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Breaking Out of the Status Quo

Are Bad Designers Killing Your Fundraising?

Most of my 56 years in the fundraising trade have been devoured as a copywriter. Thousands of appeals, millions of words –all aimed at countering right-wing zealots… saving whales, seas, trees and seals… freeing political prisoners, building houses, promoting or opposing politicians… and battling for human dignity. Consequently, as editor of The Agitator I’m fascinated […]

Learn More March 6, 2020

Digital Fundraising: 2019 Year End Results and Insights

It’ll be a few more weeks until the definitive, multi-channel results on 2019 End of Year Giving (EYOG) for the sector are published by the Blackbaud Institute and The Fundraising Effectiveness Project.  However, digital fundraisers take note. Late last week in a post (“Everything you wanted to know about 2019 EOY fundraising but were afraid […]

Learn More January 27, 2020

Local Man Impeached

Despite the breathless ranting and record audiences of the cable news networks and some dynamite investigative reporting by major news organizations this year was a particularly brutal one for local news operations, especially newspapers. Print revenue was down nearly 20%. All of us should be particularly concerned about the plight of local newspapers.  They’re a […]

Learn More December 23, 2019

Baby Jesus In A Cage

I suspect that many folks, myself included, view Christmas in their minds– not the one unfolding at the mall — as a quiet, welcome break from the increasingly shrill and combative world of everyday. We turn down the news, turn up the Christmas music and attempt to adhere to the holiday’s essential meaning: Hope. Peace. […]

Learn More December 20, 2019

Small Change…Big Tears…Great Advice

Month after month the folks at NextAfter treat us –without charge — to their online library of testing treasures. These are folks in quest of answers to the fundamental question: Why do people give? In fact, they’re obsessed with finding the answer in the digital world.  Their Research Library contains, in their words, “the results […]

Learn More December 16, 2019

Are You Ready for Fundraising’s Changing Data Future?

As the current era of internet search and third-party cookies nears its end and the era of consumer privacy looms, I fear most organizations are ill-prepared. That’s understandable since no big changes are yet evident: the California Consumer Privacy Protect Act doesn’t take effect until January 2020, the CCPA has an exemption for nonprofits (but […]

Learn More November 11, 2019

Audience Building and Facebook

There are a few big reasons, as with Google, why the initial gold rush window with Facebook is closing. Replaced organic reach.  We know that  organic reach on Facebook is nearly non-existent – instead it’s  pay-to-play.  We noted this in our constituent acquisition white paper and the big brands are acting on it.  There are […]

Learn More November 6, 2019

Audience Building and Google

The list and data world are changing fast.  What worked for you last year may not work this year.  If you relied heavily on Google or Facebook to find new donors you may be in for a shock.  The purpose of this week’s posts is to better prepare you for  2020. Here are the main […]

Learn More November 4, 2019

Evolving Our Nonprofit Language

When something new comes along, it goes through fuzzy stages of naming: We don’t know what to call it. Early names for our wired digital experience were “information superhighway” (peaked in 1996, according to Google nGram) and “cyberspace” (peaked in 2000).  Early references to the car/automobile included autokenetic, autometon, buggyaut, motorig, and truckle. We define […]

Learn More October 23, 2019

Buy Nick’s Book

Nick has written a practical, helpful, and, yes, fun-to-read book on surviving the complex calamity of diminishing donor numbers, clogged acquisition channels and diminishing retention. It’s titled: The New Nonprofit: Six Models to Raise More Money and Accomplish More Mission.  It’s just been released and is ready for your order! I’ve read the book four times […]

Learn More August 22, 2019

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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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