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Donor acquisition

You’re a ‘Donor Loser’ … Explain Why To Your Boss!

In this excellent post, Angie Moore reminds us of the frightening statistics from the latest 2015 Fundraising Effectiveness Survey Report. Angie calls these findings “scary”. Roger warned us about these numbers as well when they first came out … he called the findings “depressing” … “read them and weep” he said. Here are the basic […]

Learn More February 4, 2016

How’s YOUR Performance?

“Charitable giving has recovered from the recession, but year-over-year growth rates are showing signs of slowing.” That’s the conclusion of Blackbaud’s just released Charitable Giving Report: How Nonprofit Fundraising Performed in 2015. You’ll want to download your free copy. The 2015 Report, edited by Steve MacLaughlin, Director of Analytics at Blackbaud covers $18.2 billion in giving […]

Learn More February 3, 2016

Donor Acquisition Series #4 – A Bicycle Built For Growth

As I’ve indicated in the first three parts of this series, most nonprofits need to become a lot more savvy about ‘acquisition’. At the same time it’s essential to understand how ‘acquisition’ and ‘retention’ operate in tandem to determine an organization’s future. Like a bicycle, the more finely tuned the two wheels are, the better the […]

Learn More February 1, 2016

Door Acquisition Series #3 – NEEDED: A Better Plan

Many fundraisers tell me that donor acquisition is one of their biggest problems. If that is truly the case then why in the world are they attempting to solve such a big problem with cookie-cutter strategies and woefully incomplete plans and procedures? Part of the answer may lie in the silos that exist separating ‘acquisition’ […]

Learn More January 25, 2016

Donor Acquisition Series #2 – Lifetime Value: The Key Metric

A drunk loses the keys to his house and is looking for them under a lamppost. A cop comes over and asks what he’s doing. “I’m looking for my keys,” he says. “I lost them over there.” The policeman looks puzzled. “Then why are you looking for them all the way over here?” “Because the […]

Learn More January 20, 2016

Best Of The Agitator – 2015 – Direct Mail Still Not Dead

Over the 10 years we’ve been agitating, few topics are the subject of more debate than the all-too-familiar prognostication that direct mail is either dead or dying. We’ve never bought into that myth as you can see from this 2012 post, Direct Mail: The Exquisite Corpse. And neither have a good many of our readers. (For an […]

Learn More December 29, 2015

Year End Fundraising Numbers

A perennial question in fundraising shops between now and the end of January will be, “Did we make the numbers for 2015?” Regardless of the answer, there are several questions that are far more important for the future of your organization, and there’s no better time than in these closing days of 2015 to ask […]

Learn More December 21, 2015

It’s Your Choice

As you crank up for the year-end email blitz (not to mention whatever you’re doing for #GivingTuesday) you might want to bear this in mind: You have less than 3 seconds to capture a reader’s attention; Those 3 seconds translate into just 12 words to motivate the consumer to read more before the message is deleted. […]

Learn More November 23, 2015

Data Dashboard For Online Giving

Kudos to Network for Good for its new ‘data dashboard’ which (for US fundraisers) records a variety of metrics related to online giving — including number of donors, frequency of giving, dollar amounts, day of year, region, and type of cause. The data, based upon millions of donations made through the Network for Good online giving […]

Learn More November 20, 2015

If Only I Knew What You Know

Can you imagine your doctor practicing medicine without a clear understanding of best practices? (“Now let me see, some docs prescribe a 2 day course of penicillin, the guy down the hall says 15 days, but I think 4 days are about right.”) Or … hiring a lawyer who worked only on intuition, ignoring case law […]

Learn More November 19, 2015

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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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