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Your Donor Went Missing!

You lost a donor today. In a large nonprofit, say 100,000 donors, you actually lost something like 123 donors today. In a really big organization, say 500,000 donors, you lost 615 donors … TODAY! Did you even notice? Did you see them go? Did you wave good-bye. Do you know why they left? Did they […]

Learn More September 28, 2016

Guesswork: The Enemy of Retention

The numbers cited in Tom’s post on the Ultimate Collection of Loyalty Statistics are not only frightening, they’re unlikely to improve by continuing down the same path year after year. That’s because the likelihood of boosting retention occurs only when fundraisers, communications folks, donor service managers, program officers, CEOs and board members — virtually everyone in the organization — understand why […]

Learn More September 27, 2016

Goldilocks Fundraising

You may think you don’t have an over-solicitation problem, but your donors think otherwise. That’s the premise The Agitator and DonorVoice will explore at Noon EST today in the 2nd of our behavioral science webinars titled, Capitalizing on Donor Intent:  Increasiing the Number of Donor Gifts Per Year.  Agitator readers can register here and attend free. […]

Learn More September 21, 2016

Erode Your Way to Better Year-End Giving

Seth Godin, in a post titled Erosion,  correctly notes that “While it’s tempting to imagine that the world changes via sudden shocks, that our culture is shifted by dramatic changes in leadership, that grand gestures make all the difference … “It turns out that our daily practice, the piling up of regular actions, the cultural […]

Learn More September 12, 2016

Demographics And Coleman Sweeney

Forgive me, I still scratching my head as I write, trying to absorb the implications of Roger’s post last week on eschewing demographics as a targeting tool and then yesterday’s praising “The World’s Biggest Asshole”, a film supposedly aimed at Millennials, a classic case of demographic targeting. Or is it? The commentator Roger cites re […]

Learn More August 9, 2016

Are Demographics Garbage?

I was struck by the headline on a piece in Fortune that reads: Netflix says Geography, Age and Gender are “Garbage” for Predicting Taste The point of the article: Netflix uses one predictive algorithm worldwide, and it treats demographic data as almost irrelevant. “Geography, age, and gender? We put that in the garbage heap,” VP […]

Learn More August 5, 2016

Starting Over #6: Measuring Donor Experiences

A surprising number of fundraisers fail to understand a basic axiom of a successful organization/donor relationship: It is the actions an organization takes toward its donors (the so-called ‘donor experience’) that determines the attitude — positive or negative — of the donor. In turn, it is the donor’s attitude that determines the donor’s behavior toward the […]

Learn More July 14, 2016

Mid-Level Giving: What’s Your Strategy?

Without question the most neglected area of fundraising — after retention — involves mid-value or mid-level giving. Organizations are leaving millions and millions and millions on the table. Lots of folks talk about the need to launch a mid-level program with all the good intentions in the world. But few actually do anything to get […]

Learn More June 27, 2016

Stop Bashing ‘Donor-Centricity’

I stormed into Roger’s office yesterday (actually, ranted via Skype), ready to carry the torch for ‘donor-centricity’. [Not that I consider the term one of the most warm and fuzzy I’ve encountered for talking about putting the donor first.] “Why are you dismissive of fundraisers being donor-centric”, I yelled, waving these words from his recent post, […]

Learn More May 18, 2016

Gaining Ground By Cutting Volume

The infographic below is from our sister firm DonorTrends and indicates that for the first time in a number of years the nonprofit sector seems to be more or less standing still — rather than losing ground. A welcome change in direction. You can download the full 2016 Fundraising Effectiveness Survey Report here. In a nutshell […]

Learn More May 17, 2016

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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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    The Agitator Tool Box

    Ideas, applications, tools, processes, and case studies of break-through solutions in fundraising, including:



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