Being in the midst of wedding planning and house-hunting, both here in the DC area, the world often feels very expensive. The Global Rich List, which I was sent a few times today, is a great reminder that there are plenty of people in the world (90-some percent) that have it harder than I, and most seem to be able to find ways to live, raise families, support loved ones and be happy. It’s important to keep mindful of the big picture.

The other thing I thought of when spending a few minutes at the Global Rich List was that I was spending a few minutes at a charitable donation site. Development is an exceedingly difficult field. People typically are reluctant to part from their hard-earned money and turn it over to an organization that supports the greater good. The traditional approach is to market the greatness of that good, how valuable this organization and their work is. This pitch is so commonplace we don’t even pay it any mind.

So, what did Global Rich List do differently? They didn’t open by selling you an organization, a cure, a solution or even a need. They opened by reminding you that you have a lot of hard-earned money. By ranking you among the richest 10% of the world, they have praised you, and caught your interest. That’s when they start baiting the hook. While are you looking at the chart affirming their assessment that you are stinkin’ rich, is when they remind you just how far $5 can go on the other side of the world. And that is when you donate, because they’ve convinced you that you can.

Visit for yourself, the Global Rich List, a brilliantly crafted development campaign.