Award Winning Blog - Agitator

Give Your Supporters A Break

Breaks are necessary for our sanity and productivity. Not exactly a breakthrough statement. Yet, we rarely follow that advice. How many back-to-back calls did you have this week? Can you remember how you felt after the last one? In a recent study, Microsoft examined the effects of back-to-back video calls on stress, and engagement. They […]

Learn More September 29, 2023

Is Your Frequency Glass Half-Empty?

Jill donates frequently and is more likely to donate today than Jack who donates less frequently. This is an accurate statement and it’s the traditional selection model, which is why our more recent, frequent donors are always sent the next appeal. This statement is equally true. Jill donates today and is less likely to donate […]

Learn More September 27, 2023

How Do You Find Out Why People Give?

For starters, don’t ask. Asking donors “why” tends to produce rationale or superficial answers. A slightly better approach is asking why a particular cause (not the charity itself) is important to them. This will likely result in describing experiences, which may indirectly shed light on the ‘why’. The danger here is relying on a researcher to […]

Learn More September 25, 2023

The World of Richard Viguerie. At 90 “Our work isn’t finished yet.”

“You see, in ideological causes people give money not to win friends, but to defeat enemies . You’d like to change human nature, but you can’t—people are more strongly motivated by negative issues than positive ones. When there are no negatives or enemies, the appeal isn’t strong.” For the past 58 years this […]

Learn More September 22, 2023

Trick or Treat Copywriting

The following ad reportedly appeared in the Atlanta Journal. “SINGLE BLACK FEMALE seeks male companionship. Ethnicity not important. I’m a very good looking girl who LOVES to play. I love long walks in the woods, riding in your pickup truck, hunting, camping and fishing trips, cozy winter nights lying by the fire. Candlelight dinners will […]

Learn More September 20, 2023

Which Big Mac Ad Do You Prefer?

Old school Big Mac marketers would sell a Big Mac… By hiring an agency to come up with a clever, “emotional” ad. Like this one. This ad would be shown to the McDonald’s rewards customers in email and on social. It would be aimed at anyone on mobile doing a search for “fast food near […]

Learn More September 18, 2023