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Communications

Who’s Got The Toughest Job?

Yesterday I talked about the OgilvyOne supreme challenge of salesmanship — selling a plain red brick. I’ve been  thinking about what might be the equivalent challenge in the nonprofit arena today … is there a cause or charity that’s metaphorically the "red brick?" Dare I ask you if any of you fundraisers or communicators wake […]

Learn More April 2, 2010

Who Is Your Best Salesperson?

As reported in the NY Times, OgilvyOne has launched an international contest on YouTube to identify the "world’s greatest salesperson." Contestants must submit a 1-2 minute video in which they sell a common red brick! The winner gets a three-month fellowship at Ogilvy, during which they will help write a new "Guide to selling in […]

Learn More April 1, 2010

Memorable Marketing

I just really enjoyed these two articles … so bear with me … I’m sharing them. Both relate to memorable, durable marketing. Easy lifting for Monday. The first reports on a survey conducted for Forbes on the most memorable fictional brand spokespeople (often spokescreatures!). Survey participants were asked to rank 800 characters on 36 characteristics, […]

Learn More March 22, 2010

Any Good Fundraising Videos?

I’m scratching my head as to why we haven’t looked into the availability of fundraising videos before. Not online pitches by nonprofits, but rather "how to" videos. But today in one of my various info feeds I was struck by an item describing this YouTube video — Nonprofit Tip #1 Secret to Fundraising Success. Naturally […]

Learn More March 18, 2010

The Earth Is Flat

For five centuries, from the Phoenicians to the global exploration of the 15th century Spaniards the conventional wisdom of navigation rested on the belief that the Earth was flat. Venture farther than the known oceans and you would fall off the edge of the Earth into the mouths of dragons, the arms of sea monsters, […]

Learn More March 16, 2010

The Smallest Of Cues

Responding to our Boomers Reinventing 50  post, Sarah Spengler commented: "Tom – interesting that you should talk about AARP and their advertizing campaign:  I just received some materials from them, having joined. very recently.  Among their offerings are discounts on motorcycle insurance of all things.  THAT told me I was in the right place.  And […]

Learn More March 11, 2010

Boomers Reinventing 50

Two interesting articles about Boomers came my way in the last couple of days. Maybe some insights here for fundraising messages. The first, from Brandweek, discusses the new advertising campaign of AARP. It’s hard to imagine any outfit with a bigger stake in understanding Boomers and their aspirations. AARP does a ton research to inform […]

Learn More March 10, 2010

Top Ten Brands

I love lists like this. Here are the top ten brands of 2009 according to Millward Brown, a leading market research firm. Millward Brown uses an index based upon trust and recommendation to build its list. Find anything to quarrel with here? Who hasn’t bought a book on Amazon … then another … then another? […]

Learn More March 9, 2010

Report On Mobile Giving

Convio, Edge Research, and Sea Change Strategies have prepared this report on mobile giving, probing specifically into the mobile giving generated by the Haiti earthquake. The data reflects a survey of 1500 members of an online panel, screened as current charitable donors. The report notes that up to 12 January 2010 about $1 million had […]

Learn More March 5, 2010

Checklist Heaven

Direct marketing guru Denny Hatch was so enthralled with The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande that he updated his own direct marketer’s checklist. Denny’s checklist is 58 items long, so it’s pretty comprehensive. For example, here’s #2: Does your copy contain some or all of the 13 most powerful and evocative words in the English […]

Learn More March 3, 2010

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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

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