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Communications

Rejecting The One Acq Stand

In his post yesterday, Who Gets Fired?, Roger voiced his doubt that very many fundraisers, if any at all, are compensated on the basis of success at retaining donors. “Who gets fired when your retention rates drop?” he asked. In a comment to that post, Lisa Sargent escalated the issue: “…if an agency or consultant gets […]

Learn More May 3, 2016

Annual Reports: Walking The Talk

It’s hard to come up with an example of a greater waste of nonprofit funds and time than the annual report. Well, most annual reports at least. I’ve seen dozens of CEOs, communications and development directors waste countless hours fuming, fussing and meeting over these egocentric tomes in hopes of impressing donors. And, I’ve learned […]

Learn More April 18, 2016

Yawning All The Way To The Bank

In his post Why Boring Fundraising Is So Exciting, our pal Jeff Brooks riffs off a Nick Ellinger piece in NonProfitPRO warning that although donors’ use of media is changing, this trend DOES NOT signal that direct mail is dead. While it’s fine, in fact wise, to be alert to new channels, the successful fundraiser won’t abandon […]

Learn More March 24, 2016

The Donor And The CIO

Thanks to NonProfit Pro, I was pointed to an article in CIO describing the efforts of the American Cancer Society to develop a 360-degree view of its supporting individuals, be they relay-fundraisers, donors, caregivers and/or survivors. The ‘and/or’ goes to the nub of the matter, as individuals relate to ACS in a variety of capacities […]

Learn More March 21, 2016

Fundraising Miracle

Short-term thinking is by far the greatest enemy of effective fundraising. Signs of this noxious enemy abound. Boards and CFOs afraid to make an acquisition spend that can’t be recovered in a year  — or less. CEOs who won’t invest in skill-building and continuing education for fundraising staffs. Fundraisers who persist in using metrics like […]

Learn More March 9, 2016

How’s Your Fundraising Robot Doing?

This Agitator is now back on station following an expedition Down Under to present at the 2016 Conference of the Fundraising Institute of Australia (FIA) and to meet with Tom at The Agitator’s Southern Hemisphere HQ for some conspiratorial back and forth on Agitator goals for the future. I’ll be sharing some of the insights […]

Learn More March 7, 2016

Mobile … Mobile … More Mobile

You, and consumers, and by extension donors, can’t get enough mobile these days. The hours used are going up. The preference over desktops is solid and rising. Even simultaneous use of digital devices is becoming common. The addiction to smartphones and their apps is astonishing to an old fart like me. For example, according to eMarketer, by […]

Learn More February 26, 2016

Read. Repeat.

Agitator readers in the U.S. who took last Monday off to celebrate Presidents’ Day missed a real gem. So first thing today, go back and read Tom’s post, Become a Youtility, based on Claire Axelrad’s brilliant piece in NonProfit Pro. In a nutshell that post and the links embedded in it covers everything The Agitator’s been preaching […]

Learn More February 19, 2016

Is Channel Integration Worth It?

Lots of fundraisers talk about integration. Few truly practice it well. And even fewer view its possibilities through the lens of practicality. This is why Australian fundraiser Sean Triner’s post To Integrate or Not To Integrate: That is the Question is a ‘must read’ — and a ‘must share’ among the silos in your organization. (Of course […]

Learn More January 27, 2016

Smart Priorities For 2016

In a recent post I reminded Agitator readers of Roger’s top ‘To Do’ item for any fundraiser in any new year — keep educating yourself. One of the easiest ways is to sign up for some of the blogs and e-newsletters proffered by your fundraising colleagues. We include a heap of good sources on our […]

Learn More January 13, 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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