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Breaking Out of the Status Quo

What’s In a Blogroll?

Well, it turns out blogrolls can be like the vegetable crisper in your refrigerator … some fresh looking, appetizing, recognizable stuff on the top, and some soft, liquefying, long-forgotten stuff at the bottom (what is that gook and what was I thinking?!). At least that’s what we found when The Agitator set about ‘refreshing’ our own […]

Learn More November 2, 2016

Honoring The Courage To Challenge And Change

I want to extend my sympathy to David Love and Jen Love, two of my favorite Agitator-reading fundraisers over the passing of Dr. Henry Barnett, Jen’s grandfather and David’s father-in-law. Normally, I would do this privately with a personal note and not a post.  But, the life of Henry “Barney” Barnett stands as a positive example […]

Learn More November 1, 2016

Doing Your Best Work

You’re probably reading this on Monday morning. Are you going to do your best work this week? Indeed, what motivates you to do your best work? A deadline, prospect of recognition by peers or superiors, fear of failure, the thrill of creating something new, the goal itself (personal or institutional), team élan, something much deeper […]

Learn More October 24, 2016

Are Liberals Better Fundraisers?

Given that today’s buzz is probably focused on last night’s final US presidential candidate debate, I thought I’d stick to a political theme. A couple of times recently (here, latest here), I’ve grumped about political fundraising, especially the incessant barrage of emails from various arms of the Clinton fundraising machine. Then I noted (here) the […]

Learn More October 20, 2016

Cable News Fundraisers

Is there a similarity between cable news and the way some nonprofits operate? Tom’s Does Your Fundraising Depend on Urgency posted last week would suggest so. In Cable News Seth Godin wonders: “What if the fear and maiaise and anger isn’t merely being reported by cable news… “What if it’s being caused by cable news?” Last January […]

Learn More October 17, 2016

Fundraising At Its Worst

I know we have some Agitator readers who would probably prefer that Roger and I stay out of politics and keep our political views to ourselves. And we have probably many more readers who are jubilant over Donald Trump’s self-destructing behavior during Sunday’s night’s debate. So terrible that he might cost the Republican Party its […]

Learn More October 11, 2016

Who’s On The Fundraising Revolution ‘Purge’ List?

There’s no question that if organizations are to thrive in a future marked by fast-moving change a substantial transformation in mindset, methods and metrics is essential. Over and over The Agitator has attempted to deal with why these changes are essential. A sampling our thoughts on Mindset here. Methods here and here. And Metrics here, here […]

Learn More October 6, 2016

Time To Take Notice Of Millennials?

A few months ago you might have noticed that, in the US, Millennials (ages 18-34) now outnumber Boomers (ages 51-69) — 75.4 million Millennials to 74.9 million Boomers. Here’s Pew Research on the shift. And of course the tide will steadily build as old buggers like me die off. Without question, a key reason the Boomer […]

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Hanging Up On Your Donors

I had just read Tom’s Telefundraising Reveals The Pulse containing Colin Bickley’s terrific analysis of the state of telefundraising, and some very helpful comments from Agitator readers, when up popped this headline in my news feed: Stanford Hangs Up on Telemarketing—Will Others Follow? In a Chronicle of Philanthropy piece, writer Timothy Sandoval reports on Stanford […]

Learn More October 5, 2016

Show Me Your Bookshelf

Do you even have a bookshelf these days?! Or have you — sadly — gone totally digital? In a recent post, Fully baked, Seth Godin makes a point about ‘knowledge workers’ often getting to a certain point where they stop learning and act as though they know everything they need to know. The way I’d […]

Learn More September 30, 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

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