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DonorTrends / DonorVoice

More On Trust

In a lot of things I’m reading lately, the "trust" issue keeps popping up. Here’s a piece on trust and brands. Your nonprofit is a brand. If you’re fortunate, it’s a brand your target audience has heard of. The Agitator’s DonorTrends survey recently asked donors for their perceptions of 100+ national nonprofit brands. The results […]

Learn More May 7, 2008

Does Nonprofit Branding Matter?

Only if your nonprofit wants to survive in the online era, when there is absolutely NO barrier to entry. Anyone who can build a website can attract a constituency to support precisely what your organization is already doing. Your protection? Your brand … clearly recognized, sharply defined, and positively regarded. In The Agitator’s recent DonorTrends […]

Learn More April 24, 2008

Forget The Mistletoe, Concentrate on the Mistrust

OK, you've had plenty of time to revel in the year-end returns and swap stories about the holiday office party. Now it's time to turn over a new leaf for the New Year and pay serious attention to a problem we've been warning about over and over–the problem of donor loyalty and retention. The current […]

Learn More January 8, 2008

Five Trends to Heed and Benefit From in 2008

Tom and I aren't in the crystal ball business, but we do take some pride in spotting significant trends with the potential to help or harm our readers and the causes they serve. Here are our top five trend picks for 2008: 1. Donor acquisition and retention will continue on a downward spiral. An uncertain […]

Learn More January 7, 2008

Top 10 Things Fundraisers Should Monitor

From our archives. Happy Holidays! For fundraisers managing reasonably complex fundraising programs, there's always a danger of missing the forest for the trees. You're awash in data and deadlines. Your messengers — CEO, program staff, board members — have lost your phone number. Your mail shop has just gone bankrupt and closed its doors with […]

Learn More December 23, 2006

Boomers To Give $6000 Each in 2006!

That's a BIG number from a survey just completed by Fidelity Charity Gift Fund. But then read the fine print and discover the sample was limited to those who indicated they planned to give at least $1000 during the year. Headline hyperbole aside, The Agitator knows that Boomers are indeed ready to rock the charity […]

Learn More December 15, 2006

4 Reasons To Care About Under-40s, Now

We can't tell you how many times we've heard non-profit execs and marketers blow off the under-40 population. Why? Because these “youngsters” are perceived not to donate. Because they're harder to reach and maintain contact with via conventional direct marketing (read: mail), especially in the younger age brackets. Because they are perceived by cause advocates […]

Learn More September 18, 2006

Emptying Nests Might Be Good News

Yankelovich Research has released a study of the parenting attitudes of Gen Xers, who now represent the cohort most likely to have children under the age of 18 in their households. This was a distinction formerly held by Boomers. In 1995, Boomers comprised 65% of parents who had children under 18 in their households. Today […]

Learn More August 3, 2006

Prez Bush On the Cutting Edge

Reaching his 60th birthday, President Bush reminds us that the leading edge of the Boomer generation (born 1946-1964) is now crossing the 60 year milestone. Pew Research Center has marked the occasion with an important study on the financial attitudes and situation of Boomers as they begin to reckon with retirement. From a fundraising standpoint, […]

Learn More July 7, 2006

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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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