Integrated fundraising and marketing - Agitator

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Innovation Series #3: Exalting the Trivial

A significant barrier to true innovation stems from most nonprofits’ fixation on minutiae that simply doesn’t matter. As part of his 2012 series on Flat Earth Fundraising Roger alerted us to the dangers of Wasting Time by Exalting the Trivial . –The Editors By Roger Craver | July 25, 2012 Within hours of our call for […]

Learn More August 5, 2015

Innovation Series #1- Are You Up for It?

At the end of the day all marketing efforts live or die by execution and innovation. Fundraising is no exception. A number of readers, most recently Mike Browne have requested we revisit the issue of innovation. So, starting with this post–What’s Your Innovation Quotient— here’s what The Agitator has had to say. We’ll begin with […]

Learn More August 3, 2015

It’s Not Your Grandma’s Homepage

The newspaper industry is struggling for its life. Of course, that’s not news, but what they’re doing by way searching for life rafts is indeed important and worthy of attention. Not only is their financial survival important, but also a significant part of our civil society fabric is at stake in their future. If they […]

Learn More July 31, 2015

The Single Most Important “Fix” for Fundraising

Back in May Ken Burnett served up a thought-provoking finale to his 5-part Future of Fundraising series: Fundraising and the rule of law. For those who missed this series we especially want to repeat and focus on a key reform we all need to work on –fixing the donor’s experience. You’ll find Ken’s recommendations set forth […]

Learn More July 30, 2015

The Fundraising Power of Now

A lot of what I’ve learned about the importance of timing in fundraising I learned from selling funeral flowers. Let me explain. My father was a florist– a business that heavily depends on emotion-driven buying impulses — funerals, weddings, Mother’s Day, birthdays and anniversaries – with most transactions completed over the telephone and by credit […]

Learn More July 27, 2015

Direct Mail Fights Back

What’s sexiest in your nonprofit these days? Who’s got the hot fundraising job? Email fundraising? Social media? Video? Mobile? Direct mail? Direct mail?! That’s so 20th century. But wait, direct mail is fighting back. Or at least, as reported in Direct Marketing, the (not disinterested) US Postal Service is. Advertising mail accounts for 31% of USPS […]

Learn More July 1, 2015

Are You Flirting With A Corporate Partner?

Partnering with companies and corporations is another arrow in the well-armed fundraising quiver … be it a local business in your home town or a global corporate behemoth. Of course it’s a two-way street … even the most benevolent of businesses is looking for a tangible return on its ‘investment’. That’s why businesses refer to […]

Learn More June 22, 2015

Greenpeace Reveals

You might recall that not long ago I buzzed excitedly about a recent campaign launched by Greenpeace. With a tantalising dollop of mystery, Greenpeace asked recipients of their email message to do an online assessment to see if they had what it takes to be a Greenpeace campaigner … maybe to be selected to join […]

Learn More March 26, 2015

Are You Abusing Your Donors?

Over the weekend I read a piece by Gerry Adams on his New Thinking blog that got me wondering whether in the name of ‘donor engagement’, ‘donor experience’ and ‘multi-channel marketing’ many nonprofits are in fact abusing their donors. Let me explain. Using a 2014 Ernst & Young study of 24,000 insurance consumers, Gerry noted that […]

Learn More March 17, 2015

Glass Half Full? Or Half Empty?

All I can conclude is that Roger and I are mediocre communicators. Or terribly unpersuasive. It’s a good thing we’re not prosecuting criminals in court … or car salesmen! Over the past year in particular we’ve published dozens of posts emphasizing the importance of donor retention. Roger’s even published a book on the subject, Retention Fundraising. But at […]

Learn More February 27, 2015

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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Direct mail

Innovation Series #3: Exalting the Trivial

Innovation Series #1- Are You Up for It?

It’s Not Your Grandma’s Homepage

The Single Most Important “Fix” for Fundraising

The Fundraising Power of Now

Direct Mail Fights Back

Are You Flirting With A Corporate Partner?

Greenpeace Reveals

Are You Abusing Your Donors?

Glass Half Full? Or Half Empty?

Ask A Behavioral Scientist

Behavioral Science Q & A

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?

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?

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?

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?

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