Direct mail

The Postal Wolf Is At Your Door

This is an urgent postal alert. If your organization uses the U.S. Mail for fundraising, membership development, or communications you should be taking action today. Let me explain. The United States Postal Service (USPS) is expected to announce its next rate increase — a whooping 6% to 8.5% depending on the class of mail—by the […]

Learn More March 24, 2021

TESTING: Best Practices- Part 1

In his post Locally or Globally Kevin emphasized the importance of testing that gets you beyond the usual confines of the “locally optimized” (same old, familiar, more of the same) to a ‘globally optimized” (a true re-think of what you’re testing) world of testing. Over the years we’ve written a lot about testing practices and […]

Learn More February 5, 2021

Going Postal: December Update

Pickle wants to eat the UPS Driver. Pickle is a mini-Pitbull we rescued early in the pandemic. His breed’s tendency is to be overly protective. So, when the brown UPS truck comes bouncing and rattling up the lane Pickle’s guard dog genes go into overdrive as he bounds and barks his way to block the […]

Learn More December 16, 2020

Is Using the Statistical Average Bad for Nonprofits?

Can a statistic be bad? Maybe “bad” is a bit of an an overstatement but the “Average”, a universally used statistic can sure hide a lot. And without assigning malice or intent to the “hiding”, reliance on the average as an input to decision making can result in lots of bad outcomes. There are countless examples, […]

Learn More December 14, 2020

Do You Close the Bathroom Door Even When You’re the Only One Home?

That envelope teaser was written nearly 50 years ago by the great copywriter and my friend Bill Jayme for a highly successful Psychology Today acquisition promotion. Bill wrote that long before the internet. Today, the near constant from the digital crowd (and some direct mail folks as well) would be, “People are too busy to read […]

Learn More December 7, 2020

Premiums (Can) Reduce Giving

To premium or not to premium, that is the /a question. Wade into this debate at your peril as confirmation bias is powerful and seemingly no amount of evidence in one-direction is likely to sway opinion if you believe the counter view. In fact, you’ll likely dig in deeper in the face of counter-evidence. So, […]

Learn More November 30, 2020

Should You Put the Next Dollar on Brand Building or Direct Response?

The answer is $.60 on brand, $.40 on direct response. Why? Because, as the curve below shows, that 60:40 split produces the optimum long-term benefit. The most financially beneficial, long-term effects are about growth, defined as profit and market share, not volume growth which is often a short-term activity delivering little to no improvement in […]

Learn More September 21, 2020

Going Postal

I live a split existence. Part of my day is devoted to writing copy aimed at defeating Donald Trump and helping the people he harms. The other part is devoted to ferreting out information and insights I hope are of empirical help to you and other Agitator readers. This professional paradox is certainly present when […]

Learn More August 28, 2020

How Do We Get the Damn Envelope Opened?

It is as true as it is unhelpful to note that the outer envelope (OE) must be opened before someone can pay attention to the insides and send back the reply form or not (almost always, not…). There is certainly a lot of envelope testing done, no disputing that. But, is there any theory guiding […]

Learn More August 10, 2020

Death of the US Postal Service Exaggerated

Thought we’d bring some of the old band back for this timely topic—the state of the US Postal Service and the deliverability of direct mail. In simpler times—say 2019— the U.S. Postal Service was not a political football. But as with so many of 2020’s “features,” that’s where we are. Thankfully, much of the harshest […]

Learn More August 5, 2020

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

Direct mail

The Postal Wolf Is At Your Door

TESTING: Best Practices- Part 1

Going Postal: December Update

Is Using the Statistical Average Bad for Nonprofits?

Do You Close the Bathroom Door Even When You’re the Only One Home?

Premiums (Can) Reduce Giving

Should You Put the Next Dollar on Brand Building or Direct Response?

Going Postal

How Do We Get the Damn Envelope Opened?

Death of the US Postal Service Exaggerated

Ask A Behavioral Scientist

Behavioral Science Q & A

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?

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?

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?

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?

DonorVoice products

Commitment System

Donor Feedback Platform™

PreTest Tool

TouchPoint Mapping