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Communications

Has Your Organization Been Hacked?

Nonprofit groups breathing a sigh of relief because,  unlike their organizational cousins in politics,  they’re not targets of Russian hacking should take another and deeper breath–and gasp. Despite the current headlines and cable news furor over the astonishing and frightening firestorm of Donald Trump’s Tweets accusing his predecessor, President Obama, of wiretapping Trump Tower, this item appearing in Bloomberg News […]

Learn More March 7, 2017

Fake News. Fake Fundraising.

Sooner or later the fake news scams, hoaxes and parodies that marked this past campaign season on social media had to spill over into online fundraising. To refresh your short-term memory, you’ll recall the press chastising conservative Facebook users for sharing stories that had nothing to do with reality. Hundreds of thousands of people shared […]

Learn More February 9, 2017

Are e-News Subscribers Worth The Effort?

Following the U.S. elections, I received tons of emails from groups urging me to subscribe to their action updates, bulletins, latest news, etc. I did. But in doing so I vowed I would track the follow-up of the various organizations to see how well they did in persuading me to do more than simply sign up. […]

Learn More December 13, 2016

Losing Donors In The Sea of Sameness

When will some fundraisers wake up to the fact that the tragedy of donor flight is largely self-inflicted. Other than the 16% of donors lost to death virtually every other reason for not giving — abandoning support of an organization — is influenced and controlled by the actions the organization itself takes. Perhaps nowhere are […]

Learn More December 2, 2016

Get ‘Em While The Grief Is Hot – Part 2

Want to stand out in the flood of emails, direct mail and other post-election communications? Just pick up the phone and talk to your donors, members and supporters. A great use of the phone in this ’emergency’ climate is the Telephone Town Hall. A wonderful opportunity for everyone to gather and experience the camaraderie of […]

Learn More November 18, 2016

Get ‘Em While The Grief Is Hot – Part 1

If your organization’s advocacy mission is directly related to or affected by the results of the 2016 elections, I hope you’re in the mail, on the phone, online and meeting with your donors right now. Don’t wait. Don’t sit around in endless meetings and plan. Just get out there and ask for help. Give your donors and […]

Learn More November 17, 2016

Slut-shaming And Charitable Regulation

My only question this morning:  “Is all this really happening?” First, my inbox and social media was bombarded with news that somewhere between 3:20 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. Friday  a 70 year-old man with 5 children went ape shit on Twitter, slut-shaming Miss Universe of 1996. Next, my inbox bell rings with news that the Charities […]

Learn More October 3, 2016

Revealed! The Secret Ingredient For Email Marketing

The secret ingredient? Weekends! Yep. According to Mediapost reporting on a study by Yesmail, emails seent on Saturdays generate 60% higher-than-average conversion rates. Based on analysis of data from 7 billion emails sent from its platform in the 2nd Quarter,  Yesmail also noted that Sunday posts the second-highest conversion rate with 40% higher-than-average sales. The […]

Learn More September 23, 2016

URGENT ACTION REQUEST: Jailed in Dubai for Helping Children

A British-Australian dual national living in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates city that bills itself as a “friendly holiday resort”,  has been detained for weeks because he tried to raise money for Afghan child refugees using his Facebook page. Scott Richards, a volunteer fundraiser, has been charged by Dubai authorities for “fundraising without permission”.  He […]

Learn More August 23, 2016

Would You Approve This Campaign?

PROBLEM:  Overall there are currently 120,000 men, women and children waiting for an organ donation, and roughly 8,000 of those people, about 22 per day, die each year because they won’t receive the organs they need in time. Donate Life America, a nonprofit charged with developing and promoting organ donor education programs designed to motivate […]

Learn More August 8, 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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