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Communications

Two Views Of Social Media

This post might separate The Agitator’s ‘communicators’ from the ‘fundraisers’! Here’s how Jeff Brooks at Future Fundraising Now views social media — basically, as the enemy of fundraising! Here’s how Beth Kanter at Beth’s Blog views social media. She’s more interested in ‘change’ than fundraising. Which ‘school’ do you belong to? Or are you a […]

Learn More March 14, 2012

Godin Reviews Four Viral Events

Marketing maven Seth Godin has reviewed four recent viral ‘phenoms’ … suggesting what can be learned from each. One of them is the Kony video, presented by Invisible Children, currently at about 72 million views. Here’s what he says about that one, making explicit points about fundraising and nonprofits: “The most important takeaway is that […]

Learn More March 12, 2012

Online Hispanics

As reported by Engage:Hispanics, as of January 2012 there are 33.5 million Hispanics online in the US, translating to 15% of the total online market. As a group they’re younger … 59% are under age 35, compared to 50% of non-Hispanics. They are relatively affluent compared to the aggregate Hispanic market — 60% earn more […]

Learn More March 9, 2012

Nonprofit Marketing Wisdom Guide

Here’s your chance to strengthen your nonprofit fundraising results with tested strategies shared by 219 of your peers around the world. Download your free copy of The Nonprofit Marketing Wisdom Guide  to capitalize on their smarts, effort and experiences for your organization. Edited by our friend Nancy Schwartz at Getting Attention. These are not big […]

Learn More March 7, 2012

Just A Postscript

Here are a couple of images that add a bit of a postscript to our discussion last week of fundraising consultants and clients. From Jeff Brooks at Future Fundraising Now …   And from Harry Lynch at Sanky Communications … Enjoy! Tom

Learn More March 6, 2012

Coca-Cola, Fundraising and the DMA

I’ll get to Coca-Cola in a moment. First, I want to report on a wonderfully hopeful undercurrent of innovation and change that I sensed at last week’s Direct Marketing Association Nonprofit Conference in Washington, D.C. Although the undercurrent has not yet reached tsunami or even riptide proportions, it is increasingly evident that concepts long talked […]

Learn More March 5, 2012

Clients & Consultants: Punch Bowl Survey Results

Many thanks to the Agitator readers who responded to our Punch Bowl Survey, looking at perceptions fundraising consultants and clients have of one another. Today we discuss the results. We’ve teased you the past few days with some of the more provocative — some caustic — verbatim comments our respondents have made. So at the […]

Learn More March 2, 2012

Spiking The Punch Bowl, Part 4: More He Said, She Said

The comments keep rolling in. Is there a socially redeeming value to this? Tune in tomorrow. He said: “Our fundraising consultant is wise, highly responsive, a problem solver and knows her stuff really well (and reads your blog!)” Yea … we knew there was one out there! “They get to talk about the work, without […]

Learn More March 1, 2012

Spiking The Punch Bowl, Part 3: He Said, She Said

We’ve already received heaps of response to our Punch Bowl Survey on clients’ and consultants’ perceptions of each other. Timed to coincide with the DMA’s 2012 Nonprofit Washington Conference, where all will make nice to one another. We won’t report the stats until Friday. But as is often the case with surveys, the ‘open-ended’ comments […]

Learn More February 29, 2012

Spiking The Punch Bowl, Part 2: What Consultants Think Of Clients

Yesterday, on behalf of all the client-side readers who have groused to The Agitator, Roger had a go at fundraising consultants. Today I’ll attempt to balance the scales by extracting the kernels of ‘abuse’ we typically hear from consultants about clients. Off the record, of course … one generally doesn’t bite the hand that feeds […]

Learn More February 28, 2012

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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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