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Breaking Out of the Status Quo

Online Giving At the Big Kids Table

An occupational hazard of blogging is the envy that arises from reading something you wish you’d written. That’s how I felt about Steve MacLaughlin’s The End of the Beginning for Online Giving.  In fact, if you read only one blog post today, 1) put this one down, 2) pick that one up, 3) come back […]

Learn More March 8, 2019

Agitator Readers Call Bullshit: #2

The responses to yesterday’s post and the Confidential Agitator Survey were both thoughtful and concerning. [If you haven’t already completed the survey, I hope you will take 3 minutes and do so today. Just click here.] Clearly, many readers responding to the survey have experienced significant frustration, confusion and substantial lost income in their efforts to […]

Learn More February 27, 2019

Meet the New Platform: Same As the Old Platform

“So put your little hand in mine. There ain’t no hill or mountain we can’t climb…”  Slap alarm. Read newspaper.  Headline: Facebook Announces Now Accepting Donations for Nonprofits.  Read the story: Will they share donor information with the nonprofit?  No.  No they will not.  Discard newspaper and proceed with day. “So put your little hand […]

Learn More February 20, 2019

Is It Just Me? (Fundraising Events Edition)

No, it’s not just you when it comes to fundraising events. In the past, we’ve talked about Seth Godin’s dislike of fundraising events.  More recently, we’ve seen UK participation event revenue declines; in North America, participation rates dropped 5 to 11% in 2016 from 2015, which was down from previous years. Now, as even stalwart […]

Learn More February 15, 2019

Is It Just Me? (Online Ads Edition)

No, it’s not just you.  Fundraising is harder than it once was in several important areas.  Today’s topic: online ads are getting more expensive. Back in August, we talked about how Facebook was getting more and more expensive: “Eventually, novelty wears off.  Tactics are forbidden.  Con men are banned.  And the fast give way to […]

Learn More February 13, 2019

Segmenting By Lifetime Value

Different people are different. Wow.  That was a quick blog post.  Seth Godin, eat your heart out. “What’s that, Roger?”  You think we should talk through the implications of that pity declaration a bit more?  OK… Different people are different.  Likewise, different donors.  Donors vary by preference, channels, identities, and more.  Thus, Lifetime Values vary […]

Learn More January 30, 2019

Email Deliverability Part 2: The Impact of Mad Libs Fundraising

Let’s play Mad Libs to illustrate why many email appeals have a deliverability — and performance — problem. We will need: An urgency phrase, like “Act now”, “Ends at midnight”, “Last chance”, “The clock is ticking”, “Deadline”, etc A whole number between 2 to 5 inclusive A reference to what happens at New Year’s, like “the […]

Learn More January 14, 2019

Email Deliverability Part 1: Some Basics

If your Board, CEO or colleagues ask, “What’s the size of our email list?” they’re asking absolutely the wrong question. The question they—and you—should be asking is What’s the Level of Engagement of our email list?” If that “open rate” on your year-end email was 25% is it because 75% of the folks weren’t engaged […]

Learn More January 11, 2019

Popular Posts in 2018: The Slow, Painful and Costly Death of the Full Service Agency

First published on July 5, 2018. Four years ago In Part 5 of our Barriers to Growth series I raised the question of whether the “full service” fundraising agency has outlived its usefulness.  More pointedly I wondered whether in fact they’re actually a danger to the sector. Today, I’m revisiting this issue because, if anything, I’m […]

Learn More December 31, 2018

Popular Posts in 2018: Direct Mail Not Yet Dead

Editor’s Note:  Between Christmas and January 7th The Agitator Global HQ is undergoing some renovation and renewal.  The bowling alley is being resurfaced which, in turn, produces a tornado of dust requiring a thorough cleaning of the library collection not to mention the work space of our poet-in-residence. Consequently, we’ve decided to use this period of renovation and renewal to repeat 5 of our most popular posts of 2018. If you’ve already etched these gems in your mind we hope you’ll share them with colleagues. And, as importantly, we urge you to send along any suggestions for […]

Learn More December 26, 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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