THINK LIKE A HUNGARIAN...DON'T BE A SPOON IN EVERY SOUP!

Our new 'Unconventional Wisdom' series is a regular digest of the best blogs and articles published recently by other fundraisers and consultants. Our aim is to point you towards some unique perspectives, innovative ideas and inspiring insights. Even if you don't enjoy or agree with everything, there's bound to be something that gets your brain ticking!

Check out the summaries below and click the green links to view the articles where they were originally published.

Richard Sved: Charities - think like a Hungarian!
Published on Third Sector Mission Control
We're huge fans of Richard's colourful blogging style and seeming ability to turn anything into a metaphor for fundraising. This time it's his Hungarian roots which provide the inspiration. Turns out that charities can learn a lot from these brilliant Hungarian proverbs. 'Don't be a spoon in every soup' is definitely a phrase we'll be using in future!

Lucy Gower: What has the story of Kodak’s demise got to do with the Third Sector?
Published on LinkedIn Pulse
Usually we're all aware of the cost of failure when it comes to innovation, but what about the cost of not innovating? Using the demise of Kodak and rolls of film as an example, Lucy says that charities aren't putting enough investment and energy into how to thrive in the fast-changing future. There's no easy answer to this one, especially for smaller charities, but it's certainly worth thinking about.

Margaux Smith: Believe the hype (cycle)
Published on 101Fundraising
We love a good discussion about online fundraising almost as much as we love a good diagram! Margaux's blog contains both as she explores how charities can strike a balance between 'the next big thing' and proven fundraising methods, which is perfect if you're feeling under pressure to come up with the next #icebucketchallenge. Throw in phrases like 'the trough of disillusionment' and 'the slope of enlightenment' and you've got a great read!

Laura Croudace - Why I support 12 different charities
Published on SOFII
We think that this is a great (and cheap) way of getting some valuable fundraising inspiration. Laura explains why, as a fundraiser, she donates to so many charities herself. It's not only to get that warm and fuzzy feeling, but to ensure she has a steady stream of good and bad direct mail pouring into her inbox that she can learn from.

Alex Swallow: My One Top Tip For Small Charities This Small Charity Week
Published on LinkedIn Pulse
Alex is one of the go-to authorities on small charities and his advice is always worth listening to. To coincide with June's Small Charity Week, he offered one surprisingly simple but effective tip to small charities - and it's all about getting deserved support for free. We're always banging the drum about knowing where to go for advice and not being afraid to ask, so when Alex recommended three organisations to join for free it was music to our ears!