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Communications

In Fundraising, Size Matters

Now, if ever, we all need to lift up our sights, widen our horizons and strive for the lofty. In lowliness and commonness there is no hope. One of the joys of sharing The Agitator with Tom is there are no control-freak editors. We each have our say. So, today, I’m pre-empting one of Tom’s […]

Learn More December 8, 2008

Important Email Marketing Lessons

Return Path, an email marketing consultancy, offers some excellent recommendations about managing your email marketing (donor and activist) files. Their report, based on studying 61 leading commercial email marketers, is called: Keeping the Subscriber Experience Positive After "Unsubscribe Me" (you’ll need to register at ReturnPath to download). Some interesting factoids: 30% of these companies never […]

Learn More December 5, 2008

Staying on Message

For the past several months we’ve stressed the importance "messaging" and making the fundraising case for your organization as powerfully as possible in these troubled times. Creative consultant and copywriter Bob Levy weighed in again over the Thanksgiving weekend with a piece titled Staying on Message. In it Bob sets forth ominous insights on structural […]

Learn More December 1, 2008

Our Tips For Fundraising In Tough Times

Last Friday, The Agitator hosted over 70 nonprofit fundraisers in a "tele-briefing" on "Fundraising in Tough Times." We reviewed fundraisers’ responses to our recent Vital Signs surveys (results here and here) and offered our advice on how to cope. Attesting to the level of concern out there, we had more attempted subscribers than "seats" for […]

Learn More November 24, 2008

Weekend Edition: Fundraising Warning Bells

WEEK OF NOVEMBER 17th. On down days Grandma Craver attempted to brighten life with the reminder. “Cheer up, Roger. Things could be worse.” Well, this week they got worse, at least where the economy and fundraising is concerned. The warning bells of impending fundraising doom are sounding with more and more frequency and volume. Increasing […]

Learn More November 22, 2008

The Video-Centric Nonprofit

Here from Dave Dutch of web consulting and software firm Vignette, via Mediapost, is the most gushing vision I’ve seen lately of the role of online video in a corporate setting. He refers to the "video-centric enterprise." But think about the applications for your "video-centric nonprofit" as I quote at length:   "Video’s importance … […]

Learn More November 20, 2008

Motrin: A Lesson In Issue Campaigning

As told by Ad Age, here is a fascinating account of the brouhaha over a recent — now deceased — advertising campaign for Motrin, the painkiller. It’s left some executives at Johnson & Johnson’s McNeil Consumer Healthcare unit consuming a lot of their own medicine! The ads were an attempt by Motrin to connect and […]

Learn More November 19, 2008

You’re Not Alone!

Just when you need to send one critical email before you dash off, or are at the juiciest part of the conversation … Your internet service disappears, or your computer freezes (or worse, does that never-ending hourglass or spinning wheel thing), or your cellphone fails. According to this report from Pew Research, When technology Fails, […]

Learn More November 18, 2008

Conscious Consumption – All About Value

Here are two exceptional articles exploring how commercial advertisers are responding to the challenging task of selling during a severe economic downturn. As they see it, given today’s consumer psychology, every offer must emphasize — in a word — value. From the LA Times: "’We’re moving toward an era of conscious consumption — just because […]

Learn More November 11, 2008

AGITATOR WEEKEND: Fundraising Vital Signs

The Agitator’s Week In Review.   This week brought an end to the seemingly never-ending presidential campaigns marked by highs and lows, necessary and unnecessary divisions, indelible characters and high drama.   But in the end, grassroots engagement, and fundraising ‘firsts’ made possible by the brilliant use of technology-backed-by-philosophy combined to yield a record-shattering turnout that contributed […]

Learn More November 8, 2008

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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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