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Donor retention / loyalty / commitment

Gaining Ground By Cutting Volume

The infographic below is from our sister firm DonorTrends and indicates that for the first time in a number of years the nonprofit sector seems to be more or less standing still — rather than losing ground. A welcome change in direction. You can download the full 2016 Fundraising Effectiveness Survey Report here. In a nutshell […]

Learn More May 17, 2016

Fighting the Fundraising Excuse Machine. Seeking Ultimate Answers

Tom and I had a productive last week with our series of posts on ‘what’ or ‘who’ is at fault when it comes to the issue of holding on to and enhancing — or destroying — the value of donors. Tom tossed the first piece of tinder on the fire with his post Who’s Fibbing […]

Learn More May 16, 2016

WARNING: You’re Prohibited From Contacting Donors After 1/1/17

“We regret to inform you that as of January 1, 2017 nonprofits will not be permitted to contact their donors without the express written consent of each donor.” Once you’ve picked yourself off the floor with the fear you can’t meet next year’s goal, exactly what action steps will you take to prepare for what […]

Learn More May 13, 2016

Doing The Same. Hoping For A Different Result.

Tom’s pieces on Who’s Fibbing? and Are We Getting Roasted? have triggered a lively dialogue for which both Tom and I are grateful. Vigorous discussion at the Agitator’s family table is always welcome. So let’s keep it going with this video introduction: Clearly, many folks know what they should do, but don’t. So like the golfing buddies […]

Learn More May 12, 2016

Are We Getting Roasted?

Yesterday, in my post Who’s Fibbing?, after suggesting that somebody is not ‘getting it right’ — consultants or nonprofits — if retention rates keep declining, I gingerly posed the possibility … is it the donors’ fault? I thought I might be throwing red meat to the sharks, but only one commenter took on that possibility […]

Learn More May 11, 2016

Who’s Fibbing?

We’ve had quite a robust discussion via The Agitator the past few days over who’s at ‘fault’ for our sector’s present losing approach to donor retention. In fact, that original focus on retention morphed into a broader argument about who’s ‘getting it right’ (or not) more generally when it comes to successful fundraising — consultants […]

Learn More May 10, 2016

Mother’s Day Confessions and Celebrations

Sometimes even hard-hearted Editors give in. And wipe a tear or two. Let’s end the week with Lisa Sargent’s plea that we all get along. While we harbor lots of doubts about consultants and the get-to-it-alone low energy of most nonprofits we hear your plea, Lisa. R0ger, spirited and disagreeable as ever will weigh in on […]

Learn More May 6, 2016

Wanted More Than Ever: Human Duct Tape

It’s so much easier rolling the rock up the hill with pals and true believers like those Agitators who’ve been been weighing in this week in response to our  posts Who Gets Fired?, Rejecting The One Acq Stand and Roger Started It! Clearly, they understand that the business of acquiring donors ain’t over with the initial contribution, just as the  building […]

Learn More May 5, 2016

Roger Started It!

We have a great conversation going on here at The Agitator this week. I hope you’re paying attention. In Who Gets Fired?, Roger started it by advancing the proposition that — unfortunately — no one in the fundraising business gets fired because of lousy retention rates. Which is another way of saying that no one […]

Learn More May 4, 2016

Rejecting The One Acq Stand

In his post yesterday, Who Gets Fired?, Roger voiced his doubt that very many fundraisers, if any at all, are compensated on the basis of success at retaining donors. “Who gets fired when your retention rates drop?” he asked. In a comment to that post, Lisa Sargent escalated the issue: “…if an agency or consultant gets […]

Learn More May 3, 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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    The Agitator Tool Box

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