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Breaking Out of the Status Quo

Are You Missing the Golden Middle?

In 1987 I launched a series of highly successful mid-level giving programs and for years wondered why others weren’t doing the same.  So, when Tom and I started The Agitator we began ranting on the subject, urging folks to get on board. For example, hereand  here. And so did others like Mark Phillips of BlueFrog with […]

Learn More June 4, 2018

Agitator Cliff Notes: “Hacking Marketing”

This time, I’m going with a non-fundraising book: Hacking Marketing  by Scott Brinker of Chief Marketing Technologist fame. The idea is how to take the lessons from the agile software development movement and apply them to more traditional marketing. In the book, Scott espouses agile marketing values of: Individuals and interactions over processes and tools Responding to […]

Learn More May 24, 2018

Agitator Cliff Notes: What’s Next?

I wanted to find another book to talk about today.  But the problem wasn’t finding a book; it was narrowing it down to just one. So let’s hear your votes in the Comments on two things: Is this Agitator Cliff Notes approach worthwhile and worth doing again? What book(s) do you recommend?  Roger has sent […]

Learn More May 5, 2018

Attacking the Dreaded Rebrand with Donor Focus

I’ve been through rebrands.  I’ve been through prostate exams.  And I know which I’d rather go through again. That’s why when the question “what does donor identity mean for a rebranding organization?” came up on last week’s webinar, I started to experience all of the side effects you’d see in the average pharmaceutical ad. (“Ask […]

Learn More April 19, 2018

The Terrifying Freedom of a Blank Sheet of Paper

It’s a yearly exercise – take what you did for your direct marketing program last year, replace some controls with the tests that beat them, and set up your tests and tweaks for the next year.  Lather, rinse, repeat. This system has advantages.  You know what each communication is capable of, and what it isn’t.  […]

Learn More April 18, 2018

Confucius on Fundraising Tech Tools

The other day I received an email from the admirably and voraciously curious Simone Joyaux attaching the 2018 Global NGO Technology Report  listing the “10 Most Effective Tools” for online use by nonprofits around the world. Simone asked: “Do you believe the nonprofits are “correct”?  Or, are theser nonprofits thinking stuff is good but they don’t actually know […]

Learn More April 17, 2018

Alexa, Please Save a Life

Last Monday, Amazon announced that Echo with Alexa will now allow you to donate to one of 48 charities with voice commands.  They also said this list will continue to grow.  (Of course it will; Amazon has thousands of charities signed up with their payment info through Amazon Smile.) Some important things to know: You […]

Learn More April 12, 2018

The Ripple Effect – A Large Donation Shows Two Trends at Work

FUNDRAISING BULLETIN! “An enterprise blockchain cryptocurrency company just funded every classroom project request on DonorsChoose.org.” Yes, I realize that half of that sentence wouldn’t have made a bit of sense five years ago.  It may not even make full sense now.  So let’s break it down. Ripple is the name of the enterprise blockchain solutions […]

Learn More April 11, 2018

Are You Behaving Like Facebook?

Seems as though all the world–  the press, Congress, the European Union, advertisers, competitors and millions of users themselves—are focused on Facebook’s privacy and data practices. This is a great opportunity to look at privacy and data practices in our own sector. Sadly, many nonprofits behave like Facebook. They share and rent data without asking. They […]

Learn More April 2, 2018

Podcasting: Unicorn or Real Opportunity?

A new TV series, Alex, Inc. debuted this week.  It’s about the founding of the real-life podcast Startup which covers the founding and early days of Gimlet Media.  Gimlet produces podcasts that are downloaded 12 million times a month. Now that the subject of ”podcasting” has hit the cultural mainstream of television, it’s long overdue […]

Learn More March 30, 2018

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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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