Stop Fishing in Empty Waters
As many of you know, my grandfather was a commercial fisherman—on the water by 4am, running a 60-foot boat with only one other crew member, and back by 1pm selling his catch to the local fish market.
I remember visiting him at the docks as a kid, seeing him in his rubber waders, up to his waist in bluefish, and wielding a coal shovel to fill containers for transport.
I’m sure there were slower days from time to time—days where the fish didn’t sit as high in the boat—but if there were, I never saw them.
He was always well respected by the other fishermen as knowing exactly where to go to find the big catch. No special equipment, just knowing the waters, the time of year, and the conditions in front of him.
To this day, the fishermen at those same docks in New Jersey know who John Fisler was. Quite a legacy…
The Connection to Your Daily Reality
Here’s what struck me about my grandfather’s approach: he didn’t waste time fishing in empty waters. He didn’t keep casting his nets in the same spots that stopped producing years ago…
He stayed curious about where the fish were actually swimming today.
Sound familiar?
Too many mission-driven marketers are stuck fishing in waters that dried up years ago. Here, see how many of these resonate:
You’re posting on Facebook hoping to reach supporters who already moved to Instagram…
You’re sending the same annual appeal letter format that worked in 2015…
You’re creating content for an audience that’s already moved on to different platforms, different needs, different ways of engaging…
And here’s the thing—while you’re casting nets in empty waters, you’re drowning in the execution of strategies that aren’t working.
You’re trapped in what I call the “execution hamster wheel,” running faster and faster but never actually moving forward.
The Real Problem
Most marketers we talk with are stuck in one of three empty fishing spots:
The “We’ve Always Done It This Way” Spot: You’re using the same campaign approaches, the same messaging, the same platforms because that’s what worked before.
But your supporters have moved on, and you’re fishing in waters that were productive five years ago.
The “Spray and Pray” Spot: You’re casting nets everywhere, hoping something will stick. Social media, email, direct mail, events—you’re doing it all but nothing deeply.
It’s exhausting, and the results are getting smaller every year.
The “Reactive Response” Spot: You’re constantly responding to the latest crisis, the urgent request, and the board member’s new idea.
There’s no time for strategic thinking because you’re too busy bailing water.
The Strategic Solution: Finding Your New Waters
Unlike the concepts above, my grandfather’s success came from another three things that apply directly to your marketing strategy:
1. Know Your Waters (Deep Audience Understanding)
He didn’t just know where fish used to be—he understood where they were right now.
You need to stop assuming you know where your supporters are and start discovering where they actually spend their time, what actually moves them to action.
This means having real conversations with your current supporters. Not surveys—actual conversations.
Ask them:
- “Where do you go when you want to stay informed?”
- “What made you first care about our cause?”
- “What would make you tell a friend about us?”
2. Read the Conditions (Strategic Awareness)
Every morning, my grandfather studied the weather, the tides, the season. He was constantly aware of changing conditions.
You need the same strategic awareness about your supporters’ changing needs and behaviors.
This means stepping back from daily execution long enough to ask:
- “What’s actually working?”
- “What’s changed about our supporters’ lives?”
- “What new platforms or approaches are our most engaged supporters embracing?”
3. Move to Where the Fish Are (Strategic Courage)
Here’s the hard part—when my grandfather realized fish had moved, he moved too. Even if it meant leaving behind familiar waters. Even if it meant learning new techniques.
You need the same courage to abandon marketing approaches that aren’t working, even if they’re comfortable.
Even if they’re what you’ve always done…
Creating Your Strategic Reset
Step 1: Audit Your Current Waters: Look at your marketing efforts from the past six months.
For each effort, ask:
- “Is this producing meaningful results?”
- “Are we reaching the supporters we need to reach?”
- “Are we inspiring action or just creating noise?“
Step 2: Listen to Your Supporters: Schedule five 15-minute conversations with your most engaged supporters this week.
Ask them about their communication preferences, what inspires them, what frustrates them about the marketing communications they are receiving from you or other organizations.
Step 3: Test New Waters: Pick one new approach to test this month.
Maybe it’s Instagram Reels if you’ve been stuck on Facebook…
Maybe it’s texting if you’ve only been emailing…
Maybe it’s storytelling if you’ve only been sharing statistics…
Step 4: Create Breathing Room: This is where the magic happens.
You can’t find new waters if you’re drowning in executing old strategies. You need to create space for strategic thinking.
The Transformation
When you start fishing in new waters—when you focus on what’s actually working rather than what used to work —something beautiful happens.
Your supporter engagement increases. Your fundraising becomes more sustainable. Your team stops feeling like they’re constantly swimming upstream.
Most importantly, you remember why you got into nonprofit work in the first place.
You’re not just executing marketing tasks – you’re strategically advancing your mission.
Your Next Step
The question isn’t whether you need to find new waters—it’s whether you’ll have the courage to leave the familiar empty ones behind.
Ready to Create Breathing Room for Your Strategic Thinking?
Sometimes you need an experienced guide who can help you read the conditions and navigate to more productive waters.
If you’re ready to stop fishing in empty waters and start finding where your supporters are actually swimming, let’s have a conversation.
