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Behavioral Science Posts

A Soggy Box of Matches

Last year, I made the mistake of subscribing to the email newsletters of the top 100 nonprofits in the United States for end-of-year giving. The summary version of this story is that the average organization sent ten emails during December.  And the emails were tough to differentiate by organization.  For #Giving Tuesday almost every organization […]

Learn More December 5, 2017

Change, It Is a Comin’

Over the next two months we’ll be working behind the scenes on changes and additions to The Agitator. Changes in how we organize and present information.  Additions to our content and additions in the opportunities for reader engagement. Our editorial content will primarily focus on our view of the changes we see as essential if […]

Learn More December 4, 2017

If I’m Dead Why Are You Writing To Me?

When was the last time you cleaned your mailing list? Maybe now — during the end of summer lull — is a good time. Once September arrives, we all know what the fundraising tsunami rushing toward year-end will be like. Too late to fix things then. Thus, this reminder that Agitator readers can update/clean their files […]

Learn More August 28, 2017

More On Millennials: 6 Ways To Entice Them.

Here’s a follow-up to Tom’s report on the reprieve apparently granted to direct mail by Millennials. The Nonprofit Times in a piece titled 6 Ways to Entice Millennial Donors lists six fundamental steps for attracting Millennial supporters. The report is based on a presentation — “The Donors of Tomorrow: Effective Ways to Engage Young Audiences” — delivered […]

Learn More August 24, 2017

August Course Corrections

On the one hand, the fundraising year is almost two-thirds over. On the other hand, the ‘highest yield’ third of the year is just about to begin. Many fundraisers are using the ‘lull before the storm’ to ready your fundraising weapons and reaffirm or fine-tune your fall/year-end fundraising tactics. And … revisit your fundraising projections. How […]

Learn More August 11, 2017

Are You Quarantining Your Major Donors?

“You’ll never get milk from a cow by sending it a letter.” That’s what my fundraising buddies told me 47 years ago when I left university major gift fundraising to help launch a new, direct mail-driven nonprofit called Common Cause. Sadly, too many development directors, major gift officers and CEOs still feel the same way. It’s […]

Learn More August 9, 2017

Fundraising In Alice’s Restaurant

OK Kids — especially the young (under 50) and those blessedly old — I’m gonna take you on a trip down Memory Lane in hopes of dealing with Tom’s question Who’s a Poor Fundraiser to Believe? If you have the usual internet-gnat attention span, please move on now.  This is gonna take a few minutes. […]

Learn More August 2, 2017

Who’s A Poor Fundraiser To Believe?

Who could resist reading a blog post with this title — The most deadly error in fundraising — from esteemed fundraising creative Jeff Brooks?! I jumped right on it. Jeff’s most deadly error: “Assuming your donors don’t like to hear from you — and that too much contact (whatever that means) will drive away donors, […]

Learn More August 1, 2017

Eminence vs Evidence In Fundraising – Part 3: ‘How’ And ‘Where’?

I noted in Part 1 of this series that “our trade won’t transform from its current eminence-based state to one more evidence-based overnight. In fact, the path to empiricism and scientific proof will be long and rocky. And plenty of disagreement, tension, name-calling, or worse will mark the journey.” Beyond the usual battles involving egos there […]

Learn More July 31, 2017

Eminence vs. Evidence In Fundraising–Part 1: Emerging from the Dark Ages

Slowly, ever so slowly, fundraising is emerging from its Dark Ages of reliance on myth, tribal wisdom, and so-called ‘best practices’. For generations, fundraising ‘know how’ has been driven by anecdotes and passed-along rules of thumb largely free of any empirical or scientific validation. Examples of our trade’s reliance on received wisdom abound. “Mail more, […]

Learn More July 26, 2017

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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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