My Books

Just in case you’re wondering whether I really write books too, I’ll list here those that are still in print. Not that you’re likely to have any interest in the specialized subject matter, but just . . . well, because I feel like it. Each of these titles is linked to the book’s corresponding page on Amazon.com.

The Business Solution to Poverty: Designing Products and Services for Three Billion New Customers, with Paul Polak, Berrett-Koehler Publishers (2013).

Former President Bill Clinton calls this book “One of the most hopeful propositions to come along in a long time . . . original, ambitious, and practical.” My co-author is Paul Polak, author of Out of Poverty and founder of International Development Enterprises. Legions of other people talk about lifting people in emerging nations out of poverty, but Paul and IDE have done it — 20 million times over the past 30 years.

Values-Driven Business: How to Change the World, Make Money, and Have Fun, Berrett-Koehler Publishers (2006)

This was the first in the Social Venture Network Series of short books on how to manage a socially responsible business. I serve as editor for the series. It’s an overview of the field, featuring dozens of examples of successful companies that have integrated their values into their business policies and practices. ————————————————————————————————————————————————-

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How to Write Successful Fundraising Appeals, Third Edition, with Eric Overman, Jossey-Bass (2013)

This is the completely revised third edition of what is by far my best-selling book. It’s regarded as the standard text in the field and has been adopted as a training manual in fundraising agencies like mine and as a textbook in some college and graduate school courses in fundraising, marketing, and nonprofit management.——————————

Revolution in the Mailbox: Your Guide to Successful Direct Mail Fundraising, Revised Edition, Jossey-Bass (2004)

The original edition of this book was my first published work — self-published, actually, by Strathmoor Press, an imprint I set up for the purpose. The book went through a number of versions and revisions over the years, ultimately resulting in this “Revised Edition.” Like How to Write Successful Fundraising Letters, this book has been widely used as a textbook both in fundraising agencies and in college and graduate school courses. —————————————————————-

The Five Strategies for Fundraising Success: A Mission-Based Guide to Achieving Your Goals, Jossey-Bass (2000)

In this book I introduced a strategic planning method focused on fundraising and marketing. Nonprofits in the United States have generally ignored this approach, but it has been used in many other countries around the globe. ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–

Ten Steps to Fundraising Success: Choosing the Right Strategy for Your Organization, with Steve Hitchcock, Jossey-Bass (2001)

This is the workbook that accompanied The Five Strategies for Fundraising Success. ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Fundraising When Money Is Tight: A Strategic and Practical Guide to Surviving Tough Times and Thriving in the Future, Jossey-Bass (2009)

My last book on fundraising, written in the wake of the global financial meltdown, when fundraisers throughout the world were frantic with worry about shrinking gifts and falling revenue. ———————————————————————————————————————————————————-

The Mercifully Brief, Real-World Guide to Raising $1,000 Gifts by Mail, Emerson & Church Publishers (2005)

This little book describes the method my colleagues and I evolved in the early 1980s — a unique approach to direct mail fundraising that enabled us (and readers of this book) to raise many millions of dollars over the years.

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Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3 . . .: Raise More Money with Direct Mail Tests, Jossey-Bass (2003)

This is my geekiest book. If you think some of the other titles on this page are specialized, you should see this one. Avoid at all costs unless you are seriously engaged in raising money by mail! ——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–