• Home
  • Blog Posts
  • Behavioral Science
  • On Demand Webinars
  • Toolbox
  • Archives

Donor retention / loyalty / commitment

A French Economist Walks Into A Bar…

Direct marketing can feel like that overeager friend showing up uninvited but occasionally bringing really good snacks.  The one always knocking on your door with something to sell, boast about, or ask for. But what if the real magic of direct marketing isn’t in the knock or the sale, but the echoes left behind? Frédéric […]

Learn More February 16, 2024

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

How Much Has Donor Trust in Charities Changed in the Past 5 Years?

In this age of “fake news”, “alternative facts” “hyper partisanship” and what seems to be a general erosion of trust why should we even care?  And if we care what can we fundraisers do about it?  Of course, every fundraiser should care because trust is the lynchpin of a solid and sustainable relationship with a […]

Learn More January 18, 2023

Why Do Liberals Drink Lattes?

Are you a liberal?  Did you find yourself buying more from brands that took a political stand, especially during the Trump presidency? You’re not alone. Compensatory consumption theory says people buy as a way to compensate for psychological needs or deficits. In other words, if we feel like we’re lacking control or meaning in our […]

Learn More January 9, 2023

Can You Persuade Donors?

Jack Trout was a TV ad man who helped pioneer the concept of brand positioning .  He famously quipped, “If your assignment is to change people’s minds, don’t accept the assignment.” Seems he knew what he was talking about.  A huge study of TV effectiveness on changing people’s attitudes and beliefs about social issues found […]

Learn More December 28, 2022

Homogenizing the Crap Out of a Heterogeneous World

Two hundred years ago, black/white/gray products were about 15% of the total. Today?  Closer to 60%. 7 out of 10 cars are black, white or gray.  Gray is the most popular interior carpet color. The most popular paints?  Fog, Mist and Linen, which as you might guess, ain’t exactly colorful. What’s causing this?  Big data.  […]

Learn More September 14, 2022

Be Distinctive, Not Differentiated

“If I had a nickel.…” No good story ever comes from that start. But, seriously, if I had a nickel for every time I heard a charity brand talk about what makes them unique and then sit through a rattling off of a completely undifferentiated list of programmatic focus areas – e.g. we help women, […]

Learn More July 8, 2022

Half of All Impressions are Wasted

Attention Direct Marketers: This may seem like a branding post and the “soft” metrics of awareness and people liking your brand.  It is!  And that’s a big, big part of your job even if you aren’t actively putting time against it. Why?  All your direct marketing has much, much, much more immediate failure than success.  […]

Learn More March 2, 2022

Taxonomy of Donor Messaging

If you take nothing else from this post, take this:  there is an awful lot that is known about your donors. Too often we think we know very little about our donors. Consequently, we believe tailoring messages to who they are is seemingly impossible.   Sadly, this means everyone gets the same thing. Taxonomy is […]

Learn More October 4, 2021

Stick It To Them

Folks love stickers. And buttons. And decals.  And bumper stickers. Seems like every movement moment has a symbol.  From voting to vaccination, seals to save the manatee, the badges of civic pride and involvement are worn proudly, as are the more ideological varieties proclaiming their owner’s commitment to this cause or that movement. With “I’ve […]

Learn More March 10, 2021

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 … 18 >>

Ask A Behavioral Scientist

    Behavioral Science Q & A

    Q: As a designer who works with non-profits on fundraising strategy, I see the language like the following: “Our supporters help empower every girl, ensuring she has the resources she needs.” I do not think the word “help” is useful–I think “Our supporters empower every girl, ensuring she has the resources she needs. ” is much more engaging. Thoughts?

    Whether “help” is more engaging or not really depends on the framing and context. The word help can sometimes weaken the perceived agency of the supporter, making their role feel secondary rather than central (your point). On the other hand, help can also signal collaboration rather than implying full ownership of the outcome, which might […]

    Read Full Answer

    Q: We started offering a donor cover option last april 1. The data to date suggests this may be dampening giving.eg. those who say yes to donor cover have a lower average gift (based on analysis of 6000+ gifts). I’m wondering if those who give lower gifts feel more guilt and therefore say yes to donor cover or if the presence of donor cover is making people adjust (lower) their gift size to accommodate the extra 3%. Would love any insights you have.

    Great question! Here’s how behavioral science can help unpack what might be happening: Pain of Paying: Even a small extra charge can make giving feel more transactional than emotional, potentially reducing generosity. Fairness Concerns: Some donors might perceive donor cover as a surcharge rather than a contribution to the cause. If they feel the charity […]

    Read Full Answer

    Q: When writing an appeal, I waffle back and forth between writing “Your gift CAN…” or “Your gift WILL…” Any studies of which of these two words is best for an appeal?

    The choice between “Your gift CAN…” and “Your gift WILL…” taps into the psychological framing of certainty vs. possibility. Currently, there is no academic research directly comparing these two framings in charitable appeals. However, I suspect no framing is universally better—the outcome likely depends on your target audience and the campaign’s goal. Here are some thoughts: Certainty Framing – […]

    Read Full Answer

    Q: Do you have any insight on whether integrating an individual giving appeal with other comms from the charity in both appearance and messaging can uplift results? Or does the actual appeal become ‘lost’ for lack of stand-out?

    Integrating an individual giving appeal with other communications from a charity can have both positive and negative effects, and the outcome largely depends on how it’s executed. Advantages of Integration Brand Consistency: Maintaining a consistent appearance and messaging across all communications can reinforce the org’s brand identity and strengthen brand recognition and trust among your […]

    Read Full Answer

    Q: Is there any research on response rate impact in direct mail when referring to a sustainer gift as ongoing or recurring (catching all frequencies) v. monthly or annual?

    I’m not aware of any in-market tests specifically comparing recurring vs. gift frequency language. I suspect the answer might not be the same with all gift frequencies, nor with all people. It sounds like a great opportunity for you to test and find out what works for your audience. Based on the literature, here’s a couple […]

    Read Full Answer

    Q: A major conservation nonprofit sends me lots of mail, many of which have on the envelope “time to renew” or “2nd notice.” I find this practice deceptive, especially as I haven’t given to said organization since 1997. It must be effective or they wouldn’t do it. But is it ethical?

    Based on what we know from existing data, those renewal notices can actually be pretty effective in getting people to donate. They tap into our psychology – creating a sense of urgency, reminding us of past support, and using personalization to make the message hit home. They’re playing on our natural tendencies to feel obligated […]

    Read Full Answer

    DonorVoice products

    Commitment System

    Donor Feedback Platform™

    PreTest Tool

    TouchPoint Mapping



      • © Copyright 2005 - 2025, The Agitator. All Rights Reserved.
      • About Us
      • Privacy Policy
      • Sitemap
      • RSS Feed
      • We welcome your feedback!