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Breaking Out of the Status Quo

How Do You Know Which Sustainers are At Risk of Quitting?

Everybody wants more regular, monthly givers but do you know what an at-risk regular giver looks like? The non-answer on this is a “clawback” in the F2F, canvassing world which quickly became the number one channel for sustainer acquisition in the States (pre-covid) and always was in many other countries. The clawback is a full […]

Learn More March 30, 2022

Nudging For (not “Or”) Donor Autonomy

In a recent Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly article, Rebecca Ruehle and colleagues considered some of the ethical objections raised against nudge techniques promoting charitable giving. The authors argued nudges are morally ok even when they violate donor autonomy, if they’re aimed at issues they deem morally worth it e.g. disaster recovery, clean drinking water, […]

Learn More August 4, 2021

How to Know If Your TM or F2F Sustainer Acquisition Meets Donor Needs

Over forty years of research and theory show people have three basic, psychological needs. Satisfying these needs makes donors more likely to stick around. The three are: Competence – feelings of effectiveness. For donors, it could mean feeling like they’re making a positive difference. It could also mean learning something new, for example, information about […]

Learn More December 11, 2020

Finding the Real Donor-Centric Unicorn

Why do donors give?  And how do we build our segmentation and “journeys” around who they are and why they give? If we need or want a label to guide us, and of course most of us do, enter the elusive term “donor-centric”.  This is our sector’s magic unicorn that is rarely seen and yet, […]

Learn More January 24, 2020

What Does a Great Supporter Journey and Experience Look Like in 2019?

To tie up this series on supporter experience, I wanted to pull together some of the themes from the last six posts and share my recipe for delivering supporter journeys that work. PLUS…for Early Birds in North America and Mid-Day folks in the UK and EU I also want to invite you to join our […]

Learn More May 10, 2019

Listening to the Wrong Donors

Jeff Brooks recently posted his 5th Law of Fundraising, which is “The more effective the fundraising campaign, the more complaints it will generate.” If this dictum were the law of gravity, I would have floated away.  Some of my most effective campaigns have come in with donor notes that complimented the communication – a rarity.  […]

Learn More June 18, 2018

Letting Go of Donors

A couple weeks ago, I argued you haven’t truly acquired a donor until you get permission, information, or a second gift.  Now let’s talk about the other end of the spectrum – when does your relationship with a donor end? This is an important subject for me, because most organizations of my acquaintance spend too […]

Learn More June 6, 2018

The Opposite of “More” Is Not “Less”; It’s “Better”

For generations direct response fundraisers have been steering the fundraising car with little more than two controls: the gas pedal and the brake pedal. Want more monthly donors? Invest more money. More prospecting.  More F2F.  More DRTV.  More campaigns to reactivate lapsed sustainers. More. More. Want more net income to “meet the numbers”?  Cut back […]

Learn More May 14, 2018

When Have You Acquired a Donor?

When you received their donation, right?  Once you have their sweet sweet cheddar in your bank account, the person has made a donation.  Thus they are a donor.  They have been acquired.  Q.E.D.  On to the next blog post. But let’s consider this in reverse.  You go to a new restaurant.  It’s so horrid you […]

Learn More May 4, 2018

Alexa, Please Save a Life

Last Monday, Amazon announced that Echo with Alexa will now allow you to donate to one of 48 charities with voice commands.  They also said this list will continue to grow.  (Of course it will; Amazon has thousands of charities signed up with their payment info through Amazon Smile.) Some important things to know: You […]

Learn More April 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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