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Media usage / trends

Now Email Is Dead Too

First, direct mail was dead. Now email is dead. Apparently the only channel that’s alive is social media. At least that’s the POV presented by Jessica Vascellaro in a Wall Street Journal article, Why Email No Longer Rules, published last month. She begins: "Email has had a good run as king of communications. But its […]

Learn More November 9, 2009

Trust, Social Media And Fundraising

Cone, an agency known for its expertise in cause marketing, has released some findings from its 2009 study of how consumers interact with brands online. The Cone study looks in part at the role of social media in generating awareness and support for causes. Cone notes that 80% of respondents say that social media provide […]

Learn More October 28, 2009

Distracting Social Media Stats

Although you know I hate to fan your social media flames, here are the latest social media usage stats from the Pew Internet Project. Some highlights: 46% of online American adults are social network site (SNS) users. This figure was only 8% on February 05. Of these, 73% have Facebook accounts, 48% use MySpace, 14% […]

Learn More October 27, 2009

Sharing Is Sexy

Here’s a good NY Times article re the challenge of — and tools for — gettng other netizens to pass along your online content. For nonprofit fundraisers and cause advocates, there’s probably no breakthrough news here … we’ve all heard of viral marketing. Still, the piece is effective in presenting the challenge and its huge […]

Learn More October 6, 2009

Try Or Die!

Yesterday, with his Scrooge hat on, Tom offered his opinion and advice on how to approach the question of fitting social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) into the fundraising mix. Tom justified his parsimonious approach to investing in social media on the grounds that the “fundraising team’s job is to protect and nurture our existing donor […]

Learn More October 2, 2009

Turn Right On Usability Lane

Here’s a fairly basic but useful article on designing effective web landing pages, from web consultant Tim Ash writing in eMarketing & Commerce. Covers the waterfront from navigation architecture to fonts. But what I really liked was a link there to another article, Turn Right on Usability Lane, from Website Magazine. This article describes some […]

Learn More September 29, 2009

Get “Fluent” Re Social Marketing

Fluent: The Razorfish Social Influence Marketing Report is one of the most provocative pieces of work I’ve seen on marketing via social media. While it’s a business-building white paper, from one of the biggest and most experienced interactive marketing and technology companies in the world, there’s no harm in that. The report is bound to […]

Learn More September 16, 2009

Internet And Civic Engagement

OK, summer is over, you’ve had a week to get back into work mode, and so The Agitator is ready to offer some heavy lifting this week. We’ve been saving up some important stuff on social media. First up is a new report from the Pew internet Project, called The Internet & Civic Engagement. As […]

Learn More September 14, 2009

Social Media Penetration Grows

As reported here by MediaPost, Forrester Research, a leading marketing and media research outfit, has released an extensive study on U.S. usage of social media. At this point, four out of five U.S. online adults report using social media at least once per month. Half participate in sites like Facebook and LinkedIn. Forrester classifies users […]

Learn More August 28, 2009

Twitter – The Next Hula Hoop?

Earlier this week we featured a somewhat grumpy "take" on Twitter from Ken Burnett of SOFII. Ken diplomatically pointed out to me that one Laurie Pringle, senior manager of philanthropy at ALS Canada, has commented on his original article, presenting a passionately contrary point of view. He graciously urged me to give her equal time. […]

Learn More August 21, 2009

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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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