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Breaking Out of the Status Quo

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

Becoming a Lifetime Value Hedgehog

Isaiah Berlin grouped thinkers into: Hedgehogs: like the hedgehog that has one strategy – curl up into a ball – these thinkers have a single defining idea Foxes: those who go wide and employ a variety of strategies. Sixty-six years of debate later, there’s no definitive argument for which style is better.  What I’ll argue, […]

Learn More January 28, 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

Historic Performance of Young Voters

Last week in The Millennial Myth I wondered if younger folks would vote in the  U.S. mid-term  elections  at a greater rate than in the past. The answer is a definite “yes” and was delivered to the Agitator by John Della Volpe, Director of Polling at the Institute of Policcs at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. […]

Learn More November 8, 2018

Top Five Barriers to Retention

We fundraisers love lists. Most are of the “Top Five Steps to Success” variety. Frankly, I’ve always been more intrigued with the “Top Five Steps NOT to Take”.  Just as someone who’s just learning to ride a bike wouldn’t attempt to mount it wearing a 40-pound backpack or peddle with flat tires, there are several […]

Learn More October 15, 2018

A Sober Reflection on Latest Retention Data

EVERYBODY PANIC! It may not be necessary to run into the streets wailing uncontrollably and rending our garments.  But there’s probably a need for more panic about retention than is evident out there. Back in April, we looked at the 2017 Fundraising Effectiveness Project Report.  The good news was that retention was up.  The bad […]

Learn More October 8, 2018

Fundraisers I Fear: Part 2– Insufficient Knowledge of Basic Information

In Part 1 I urged all of us to become “expert novices” –fundraisers who have knowledge and confidence but are capable of maintaining a seed of doubt that they may be wrong. Of course, the building blocks of knowledge, skepticism and curiosity must be stacked on top of the rock-solid granite foundation of fundamental fact.  You […]

Learn More September 14, 2018

Year End: Ideal Asking Amounts

Do you really know the best “ask amount” for each donor? Many fundraisers really don’t know.  They guess, or resort to traditional, tribal wisdom ask strings like 1X Highest Previous Gift (HPC), 1.5 X HPC,  2 X HPC and Other $_______ The result?  They’re often leaving massive amounts of money on the table. The ask […]

Learn More August 30, 2018

The Definition of Fundraising Success

We’ve talked about a few different definitions this week, and about what is and isn’t important.  Now I’ll pose a question to which I have a possible answer, but I look to you to give alternate definitions. What is fundraising success? I’m thinking there are two components: Your organization’s doors stay open and you progress […]

Learn More August 10, 2018

Beware the Mismatched Incentives Between You and Your Canvassing Firm

A few weeks ago, Kevin Schulman here ignited a firestorm by suggesting a F2F model where the canvassing vendor does some or all the financing for this new donor acquisition.  There were some well-thought-out concerns about the history of financing acquisition and about the viability in today’s marketing. Regardless of on which side of that […]

Learn More July 12, 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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