Award Winning Blog - Agitator

Stop Testing If_____________

you assume everyone’s the same. 99.9% of tests are of this variety, the random nth, A/B test. Hidden in many “losing” test results is a test idea that worked for some and not others. Here are World Vision test results with prospective donors randomly split into the control (altruism) and test (self-interest). Nothing to see […]

Learn More October 11, 2023

Fundraisers Who Know vs. Fundraisers Who Care

The Agitator spreads most of its digital ink covering the strategies, tactics, and trends in fundraising. Among all these trees of technique it’s easy to lose sight of the forest called mission. If you’re not motivated, captured, and deeply committed to the mission of your cause or movement it’s likely you’re […]

Learn More October 9, 2023

A Win for Nudging, Another Loss for Generational “Horoscopes”

Millennials on Better Track for Retirement Than Boomers and Gen X This was a recent headline in a Wall Street Journal article. It’s feels like clickbait and so, I clicked. Wow, millennials are saving much more for retirement than their generational predecessors. This is because they are more tech savvy, value experiences over physical possessions, are […]

Learn More October 6, 2023

Which Pair Belong Together?

How do we foster connection? We need to dig deeper in our understanding of the humans we’re asking for money. And we need to undo our segmentations. We instinctively start grouping people based on what’s available, convenient and intuitive – income, age, gender, internal donor flag or status (active, lapsed), channel. The minute our grouping […]

Learn More October 4, 2023

Where Has All the Money Gone?

Recently The New York Times’ Michelle Goldberg, in her column questioned Where Has All The Left-wing Money Gone? Citing “endless appeals, sometimes in bold all caps” of the seemingly endless the-sky-is-falling, guilt-tripping and flood of fundraising emails is a reason folks aren’t donating as much as they used to. She […]

Learn More October 2, 2023

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