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

Communications

Digital Issue Advocacy

Our friend and digital marketing consultant Nick Allen of DonorDigital developed this issue advocacy site — http://doilookillegal.com — for folks to express their opposition to Arizona’s new racist anti-immigrant law. Clever way to get folks engaged and use social media to spread the word. Nick, you deserve a raise! Tom  

Learn More May 3, 2010

Coming Meltdown in Higher Ed

Since The Agitator has heaps of readers with .edu email addresses, I thought I’d pass along a blog post by Seth Godin especially for you! It’s called The Coming Meltdown in Higher Education (as seen by a marketer), and while it gives Godin’s full critique of today’s higher ed offering, here’s an especially pertinent excerpt […]

Learn More April 30, 2010

Make “Small” Your Advantage

Not every Agitator reader has a multi-million dollar fundraising and communications budget to work with! So we keep an eye out for fundraising advice that’s especially relevant for smaller nonprofits. Here’s an example from Doodig Blogs. This article — 5 Top Fundraising Mistakes Made By Small Nonprofits — stresses five points … all essentially about […]

Learn More April 26, 2010

Are You Invisible?

From a recent post by marketing maven Seth Godin: "…someone’s worldview, how they feel about risk or other factors, is beyond your ability to change in the short run. Sell people something they’re interesting in buying. If you can’t leverage the worldview they already have, you are essentially invisible." This is another way of talking […]

Learn More April 23, 2010

Classic “Chicken Or Egg” Question

eMarketing & Commerce reports on a study of Facebook fans and their brand loyalty, as  published in the March Harvard Business Review. In this case, the study examined the behavior and attitudes of customers of Houston’s Dessert Gallery cafe chain who became the company’s Facebook fans. According to the study, as compared to regular customers, […]

Learn More April 16, 2010

See? Relevant Thank You Works

Last week we talked about going the extra mile to recognize donor loyalty. Here’s an illustration I didn’t want you to miss from Jessica Harrington at Schultz & Williams … "We’re absolutely doing this!  For one organization’s first renewal, we personalized the letter to the year the donor first joined and what was happening then […]

Learn More April 14, 2010

Too Much Nonprofit Competition?

Awhile back I saw this LA Times article about a new website/organization (is there a difference these days?) launched by Chris Hughes, one of Facebook’s co-founders and online organizing whiz for the Obama campaign. But as I read about the site — Jumo, promoted as a venue for connecting causes/charities and interested volunteers — I […]

Learn More April 13, 2010

8 Seconds To Score

I noticed this post in email Insider regarding effective marketing emails. Here’s the kernel: "Studies show that subscribers will spend just eight seconds on most messages before clicking through or navigating away. Your emails will drive the most dollars if you take on the eight-second challenge and use that time (or even better, less time […]

Learn More April 8, 2010

Inspiration Via YouTube

Here’s a piece that demonstrates the efficacy of YouTube. Read the story, then watch the video … after about three minutes of standing ovation, you’ll be treated to an encore performance. It’s not about a charity or nonprofit … or — directly — about fundraising. But it does suggest that if you do inspiring work, […]

Learn More April 7, 2010

Excellent Online Fundraising Advice

Over Easter, I had a chance to read The 8 Online Fundraising Changes You Must Make in 2010, an excellent e-book by Katya Andresen at Network for Good. If you are looking for very practical tips in terms of techniques and best practices, you won’t be disappointed. But this guide is much deeper and richer […]

Learn More April 5, 2010

<< 1 … 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 … 132 >>

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

    The Agitator Tool Box

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



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