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Communications

Is Your Fundraising News-Driven?

For some nonprofits, fundraising can be quite sensitive to the headlines … a natural disaster here, a Supreme Court nomination there. I once had a client castigate me, rightfully, for "sitting on" an urgent appeal opportunity until Monday, triggered by an event that occurred the previous Saturday (this is pre-Internet, I’ll say in meekest of […]

Learn More July 31, 2009

What Makes You Special?

Yesterday I suggested that competition amongst nonprofits for the hearts, minds and pocketbooks of donors might become more fierce; that this would be good for the causes served; and this trend would force more attention to communicating the core defferentiating qualities of competing groups. In other words, your "story" had better be about why you […]

Learn More July 29, 2009

Feeling More Competitive?

I was reading this article from Online Spin about the competition between Nielsen Online and comScore as to who has the biggest and best online panel for measuring online behavior. This is the sort of thing that market researchers can get quite passionate about. And indeed, given that marketers are spending billions on online advertising, […]

Learn More July 28, 2009

Before You Write A Word!

We welcome a Guest Agitator today, copywriter Lisa Sargent (www.lisasargent.com). Lisa has a bone to pick with nonprofits who try to write effective fundraising copy — themselves or through consultants — without an explicit creative brief to provide the essential guidance. She’s right. Here’s Lisa … Will this letter win … or lose? I have […]

Learn More July 24, 2009

Duh, Why Didn’t I Think Of That?

Need some out-of-the-box fundraising advice? It’s summertime … you must have some interns lying about … ask them! As reported by Forbes, Morgan Stanley’s media research department recently asked one of its 15-year-old interns to write a paper describing his generation’s media habits. The memo bluntly said: We won’t pay for any online content We […]

Learn More July 17, 2009

Push Or Pull?

Last week, I applauded blogger Jeff Brooks, who was critical of Charity Navigator for casting aspersions on direct mail fundraising … specifically for buying into the "myth that fundraising is a form of harassment." I stand by that. But I do accept that most direct response prospecting is intrusive by nature … "cold calls" of […]

Learn More July 16, 2009

Mr. Wizard Would Be Proud

At the risk of signaling my age, I’m pleased to report that all those Saturday mornings of watching Mr. Wizard on black & white TV paid off. I just scored 100% on Pew Research Center’s science quiz. Mr. Wizard would be proud! You can take the quiz here. Of  greater significance, Pew has just released […]

Learn More July 10, 2009

Are Nonprofits Good At Social Media?

Alexandra Samuel, writing in Harvard Business Publishing, says Yes! In her article, Why Nonprofits Are So Good at Social Media, she notes that social media are all about relationship building and points out: "In the nonprofit sector, relationships have always been the key currency: the relationships with the members, donors and supporters that NGOs depend […]

Learn More July 2, 2009

Politics Of Online Ad Targeting

If you’re in the biz of targeting online ads for member acquisition, fundraising or issue persuasion, here are two articles that illustrate the data-driven capabilities that exist. The first deals mainly with the Republican Party’s use of voter registration data to help target GOTV ads into the Yahoo, AOL and MSN ad networks. The second […]

Learn More June 29, 2009

3 Minutes To Tell Your Story Online

Illustrating the point we made yesterday about the impact of increased broadband (i.e., high speed) internet access, comScore has released the latest monthly figures (April ’09) re online video viewing. Key points: An impressive 79% of the total U.S. Internet audience viewed online video; That translates to nearly 152 million U.S. Internet users watching an […]

Learn More June 25, 2009

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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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