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Behavioral Science Posts

Words Matter. Handle With Care.

Words have always mattered.  In this highly partisan, explosively charged times they matter even more.   Take the term ‘white privilege’. To some people it summarizes the combined effects of historical, economic, and cultural forces that allow a larger percentage of whites to climb the socioeconomic ladder than Blacks or Hispanics To other folks use […]

Learn More July 6, 2022

How to Fundraise Like a Big Mac Marketer

Old school Big Mac marketers would sell a Big Mac… By hiring an agency to come up with a clever, “emotional” ad.  Like this one. This ad would be shown to the McDonald’s rewards customers in email and on social. It would be aimed at anyone on mobile doing a search for “fast food near […]

Learn More June 29, 2022

Everything is Impacting Everything

From real estate to the stock market, to energy, to technology, to politics to fundraising the Pandemic/Supply Chain/Ukraine/Inflation Virus is wreaking havoc. This is certainly the case where direct response –both direct mail and digital—is concerned. Massive shortages of envelopes and paper with prices going up and availability still down. Significant production delays and bottlenecks.  […]

Learn More June 27, 2022

When Getting Their Attention is Bad

Getting the attention of your supporter in an uber-cluttered world seems like a win.  And certainly a donor’s ignoring the Crate & Barrel promotional discount email to process your appeal email is a big plus. But, what about the attention within your email?  Might some content get their attention and make them less likely to […]

Learn More June 24, 2022

How to Raise Money Without Asking for It

Ask for money, get money.  If only it were that simple.  The conversion rate with human beings on your donation form is under 20%.   That’s a lot of missing dollars from people needing something other than another ask to convert.  Enter the donor experience. [Calling all digital marketers, register for the free learning session on […]

Learn More June 22, 2022

Digital Donor Abuse

With another batch of primary elections behind us and more still ahead…with the future of Roe v. Wade and reproductive rights hanging in the balance…with heartbreaking scourge of mass shootings at schools and shopping centers…there’s barely time to ponder the ultimate fate of life as we know it either by pandemic, famine, flood, locusts, or […]

Learn More May 25, 2022

Ask Amounts: $.99 and Upgrading

We wrote last week about the allure of $.99 pricing in the consumer world and argued for testing with $.99’s in the ask string. The best test is appending education to your file (cheap, quick and easy) as proxy for numeracy,  and having a split test since more numerate and less numerate people process prices […]

Learn More May 4, 2022

Paper vs Digital –Does the Medium Matter?

Does an ask for money or time get mentally processed differently depending on whether it’s a paper or digital ask? In a word, yes.  A study done in China and the US found that the medium determines, in part, how willing folks are to help. They dubbed the finding the “good paper” effect, which likely […]

Learn More March 18, 2022

The Exquisite Corpse of Direct Mail

If direct mail is dead it’s one hell of an exquisite corpse. And, with each passing week it grows even more exquisite. Not that it’s ever died; just grown more valuable, important, and increasingly informed by more and more science. We’ve been on the direct mail soap box a long time, particularly urging small to […]

Learn More March 9, 2022

2021 Shows Largest Increase in Giving Since 2012

Although we focus mainly on forward-looking developments in fundraising it’s also advisable to occasionally check the rear-view mirror to see what may be gaining on us or what we may have missed as we passed by on our way to the future. Benchmarks and macro-giving reports serve that function.  Unfortunately, sometimes the smug and self-content […]

Learn More February 18, 2022

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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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