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Behavioral Science Posts

The “Intention to Give” Giving Gap

There is an entire field of study, decades old, focused on the relationship between intention to do something and doing it – intended behavior vs. actual behavior. This is far more involved and practical than the too simplistic and quite misleading adage that  ‘people don’t do what they say’.  In fact, the intention to do […]

Learn More August 3, 2020

Is the Donor Missing From Your Giving Equation…And Your Fundraising?

Stick with this post.  By the end –following a somewhat wonky start –you’ll feel more control over your fundraising and relatedness to your donors. This is what the vast majority of giving formulas, albeit never expressed, look like: Giving = solicitation + random error (difference between your budgeted number and reality) (Remember algebra?  Don’t stop reading; […]

Learn More July 20, 2020

Pandemic Accelerant

The most frequent topic at Agitator editorial meetings in recent weeks has centered on the question “What does this pandemic mean for the future of fundraising?” More specifically, what should we be doing to help organizations prepare for what all of us here believe will be a long, slow, multi-year recovery that could have us […]

Learn More June 17, 2020

Cluster Analysis or Cluster F***k?

Don’t shoot the profane messenger.  If you ever think about or talk about or actually perform donor segmentation, you’ll want to read this post about a statistical technique called cluster analysis. It is time to sound a warning bell for what might be a largely unnoticed, but no less severe,  epidemic of shoddy cluster analysis […]

Learn More February 19, 2020

The Key To Curing Your Fundraising Ailments

Retention concerns?  Privacy concerns?  Opt-out/opt-in concerns?  Regulatory concerns?  Making content relevant concerns? All of these concerns can be effectively addressed—and solved whether you’re in a small organization or a large one– by First Party Data and it’s little known sibling Zero Party Data. Too good to be true?  Nope.  What we’re going to cover in […]

Learn More February 10, 2020

Learning from Politics: Texting

In the last US election year, we talked about what we can learn from political campaigns in hypertargeting, nudge language, and building the tools you need.  Now, we have a lesson we can take from the 2018 cycle about the use of texting. A bit of background – for political campaigns, robocalls are the incumbent […]

Learn More January 8, 2020

Riding the Unicorn

Like hunting dogs ranging back and forth in pursuit of a scent far too many fundraisers, often egged on by their boards and CEOs in search of a silver bullet, are chasing the next new thing. Fundamentals and proven basic practices be damned. I suspect the reason lies somewhere between some folks’ inherent love of […]

Learn More December 4, 2019

Are You Ready for Fundraising’s Changing Data Future?

As the current era of internet search and third-party cookies nears its end and the era of consumer privacy looms, I fear most organizations are ill-prepared. That’s understandable since no big changes are yet evident: the California Consumer Privacy Protect Act doesn’t take effect until January 2020, the CCPA has an exemption for nonprofits (but […]

Learn More November 11, 2019

The Insanity and Stupidity of Ignoring and Offending Women

Women are both a powerful and growing force for growth in giving.  So, why in the world do so many organizations stick to “best practices” of 40 years ago when a greater proportion of donors were men? Maybe because too many nonprofits are led by out-of-touch men… maybe because changing old habits and processes takes […]

Learn More October 30, 2019

Gender, Race and Fundraising Myths

Fundraising Land is filled with myths.  Like… …” immigrants don’t give” …” race matters when it comes to giving” … and on and on. I’m sure you’ve heard a dozen more. Unfortunately, without data it’s difficult to separate myth from fact. Fortunately, we now have an important study—the first to explore the intersection of race, […]

Learn More October 28, 2019

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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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