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Breaking Out of the Status Quo

The Dangerous Dictum Of “Mail More, Make More”

I love home remedies and old folk tales. They have their place in the Farmer’s Almanac and on embroidered wall hangings, but they’re grossly over-used and too often accepted as ‘truth’ or ‘best practices’ in fundraising. Perhaps no myth is potentially more dangerous for the long-term health of an organization than the clichéd dictum: “Mail […]

Learn More January 26, 2017

What Fundraising Skills Are You Lacking?

I just sent a short article to my daughter, a newbie working at Saatchi & Saatchi. She has a very good intuitive sense of how to go about sizing up the ‘market’ for various brands, products and services, but I’ve gently urged her to match her instincts with a deeper capacity for analytics. So this article […]

Learn More January 12, 2017

The FACTS About Matching Gifts

In a year-end post, Please Don’t Eat the Poinsettia, I noted that the field of fundraising is filled with lots of myths, aphorisms and the equivalent of ‘old wives tales’. Some are true, some are not, and many persist for which there’s little proof one way or the other. I promised that in 2017 we’d explore some […]

Learn More January 11, 2017

Your Key Metrics In Minutes For A Stellar 2017

It’s fashionable these days for many nonprofit fundraisers and their consultants to claim they’re ‘data-driven’. Problem is, most folks focus on the ‘data’ part of the slogan; few understand the requirements of the second word — ‘driven’. I’m making this observation again at the start of the year because if you haven’t already done so, now is […]

Learn More January 4, 2017

Year-End Benchmarking

Two weeks from now, you’ll be picking up the pieces, trying to figure out what went right … or wrong. Assessing how well your last-ditch December fundraising went. Of course the most attention will go to dollars raised: a) against budget targets set for the year (and month), and b) year-over-year (hopefully growth). As you […]

Learn More December 19, 2016

The Importance Of Understanding Failure

An Agitator reader emailed me asking: “Why do you think most fundraisers are so resistant to innovation and change?” A good question. An important question. I attempted to answer that question three years ago when I first received it. I believe the answer bears repeating today. My first response was to bat out a kneejerk and facile response […]

Learn More December 14, 2016

Are e-News Subscribers Worth The Effort?

Following the U.S. elections, I received tons of emails from groups urging me to subscribe to their action updates, bulletins, latest news, etc. I did. But in doing so I vowed I would track the follow-up of the various organizations to see how well they did in persuading me to do more than simply sign up. […]

Learn More December 13, 2016

Mirror, Mirror On The Wall

Who’s the fairest of them all? Ever wonder how your organization is doing compared to other nonprofits in your community? Or how are you doing compared to other groups in your sector? Until now, you could get the answer by calling around town, checking with colleagues. Or, if interested in national trends in your sector […]

Learn More November 28, 2016

The Curse of Testing Illiteracy

Spurred on by my post The Curse of Fundraising Innumeracy, reader Mikaela King over at the National Geographic Society decided to “dog pile” on with what she termed “another illiteracy” in our sector — testing illiteracy. Mikaela noted, “A lack of discipline in conducting accurate A/B split testing, truly ensuring randomized segments, making sure your test segments are large […]

Learn More October 26, 2016

The Curse of Fundraising Innumeracy

Lots of good stuff apparently came out of last week’s International Fundraising Conference and we’ll be reporting on some of that in the near future. But … mixed in with the emails and phone calls reporting the ‘good’ came one message that deserves immediate attention because I suspect it’s far from a lone example. “Roger, […]

Learn More October 25, 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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