I was recently invited to have a gander at the new £18m Ritterman Building at Middlesex University which provides astate-of-the-art teaching facility for technology and design. Environmental sustainability is at the heart of the Ritterman building as part of the University’s commitment in reducing our environmental impact. Sustainable features include solar panels, a bio-diverse green […]
Meeting Pepper
Meet Pepper. Pepper as you can see is a robot and robotics is a major element in technology education at Middlesex University. Having Pepper, along with Nao and Baxter, allows students to get to grips with programming robots which is a key future skill. Although these 3 are the popular image of a robot most robot’s […]
Rollercoaster in the basement?
You know that you are only moving a few centimetres at most but you really, really do want to hold on! This is project in the basement (along with some other interesting stuff) which links up an Oculus Rift 3d headset with a seat from a flight simulator. With a clever bit of programming you […]
3d Pottery at the Ritterman
When you enter the Ritterman Building the first thing you are likely to see is the 3d pot maker. This is an excellent example of integrating different technologies . While the pot is created using the 3d printer the shape of the pot is governed by the number of tweets that mention Middlesex University – so […]
Get your hands on some Bitcoin (sometimes for free)
Bitcoin seems to be making the headlines again with the the exchange rate of nearly $1500:1BTC *.Additionally there has been a lot published on Blockchain, the technology behind Bitcoin- but I’ll cover that in another blog. Having been asked a few times about how to buy Bitcoin I thought I’d give you a quick overview. First […]
Middlesex University Scholarship and Awards 2016
I had a great time at the Middlesex University Scholarship and Awards Event 2016. This was held in the Ricketts Quad – certainly a place to shock and awe. Systematic sponsors the First Year Challenge Award which is awarded to the winning team of first year computer science students who take part in a challenge […]
LiveBase is 20!
When we first developed LiveBase® back in the mists of the 1990’s it was to provide an easily managed dynamic element for web sites that were, for the large part, static and updated via FTP. LiveBase was first used to power the news and events sections of the National Trust website and it’s second use was for […]
Uncanny Valley – why clowns are scary
Coulrophobia – the medical term for fear of clowns – is quite common, although not always a pathological fear, you sense they are creepy. Well it turns out that there is a good reason for this. While psychologists think it stems from their transgressive behaviour (unpredictable and antisocial), neurobiology has a different take and is […]
What’s in a name?
Naming companies is a strange business. It was 25 years ago that we chose the name Systematic Marketing and it can’t be described as a very scientific process. Of course back then we didn’t have domain names to worry us and so I don’t think anyone had thought of combining a colour with an animal. […]
10 Web design trends for 2015
The Next Web has identified 10 web design trends we are likely to see over the next 12 months: Longer scrolling sites – as mobile devices become more important there is a switch to longer scrolling pages rather than lots of links Story telling and interaction – content has always been important but telling a […]
Day 14: Keep going!
Enthusiasm and motivation are the best habits fundraisers can have. Schedule some time daily to create your enthusiasm habit; here are five things you can try: If you haven’t come across it yet, make time to read Hildy Gottlieb’s article, The Sound a Thank You Makes. Try putting her concept into practice and regularly spend some […]
AMA Conference 2014
It’s the first morning at the AMA conference in Bristol. At the Watershed, temperature climbing, no air con except an open window and some fans. But we are set up and waiting for the rush. […]
Day 13: Grants & Funding
The world of grant making is evolving. Below are the best websites where you can access guidance on applying for grants plus advice on how to manage a relationship with a funder. These sites contain more sources, more commentary and more funding analysis than anywhere else. Subscribe online at the individual websites. Warning… these websites can […]
Day 12: Check your materials
It’s important to ensure you are sending a consistent message with every piece of material that’s posted online or sent to potential donors. This includes obvious things like your website and social media posts, and other items such as your email footer and Skype status. Include a personal story: why you’re raising money, why it’s […]
Day 11: Why do people give?
For any charity trying to raise money, understanding what motivates people to give is pretty useful. However, people’s motivations can be complex. Here are a few of the most important reasons why people donate: They are affected personally by the cause (think heart disease or cancer) They are thankful that they aren’t affected by the […]
Day 10: The Joys of Gift Aid
Gift Aid is a wonderful thing. There’s no denying that it could be made easier, less bureaucratic, but the simple fact is that there is probably no more cost-effective way of adding 25% to your donations. All you have to do is get a completed Gift Aid form from your donor, record the details of […]
Day 9: Apply for a Google Grant
You may not have heard of it, but Google Ad Grants is the non-profit edition of AdWords, Google’s online advertising tool. As part of its nonprofit programme, Google gives eligible charities $10,000 (£5,800) a month to spend on AdWords, Google’s pay-per-click advertising system. Not only that, if you spend at least $9,500 (£5,545) in two months of the previous 12 […]
Day 8: Set Realistic Goals
Your fundraising goals should be a stretch, but not to the point that they become impossible. As you get closer to your target amount, raise it to encourage people to continue donating. Avoid reaching the situation where prospective donors decide not to donate because you have almost reached your goal. […]
Day 7: Believe in your cause
A fundraiser or charity employee has to sell the cause to encourage people to take part. If you are passionate about what your charity does, it shows and makes it harder for a potential supporter not to get hooked. #FundraisingFortnight […]
Day 6: Make the most of social media
Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and LinkedIn are just some of the tools that can help you promote your charity and send messages to volunteers about how they can help. It’s easy, quick, free and the message can be spread fast to different audiences. Social media is about building a long-term relationship with your supporters, and this […]
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