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Donor acquisition

Want To Acquire Donors?

What’s the best way to get a new donor or member? At first blush, you might think of the answer in terms of which medium to use — direct mail, email, web conversion, face-to-face, social media. But think again in terms of how to capture interest most effectively from ‘birds of a feather’? This time […]

Learn More October 17, 2013

Wise Words About Charities And Branding

The other day blogger Jeff Brooks headlined a post … How to kill your fundraising. And the answer he gave was: Investing in brand. Well, I thought that was one of the most annoying things I had ever heard from Jeff (who I regard very highly). So I read on and discovered he was passing […]

Learn More September 5, 2013

Google This!

Enter the terms ‘donor’ and ‘digital’ into Google and you get 13,600,000 results. Yesterday Google itself added to the searchable research pile on donors’ digital behavior. In a study titled The Path to Donation (download summary here), Google and the market researchers from MillwardBrown Digital revealed that donor research leading up to year-end giving starts […]

Learn More August 22, 2013

The Agitator vs The Chronicle

Yesterday Roger wrote, in effect, ‘Get real fundraisers, to raise money, focus on Boomers and older.” Indeed, I once heard Roger comment that funeral directors don’t try to sell burial plots to teenagers … they patiently await their market! But then today, the Chronicle of Philanthropy urges: “People in their 20s and 30s already donate […]

Learn More August 13, 2013

Keep The Spark Alive

Via Marketing Profs, here is some loyalty advice from the commercial space. “Keep the spark alive” says this article … Brand Love for the Long Haul. I mean, if you can inspire ‘brand love’ for Brillo soap pads (100 years old this year), why not for Oxfam or the San Diego Zoo? Here are the […]

Learn More August 9, 2013

Wildly Profitable Monthly Giving

Whenever I see ‘monthly giving’ in a article title, I jump on it, because there’s no more productive way to raise funds from existing donors and I’m always trolling for advice on how to do it better. So here’s 18 Tips to Create a Wildly Profitable Monthly Giving Program, from Gail Perry at Fired Up […]

Learn More August 7, 2013

I Love You … I Love You Not …

When it comes to the recipe for lasting, committed relationships, there’s no ingredient as important as consistency. Whether it’s your best friend, your spouse, partner, favorite restaurant, toothpaste or razor blade, I’ll bet that consistency is a main thread that runs through all these relationships. Your best friend or partner didn’t get to be ‘best’ […]

Learn More July 25, 2013

Jeff Gets Upset … Me Too

I love it when creative whiz Jeff Brooks gets upset over the mind-boggling bad judgments nonprofits make — regarding names, logos, taglines, positioning and messaging — in the name of better branding. The examples he comes up with, as in this post — Change your name at your own risk — are usually breathtaking. Virtually […]

Learn More June 17, 2013

Are You One Of A Kind?

Is your nonprofit one of a kind? By that I mean, do you do something truly unique … either in terms of mission or strategy for accomplishing your core objective? If you do, you get to begin meeting your fundraising challenge with an enormous advantage. Your market (prospects) presumably readily recognizes you and your distinctiveness. […]

Learn More June 6, 2013

When Words Fail

Confession: I’m a slut when it comes to words. I believe, too much so, that they matter more than any other symbol of human communication. Understandable, because I once made a living as a copywriter. But this doesn’t forgive my sins of omission in highlighting other forms of communications that make a real and important […]

Learn More April 25, 2013

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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 […]

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    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 […]

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    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 – […]

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    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 […]

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    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 […]

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    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 […]

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    The Agitator Tool Box

    Ideas, applications, tools, processes, and case studies of break-through solutions in fundraising, including:



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