it that the charities we support fail to engender within us a level of trust in their activities? This book is a guide for every fundraiser on how to get the basics right and how to ensure that the rights of donors are looked after.
Ken's ideas present themselves as an ideal checklist which any fundraising manager can use to audit his or her charity's donor care activities. I would therefore strongly recommend this book to any fundraiser serious about ensuring that the rights of donors, and therefore of beneficiaries, are looked after.
Speaking professionally..., 15 Jun 2006
This book is a snap shot of everything that works in donor relationships - and some good advice about things that don't. It's about building a relationship that really means something to the donor as well as the charity they are donating to. And it's also about being proud to be a fundraiser - stand up and be counted!!
Through a writing style, which stays light right to the last few pages, Ken manages to capture the essence of a lot of jargonese which penetrates the fundraising world. This is a simple book - but not for simple minds. If you like the snap shot style of American quick fixes then this is a great introduction to relationship fundraising and a whole lot more. At the end Ken makes some personal points and a bit of a plea for better customer service - well made, and if only half the advice in this little book is put into practice, there would definitely be a shift.
Just try one simple thing which Ken outlines - I would suggest a fundraiser working on their own would really benefit from number 17. Really understand your donors - no amount of consultancy and research by other people can ever replace that one!
If you are new to fundraising, then take advice from number 71 - Be proud to be a fundraiser - and number 76 - `Be respectful of your donors, and show that respect even when they're not present' - and lastly number 78, which gives the ultimate in reading lists for fundraisers, both old and new.
The fact that Ken points us in the direction of best practice from a great variety of sources - big household names from the UK such as the RNLI but also from across the globe is great. Reading this on the London Underground was ideal, it is possible to dip in and out and I enjoyed creating my own `fundraising menu'. Recommended is a number 78, 72, 48, 22 and 17. Oh and definitely 87, the outlawing of killer phrases such as `'That won't work' and `There isn't time'. But then again...
Written as it was for an American publisher - and the author is upfront about that - occasionally the American `English' grated. But that shouldn't put you off reading it and then looking for those books to add value and depth where something captures your imagination.
Thoughts on the Zen, 26 May 2006
I've admired Ken Burnett's work since the mid 1990s when I first encountered a copy of Relationship Fundraising, which has since become required reading for anyone truly serious about fundraising. He is one of the most lucid, accessible and entertaining writers on the fundraising circuit, able to blend humour with the practical knowledge gained from a career's worth of both agency and client side experience.
The Zen of Fundraising is classic Burnett, but unlike Relationship Fundraising can sit neatly in your pocket to be thumbed on your travels or when there are a few moments to spare. The bite sized chunks that comprise this text make it ideally suited to this purpose.
An odd title though? As Ken says in his introduction, the term Zen has come to mean `thoughtful wisdom and insights' and there are 89 of these `timeless ideas' in this text. No more than a page and half is devoted to each so they come at the reader at quite a pace. Not all are new, extensions only of common sense, but it is always amazing how much of `common' sense turns out not to be common at all. Conference speakers, for example, have stressed the importance of thanking donors appropriately for as long as I can remember, yet as a donor, I'm frequently surprised at how few organizations manage to do this well. The Zen offers a number of suggestions for improvements here.
The Zen also offers a poses a number of suggestions that are altogether more thought provoking; suggestions that will hopefully prompt readers to review the way they approach their supporters and thereby improve the quality what they do. At a number of points in the text Ken refers to a `90 degree shift'. Again, a simple idea but one with profound implications. Rather than managing the communications the organization sends out, Burnett argues that fundraisers should consider the relationship the donor perceives. To use Ken's words the 90 degree shift `is putting yourself in your donor's shoes, seeing your communication and even your role as a fundraiser through your donor's eyes rather then through the eyes of your CEO or your head of finance or fundraising.' All too often we can make entirely inappropriate assumptions about why people support us and what they want in return for this support from the organization. Understanding donor needs and thinking through how best to respond to these needs lies at the core of securing loyalty and therefore at the core of this text.
There are precious few really first rate texts on loyalty. I'm often asked to recommend some at conferences. Resisting the temptation to recommend my own, I steer readers towards Penelope Burk `s Donor Centred Fundraising or the aforementioned Relationship Fundraising. The contribution of the Zen of Fundraising is really to distil this and other knowledge down into a series of bite sized chunks that can be easily digested by anyone, even if they have only a few minutes to spare at each sitting. I doubt they will regret the expenditure. The book is designed to simultaneously entertain and educate, something that Ken is able to do better than any other fundraising writer I've encountered.
With 89 ideas there really should be something for everyone in this text. If you find just two or three of them to be worthwhile implementing, this little book will have paid for itself many times over.
Practical handbook about a crucial skil, 01 Sep 2006
The managers of most corporations and nonprofits do not understand or appreciate the process of writing proposals and grants, yet developing this skill can be the gateway to winning large contracts and substantial funding. In his practical handbook, author Tom Sant demystifies this important task, providing details about almost every aspect of the process, both pre- and post-award. He elaborates upon the materials you should include and lists mistakes to avoid. This book seems to have a good handle on increasing your success rate if you bid on contracts or apply for philanthropic funding. Therefore, we recommend it to public- or private-sector managers who respond to Requests for Proposals (RFPs), write bids for contracts or prepare grant proposals.
It's helped us win more business already!, 15 Dec 2003
When I read the book, the sound principles offered up by Tom Sant resonated as so pragmatic, and so logical, I felt compelled to put them into practice immediately. Clearly Tom Sant has been there, done it, and got the tee shirt. The whole process of creating a winning proposal; from deciding whether to even bid or not, giving it a winning title - anything but "A proposal for XYZ Corp". Using the persuasive paradigm - a pattern of communication - which constructs a compelling sales document, and linking the return on investment (ROI) case to something the reader actually cares about; make this book a must for anyone who writes sales documents. In a world where - common sense is not very common - this book was absolutely riddled with common sense. It was easy to read, very logical, humorous, has plenty of anecdotes, and just makes sense. We deployed the suggestions made in the book immediately. We improved our win ratios and are seeing tangible results already.
in my opinion, 05 May 2006
This book is well written, thought out and very helpful.
The writer embraces you within the pages of this book, to carry you though fund raising letters. The years of experience which the writer has had, helps you understand what works and what does not work.
Page after page I was engrossed in this book I was very fascinated, this book in my opinion is a must on any shelf of a voluntary or none profitable organization.
I hope you enjoy it just like I have done very fascinated subject.
Clear and concise, but very 'Americanised', 03 Mar 2002
I purchased this book to help write for bids and raise much needed funds. There were a many good pointers, however, a lot of the links/leads were for american readers.
We could do with a book like this written with English connections in.
It was useful, but in restrospect I would have probably purchased the Complete Fundraising Handbook instead.
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Customer Reviews
Surely it can't get any better?!, 26 Jul 2007
After reading this book, you are left with the feeling that the sky is the limit - nothing but your own self doubt and delusions stand in your way. If Charlie can do it, why can't I? As with the rest of the 'Instant' series, Brad lays it all bare with simple to understand and use real life, cast iron strategies that have been shown to work time and time again. This book is crammed with page after page after page of real life tips and strategies which I guess can turn any business into a profit making super machine in simple no nonsense steps. Not Theory laden or dry to read - just easy to digest and more importantly, quick to implement tips honed from real life the best strategies around the world. Misleading feedback, 30 Jun 2007
Strange how all the Brad Sugars titles are reviewed by Action Coach members, don't take my word for it, take the reviewer's name & action coach & do a search on google.
Bit poor really! Really goes against what the whole Amazon feedback form is all about! Improve your Cashflow NOW, 12 Jul 2006
Too many of the businesspeople I've come across say they've tried everything they know to improve cashflow in their business. Basically they run out of ideas and give up. Or place all their efforts into one or two ideas oblivious to all the other opportunities for cashflow. This book contains 100s of ideas to improve cashflow in 5 different areas of your business (did you even know there were 5 areas to work on?). Each idea is rated as to its expected effectiveness. Never be short of cashflow ideas again... Instant Cashflow, 14 Jan 2006
Wow - this book changed my life...so simple yet so powerful! I highly recommend Instant Cashflow to those looking to get more from their business!
Instant Cashflow, 13 Jan 2006
A great insight into how to alter you mindset and think about what you are doing within your business, why you are doing it and how can this be improved. The book provides many tips and strategies through which that all important bottom line figure can be maximised.
Simply superb, 06 Sep 2006
By far the best book I have read on the subject of bid preparation. Comprehensive and focussed material throughout. Expensive in camparison to others, but worth every penny.
A must for any fundraiser, 15 Dec 2006
Ken's style of a user friendly writing style means that this book will suit anybody involved in fundraising. It presents easy to implement, but seldom put into practice, ideas which quite literally are 'timeless' since most of the ideas have been around for as long as fundraising has. It is this timeless 'Zen' which appeals to me the most since most of Ken's ideas are basic commonsense but unfortunately for one reason or another these ideas are either neglected or misunderstood.
Throughout the book Ken places a strong emphasis on donor care and although this may seem obvious, how often is it that the charities we support fail to engender within us a level of trust in their activities? This book is a guide for every fundraiser on how to get the basics right and how to ensure that the rights of donors are looked after.
Ken's ideas present themselves as an ideal checklist which any fundraising manager can use to audit his or her charity's donor care activities. I would therefore strongly recommend this book to any fundraiser serious about ensuring that the rights of donors, and therefore of beneficiaries, are looked after.
Speaking professionally..., 15 Jun 2006
This book is a snap shot of everything that works in donor relationships - and some good advice about things that don't. It's about building a relationship that really means something to the donor as well as the charity they are donating to. And it's also about being proud to be a fundraiser - stand up and be counted!!
Through a writing style, which stays light right to the last few pages, Ken manages to capture the essence of a lot of jargonese which penetrates the fundraising world. This is a simple book - but not for simple minds. If you like the snap shot style of American quick fixes then this is a great introduction to relationship fundraising and a whole lot more. At the end Ken makes some personal points and a bit of a plea for better customer service - well made, and if only half the advice in this little book is put into practice, there would definitely be a shift.
Just try one simple thing which Ken outlines - I would suggest a fundraiser working on their own would really benefit from number 17. Really understand your donors - no amount of consultancy and research by other people can ever replace that one!
If you are new to fundraising, then take advice from number 71 - Be proud to be a fundraiser - and number 76 - `Be respectful of your donors, and show that respect even when they're not present' - and lastly number 78, which gives the ultimate in reading lists for fundraisers, both old and new.
The fact that Ken points us in the direction of best practice from a great variety of sources - big household names from the UK such as the RNLI but also from across the globe is great. Reading this on the London Underground was ideal, it is possible to dip in and out and I enjoyed creating my own `fundraising menu'. Recommended is a number 78, 72, 48, 22 and 17. Oh and definitely 87, the outlawing of killer phrases such as `'That won't work' and `There isn't time'. But then again...
Written as it was for an American publisher - and the author is upfront about that - occasionally the American `English' grated. But that shouldn't put you off reading it and then looking for those books to add value and depth where something captures your imagination.
Thoughts on the Zen, 26 May 2006
I've admired Ken Burnett's work since the mid 1990s when I first encountered a copy of Relationship Fundraising, which has since become required reading for anyone truly serious about fundraising. He is one of the most lucid, accessible and entertaining writers on the fundraising circuit, able to blend humour with the practical knowledge gained from a career's worth of both agency and client side experience.
The Zen of Fundraising is classic Burnett, but unlike Relationship Fundraising can sit neatly in your pocket to be thumbed on your travels or when there are a few moments to spare. The bite sized chunks that comprise this text make it ideally suited to this purpose.
An odd title though? As Ken says in his introduction, the term Zen has come to mean `thoughtful wisdom and insights' and there are 89 of these `timeless ideas' in this text. No more than a page and half is devoted to each so they come at the reader at quite a pace. Not all are new, extensions only of common sense, but it is always amazing how much of `common' sense turns out not to be common at all. Conference speakers, for example, have stressed the importance of thanking donors appropriately for as long as I can remember, yet as a donor, I'm frequently surprised at how few organizations manage to do this well. The Zen offers a number of suggestions for improvements here.
The Zen also offers a poses a number of suggestions that are altogether more thought provoking; suggestions that will hopefully prompt readers to review the way they approach their supporters and thereby improve the quality what they do. At a number of points in the text Ken refers to a `90 degree shift'. Again, a simple idea but one with profound implications. Rather than managing the communications the organization sends out, Burnett argues that fundraisers should consider the relationship the donor perceives. To use Ken's words the 90 degree shift `is putting yourself in your donor's shoes, seeing your communication and even your role as a fundraiser through your donor's eyes rather then through the eyes of your CEO or your head of finance or fundraising.' All too often we can make entirely inappropriate assumptions about why people support us and what they want in return for this support from the organization. Understanding donor needs and thinking through how best to respond to these needs lies at the core of securing loyalty and therefore at the core of this text.
There are precious few really first rate texts on loyalty. I'm often asked to recommend some at conferences. Resisting the temptation to recommend my own, I steer readers towards Penelope Burk `s Donor Centred Fundraising or the aforementioned Relationship Fundraising. The contribution of the Zen of Fundraising is really to distil this and other knowledge down into a series of bite sized chunks that can be easily digested by anyone, even if they have only a few minutes to spare at each sitting. I doubt they will regret the expenditure. The book is designed to simultaneously entertain and educate, something that Ken is able to do better than any other fundraising writer I've encountered.
With 89 ideas there really should be something for everyone in this text. If you find just two or three of them to be worthwhile implementing, this little book will have paid for itself many times over.
Practical handbook about a crucial skil, 01 Sep 2006
The managers of most corporations and nonprofits do not understand or appreciate the process of writing proposals and grants, yet developing this skill can be the gateway to winning large contracts and substantial funding. In his practical handbook, author Tom Sant demystifies this important task, providing details about almost every aspect of the process, both pre- and post-award. He elaborates upon the materials you should include and lists mistakes to avoid. This book seems to have a good handle on increasing your success rate if you bid on contracts or apply for philanthropic funding. Therefore, we recommend it to public- or private-sector managers who respond to Requests for Proposals (RFPs), write bids for contracts or prepare grant proposals.
It's helped us win more business already!, 15 Dec 2003
When I read the book, the sound principles offered up by Tom Sant resonated as so pragmatic, and so logical, I felt compelled to put them into practice immediately. Clearly Tom Sant has been there, done it, and got the tee shirt. The whole process of creating a winning proposal; from deciding whether to even bid or not, giving it a winning title - anything but "A proposal for XYZ Corp". Using the persuasive paradigm - a pattern of communication - which constructs a compelling sales document, and linking the return on investment (ROI) case to something the reader actually cares about; make this book a must for anyone who writes sales documents. In a world where - common sense is not very common - this book was absolutely riddled with common sense. It was easy to read, very logical, humorous, has plenty of anecdotes, and just makes sense. We deployed the suggestions made in the book immediately. We improved our win ratios and are seeing tangible results already.
in my opinion, 05 May 2006
This book is well written, thought out and very helpful.
The writer embraces you within the pages of this book, to carry you though fund raising letters. The years of experience which the writer has had, helps you understand what works and what does not work.
Page after page I was engrossed in this book I was very fascinated, this book in my opinion is a must on any shelf of a voluntary or none profitable organization.
I hope you enjoy it just like I have done very fascinated subject.
Clear and concise, but very 'Americanised', 03 Mar 2002
I purchased this book to help write for bids and raise much needed funds. There were a many good pointers, however, a lot of the links/leads were for american readers.
We could do with a book like this written with English connections in.
It was useful, but in restrospect I would have probably purchased the Complete Fundraising Handbook instead.
Helpful look at private equity strategies, 09 Oct 2008
CEOs of large public and private companies may not think they have much in common with private equity (PE) investors. After all, CEOs are beholden to their shareholders and boards. Their organizations have multiple layers of management and a conservative mindset that can make change ponderous. Meanwhile, PE investors thrive in a more free-wheeling environment, sizing up their targets and sometimes taking considerable risks in hopes of delivering exceptional financial results. Authors Orit Gadiesh and Hugh MacArthur believe that traditional companies can apply six successful principles from the PE firms' playbook. While adopting the PE philosophy isn't always easy, as the authors are quick to point out, the benefits can be significant. If you feel your company is not living up to its potential, then getAbstract believes this book points out some options you might want to consider. However, you might find that the idea inspires you more than the advice the authors bequeath.
Statement of the obvious, 18 Jul 2008
This small book proports to tell people about the methods of private equity. Perhaps at a very high level it does, but at such a high level it is merely stating the obvious. Anyone sophisticated enough to be thinking of buying this book is, I think, unlikely to learn anything from it.
How to make any business more valuable, 14 May 2008
This is one of the titles in the "Memo to the CEO" series published by Harvard Business Press, each less than 200 pages in length and superbly produced. In fact, none of them is a "memo" nor were any of them written only for CEOs. In this volume, Orit Gadiesh and Hugh MacArthur explain how to make any business more valuable while acknowledging that the lessons to be learned from the private equity (PE) industry are not rigorously and consistently applied by businesses around the world. Why? "We see two main reasons for this: first, the application of these lessons drives real change in many businesses, and, for better or worse, change brings risks, both real and imagined...Second, many leaders apply the lessons that we will discuss, but incompletely. It is easier to do "fine" than to the "best" a company can do. We call this [begin italics] satisfactory underperformance [end italics] - a pervasive disease in business that is the direct target of this memo."
Gadiesh and MacArthur are eminently well-qualified to identify and then examine the tools and techniques used by the best PE firms. She is chairman of Bain & Company, the first management consulting firm to develop a global PE practice that is now the largest of its kind. MacArthur heads it. Moreover, even a cursory review of their respective careers suggests a scope and depth of real-world business experience in all areas of operations with global companies in a variety of industries. They speak with unique authority when asserting that the smartest PE investors "have realized that the only way to reliably increase the value of their portfolios is to maximize the operating value of the underlying businesses in them. For this reason, the best PE firms have shifted many of the resources that they once poured into financial engineering to ward creating value - and they are doing it in a way that is more systematic, focused, and aggressive than the practices in most companies."
It should be noted that the lessons they discuss and the recommendations they provide with those lessons can be of substantial value to decision-makers in any organization, whatever its size and nature may be. For example, "to improve profits and stock price [or value if the company is privately owned], you need to make strategic choices with a clear picture of the full potential of your company in mind." Define that potential by answering, with rigor and accuracy, this question: "How high is up?" Next, develop as "blueprint" or "road map" for getting to that full-potential destination. That is, the "who, what, when, where, and how" while establishing and then sustaining strategy, resources, execution, and measurement in proper alignment. The next objective is to accelerate performance at all levels and in all areas of the given enterprise while harnessing the talent (i.e. hiring, "growing," and retaining only those who possess the talent, skills, experience, and character needed) because "the best-laid plans go nowhere without the right people to implement them."
Gadiesh and MacArthur also urge their reader "embrace LBO economics" which in part means getting comfortable with leverage. For
example, "eliminating unproductive or underperforming capital, often by cutting pieces out of the business. It also may mean finding new ways to convert traditionally fixed assets into sources of financing." A number of excellent books have been published in recent years in which their authors offer excellent advice on how an organization can become more agile. (Two of the best are Fast Strategy: How Strategic Agility Will Help You Stay Ahead of the Game and Corporate Agility: A Revolutionary New Model for Competing in a Flat World co-authored by Charles Grantham, Jim Ware, and Cory Williamson.) Meanwhile, the best PE firms "work their magic" by helping C-level executives in their portfolio companies foster a results-oriented mindset that ensures results-driven performance.
By devoting a separate chapter to each of these six core principles, Gadiesh and MacArthur are able examine all of them in much greater depth. "We use the best private equity practices as the benchmark, but in reality [lessons to be learned from them] have been around for a long time. They just haven't been codified as formally by most businesses. Whatever the ownership of your company, our advice is to look at how the best PE people operate, and to use their techniques to compete against them and everyone else."
None of the lessons to be learned from private equity that Gadiesh and MacArthur have identified is a head-snapper, nor do they make any such claim. Ultimately," winners" and "losers" will be determined by the results their people produce. However, it is at least as important (if not more important) for decision-makers to understand what not to do as it is to understand what must be done and how to do that. In 1963, Peter Drucker spoke to this point: "There is surely nothing quite so useless as doing with great efficiency what should not be done at all."
Frankly, I am surprised that so much valuable information and (especially) advice can be presented, and presented so well, within a narrative only 122 pages in length. Orit Gadiesh and Hugh MacArthur are to be commended on their brilliant achievement.
Those who share my high regard for this book are urged to check out the aforementioned Fast Strategy and Corporate Agility as well as Roger Martin's The Opposable Mind, Gary Hamel's The Future of Management, Henry Chesbrough's Open Business Models, Richard Ogle's Smart World, Frans Johansson's The Medici Effect, James Kilts's Doing What Matters, Dean Spitzer's Transforming Performance Measurement, and Enterprise Architecture As Strategy co-authored by Jeanne W. Ross, Peter Weill, and David Robertson.
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Customer Reviews
Surely it can't get any better?!, 26 Jul 2007
After reading this book, you are left with the feeling that the sky is the limit - nothing but your own self doubt and delusions stand in your way. If Charlie can do it, why can't I? As with the rest of the 'Instant' series, Brad lays it all bare with simple to understand and use real life, cast iron strategies that have been shown to work time and time again. This book is crammed with page after page after page of real life tips and strategies which I guess can turn any business into a profit making super machine in simple no nonsense steps. Not Theory laden or dry to read - just easy to digest and more importantly, quick to implement tips honed from real life the best strategies around the world. Misleading feedback, 30 Jun 2007
Strange how all the Brad Sugars titles are reviewed by Action Coach members, don't take my word for it, take the reviewer's name & action coach & do a search on google.
Bit poor really! Really goes against what the whole Amazon feedback form is all about! Improve your Cashflow NOW, 12 Jul 2006
Too many of the businesspeople I've come across say they've tried everything they know to improve cashflow in their business. Basically they run out of ideas and give up. Or place all their efforts into one or two ideas oblivious to all the other opportunities for cashflow. This book contains 100s of ideas to improve cashflow in 5 different areas of your business (did you even know there were 5 areas to work on?). Each idea is rated as to its expected effectiveness. Never be short of cashflow ideas again... Instant Cashflow, 14 Jan 2006
Wow - this book changed my life...so simple yet so powerful! I highly recommend Instant Cashflow to those looking to get more from their business!
Instant Cashflow, 13 Jan 2006
A great insight into how to alter you mindset and think about what you are doing within your business, why you are doing it and how can this be improved. The book provides many tips and strategies through which that all important bottom line figure can be maximised.
Simply superb, 06 Sep 2006
By far the best book I have read on the subject of bid preparation. Comprehensive and focussed material throughout. Expensive in camparison to others, but worth every penny.
A must for any fundraiser, 15 Dec 2006
Ken's style of a user friendly writing style means that this book will suit anybody involved in fundraising. It presents easy to implement, but seldom put into practice, ideas which quite literally are 'timeless' since most of the ideas have been around for as long as fundraising has. It is this timeless 'Zen' which appeals to me the most since most of Ken's ideas are basic commonsense but unfortunately for one reason or another these ideas are either neglected or misunderstood.
Throughout the book Ken places a strong emphasis on donor care and although this may seem obvious, how often is it that the charities we support fail to engender within us a level of trust in their activities? This book is a guide for every fundraiser on how to get the basics right and how to ensure that the rights of donors are looked after.
Ken's ideas present themselves as an ideal checklist which any fundraising manager can use to audit his or her charity's donor care activities. I would therefore strongly recommend this book to any fundraiser serious about ensuring that the rights of donors, and therefore of beneficiaries, are looked after.
Speaking professionally..., 15 Jun 2006
This book is a snap shot of everything that works in donor relationships - and some good advice about things that don't. It's about building a relationship that really means something to the donor as well as the charity they are donating to. And it's also about being proud to be a fundraiser - stand up and be counted!!
Through a writing style, which stays light right to the last few pages, Ken manages to capture the essence of a lot of jargonese which penetrates the fundraising world. This is a simple book - but not for simple minds. If you like the snap shot style of American quick fixes then this is a great introduction to relationship fundraising and a whole lot more. At the end Ken makes some personal points and a bit of a plea for better customer service - well made, and if only half the advice in this little book is put into practice, there would definitely be a shift.
Just try one simple thing which Ken outlines - I would suggest a fundraiser working on their own would really benefit from number 17. Really understand your donors - no amount of consultancy and research by other people can ever replace that one!
If you are new to fundraising, then take advice from number 71 - Be proud to be a fundraiser - and number 76 - `Be respectful of your donors, and show that respect even when they're not present' - and lastly number 78, which gives the ultimate in reading lists for fundraisers, both old and new.
The fact that Ken points us in the direction of best practice from a great variety of sources - big household names from the UK such as the RNLI but also from across the globe is great. Reading this on the London Underground was ideal, it is possible to dip in and out and I enjoyed creating my own `fundraising menu'. Recommended is a number 78, 72, 48, 22 and 17. Oh and definitely 87, the outlawing of killer phrases such as `'That won't work' and `There isn't time'. But then again...
Written as it was for an American publisher - and the author is upfront about that - occasionally the American `English' grated. But that shouldn't put you off reading it and then looking for those books to add value and depth where something captures your imagination.
Thoughts on the Zen, 26 May 2006
I've admired Ken Burnett's work since the mid 1990s when I first encountered a copy of Relationship Fundraising, which has since become required reading for anyone truly serious about fundraising. He is one of the most lucid, accessible and entertaining writers on the fundraising circuit, able to blend humour with the practical knowledge gained from a career's worth of both agency and client side experience.
The Zen of Fundraising is classic Burnett, but unlike Relationship Fundraising can sit neatly in your pocket to be thumbed on your travels or when there are a few moments to spare. The bite sized chunks that comprise this text make it ideally suited to this purpose.
An odd title though? As Ken says in his introduction, the term Zen has come to mean `thoughtful wisdom and insights' and there are 89 of these `timeless ideas' in this text. No more than a page and half is devoted to each so they come at the reader at quite a pace. Not all are new, extensions only of common sense, but it is always amazing how much of `common' sense turns out not to be common at all. Conference speakers, for example, have stressed the importance of thanking donors appropriately for as long as I can remember, yet as a donor, I'm frequently surprised at how few organizations manage to do this well. The Zen offers a number of suggestions for improvements here.
The Zen also offers a poses a number of suggestions that are altogether more thought provoking; suggestions that will hopefully prompt readers to review the way they approach their supporters and thereby improve the quality what they do. At a number of points in the text Ken refers to a `90 degree shift'. Again, a simple idea but one with profound implications. Rather than managing the communications the organization sends out, Burnett argues that fundraisers should consider the relationship the donor perceives. To use Ken's words the 90 degree shift `is putting yourself in your donor's shoes, seeing your communication and even your role as a fundraiser through your donor's eyes rather then through the eyes of your CEO or your head of finance or fundraising.' All too often we can make entirely inappropriate assumptions about why people support us and what they want in return for this support from the organization. Understanding donor needs and thinking through how best to respond to these needs lies at the core of securing loyalty and therefore at the core of this text.
There are precious few really first rate texts on loyalty. I'm often asked to recommend some at conferences. Resisting the temptation to recommend my own, I steer readers towards Penelope Burk `s Donor Centred Fundraising or the aforementioned Relationship Fundraising. The contribution of the Zen of Fundraising is really to distil this and other knowledge down into a series of bite sized chunks that can be easily digested by anyone, even if they have only a few minutes to spare at each sitting. I doubt they will regret the expenditure. The book is designed to simultaneously entertain and educate, something that Ken is able to do better than any other fundraising writer I've encountered.
With 89 ideas there really should be something for everyone in this text. If you find just two or three of them to be worthwhile implementing, this little book will have paid for itself many times over.
Practical handbook about a crucial skil, 01 Sep 2006
The managers of most corporations and nonprofits do not understand or appreciate the process of writing proposals and grants, yet developing this skill can be the gateway to winning large contracts and substantial funding. In his practical handbook, author Tom Sant demystifies this important task, providing details about almost every aspect of the process, both pre- and post-award. He elaborates upon the materials you should include and lists mistakes to avoid. This book seems to have a good handle on increasing your success rate if you bid on contracts or apply for philanthropic funding. Therefore, we recommend it to public- or private-sector managers who respond to Requests for Proposals (RFPs), write bids for contracts or prepare grant proposals.
It's helped us win more business already!, 15 Dec 2003
When I read the book, the sound principles offered up by Tom Sant resonated as so pragmatic, and so logical, I felt compelled to put them into practice immediately. Clearly Tom Sant has been there, done it, and got the tee shirt. The whole process of creating a winning proposal; from deciding whether to even bid or not, giving it a winning title - anything but "A proposal for XYZ Corp". Using the persuasive paradigm - a pattern of communication - which constructs a compelling sales document, and linking the return on investment (ROI) case to something the reader actually cares about; make this book a must for anyone who writes sales documents. In a world where - common sense is not very common - this book was absolutely riddled with common sense. It was easy to read, very logical, humorous, has plenty of anecdotes, and just makes sense. We deployed the suggestions made in the book immediately. We improved our win ratios and are seeing tangible results already.
in my opinion, 05 May 2006
This book is well written, thought out and very helpful.
The writer embraces you within the pages of this book, to carry you though fund raising letters. The years of experience which the writer has had, helps you understand what works and what does not work.
Page after page I was engrossed in this book I was very fascinated, this book in my opinion is a must on any shelf of a voluntary or none profitable organization.
I hope you enjoy it just like I have done very fascinated subject.
Clear and concise, but very 'Americanised', 03 Mar 2002
I purchased this book to help write for bids and raise much needed funds. There were a many good pointers, however, a lot of the links/leads were for american readers.
We could do with a book like this written with English connections in.
It was useful, but in restrospect I would have probably purchased the Complete Fundraising Handbook instead.
Helpful look at private equity strategies, 09 Oct 2008
CEOs of large public and private companies may not think they have much in common with private equity (PE) investors. After all, CEOs are beholden to their shareholders and boards. Their organizations have multiple layers of management and a conservative mindset that can make change ponderous. Meanwhile, PE investors thrive in a more free-wheeling environment, sizing up their targets and sometimes taking considerable risks in hopes of delivering exceptional financial results. Authors Orit Gadiesh and Hugh MacArthur believe that traditional companies can apply six successful principles from the PE firms' playbook. While adopting the PE philosophy isn't always easy, as the authors are quick to point out, the benefits can be significant. If you feel your company is not living up to its potential, then getAbstract believes this book points out some options you might want to consider. However, you might find that the idea inspires you more than the advice the authors bequeath.
Statement of the obvious, 18 Jul 2008
This small book proports to tell people about the methods of private equity. Perhaps at a very high level it does, but at such a high level it is merely stating the obvious. Anyone sophisticated enough to be thinking of buying this book is, I think, unlikely to learn anything from it.
How to make any business more valuable, 14 May 2008
This is one of the titles in the "Memo to the CEO" series published by Harvard Business Press, each less than 200 pages in length and superbly produced. In fact, none of them is a "memo" nor were any of them written only for CEOs. In this volume, Orit Gadiesh and Hugh MacArthur explain how to make any business more valuable while acknowledging that the lessons to be learned from the private equity (PE) industry are not rigorously and consistently applied by businesses around the world. Why? "We see two main reasons for this: first, the application of these lessons drives real change in many businesses, and, for better or worse, change brings risks, both real and imagined...Second, many leaders apply the lessons that we will discuss, but incompletely. It is easier to do "fine" than to the "best" a company can do. We call this [begin italics] satisfactory underperformance [end italics] - a pervasive disease in business that is the direct target of this memo."
Gadiesh and MacArthur are eminently well-qualified to identify and then examine the tools and techniques used by the best PE firms. She is chairman of Bain & Company, the first management consulting firm to develop a global PE practice that is now the largest of its kind. MacArthur heads it. Moreover, even a cursory review of their respective careers suggests a scope and depth of real-world business experience in all areas of operations with global companies in a variety of industries. They speak with unique authority when asserting that the smartest PE investors "have realized that the only way to reliably increase the value of their portfolios is to maximize the operating value of the underlying businesses in them. For this reason, the best PE firms have shifted many of the resources that they once poured into financial engineering to ward creating value - and they are doing it in a way that is more systematic, focused, and aggressive than the practices in most companies."
It should be noted that the lessons they discuss and the recommendations they provide with those lessons can be of substantial value to decision-makers in any organization, whatever its size and nature may be. For example, "to improve profits and stock price [or value if the company is privately owned], you need to make strategic choices with a clear picture of the full potential of your company in mind." Define that potential by answering, with rigor and accuracy, this question: "How high is up?" Next, develop as "blueprint" or "road map" for getting to that full-potential destination. That is, the "who, what, when, where, and how" while establishing and then sustaining strategy, resources, execution, and measurement in proper alignment. The next objective is to accelerate performance at all levels and in all areas of the given enterprise while harnessing the talent (i.e. hiring, "growing," and retaining only those who possess the talent, skills, experience, and character needed) because "the best-laid plans go nowhere without the right people to implement them."
Gadiesh and MacArthur also urge their reader "embrace LBO economics" which in part means getting comfortable with leverage. For
example, "eliminating unproductive or underperforming capital, often by cutting pieces out of the business. It also may mean finding new ways to convert traditionally fixed assets into sources of financing." A number of excellent books have been published in recent years in which their authors offer excellent advice on how an organization can become more agile. (Two of the best are Fast Strategy: How Strategic Agility Will Help You Stay Ahead of the Game and Corporate Agility: A Revolutionary New Model for Competing in a Flat World co-authored by Charles Grantham, Jim Ware, and Cory Williamson.) Meanwhile, the best PE firms "work their magic" by helping C-level executives in their portfolio companies foster a results-oriented mindset that ensures results-driven performance.
By devoting a separate chapter to each of these six core principles, Gadiesh and MacArthur are able examine all of them in much greater depth. "We use the best private equity practices as the benchmark, but in reality [lessons to be learned from them] have been around for a long time. They just haven't been codified as formally by most businesses. Whatever the ownership of your company, our advice is to look at how the best PE people operate, and to use their techniques to compete against them and everyone else."
None of the lessons to be learned from private equity that Gadiesh and MacArthur have identified is a head-snapper, nor do they make any such claim. Ultimately," winners" and "losers" will be determined by the results their people produce. However, it is at least as important (if not more important) for decision-makers to understand what not to do as it is to understand what must be done and how to do that. In 1963, Peter Drucker spoke to this point: "There is surely nothing quite so useless as doing with great efficiency what should not be done at all."
Frankly, I am surprised that so much valuable information and (especially) advice can be presented, and presented so well, within a narrative only 122 pages in length. Orit Gadiesh and Hugh MacArthur are to be commended on their brilliant achievement.
Those who share my high regard for this book are urged to check out the aforementioned Fast Strategy and Corporate Agility as well as Roger Martin's The Opposable Mind, Gary Hamel's The Future of Management, Henry Chesbrough's Open Business Models, Richard Ogle's Smart World, Frans Johansson's The Medici Effect, James Kilts's Doing What Matters, Dean Spitzer's Transforming Performance Measurement, and Enterprise Architecture As Strategy co-authored by Jeanne W. Ross, Peter Weill, and David Robertson.
Excellent Resource, 12 Jun 2004
The book comes with a CD-ROM which includes proposal templates. The book is very complete and goes into every detail. Many business books I have read in the past repeat vague advice and rarely give insider information such as industry specific terms. This book is different it goes into total detail and gives very sound advice.
excellent resource, 31 Jul 2003
Whilst this book may be a little too focused upon the arts or charity sectors for some, it is still an excellent resource for anyone interested in selling and/or delivering on sponsorship deals. The advice is practical and clear, taking the reader through the sequence of how to win sponsorship deals. Put it this way: It solved a problem for me I'd been struggling with for 3 months. That's worth a few pound of anyone's money.
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