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Behavioral Science Posts

Speed Round: 7 Updates on 7 Issues

It’s spring, so it’s time for a bit of housecleaning.  Here are updates from the research, field, or my own fevered brain on the Agitator posts you know and love. The return on customer experience.  We talk a lot about the importance of donor experience.  In fact, Craig Linton, who you may know from Fundraising […]

Learn More April 12, 2019

A Fundraising Spring?

Like the early crocus poking its head through the wintry ground as Spring arrives in North America there are emerging signs of hope for our sector. I witnessed these signs first-hand on April 1stat AFPICon in San Antonio and I want to share them with you. Sign of Hope #1: At midnight on the 1stI  hit […]

Learn More April 5, 2019

April Fools’ Day 2019: Time to Get Serious

Usually we dedicate this first day of the fourth month to the perennial April Fools’ joke intended to remind us that amidst the pranks and laughter there’s usually a nugget of truth.  In the words of George Orwell the aim of the joke “is not to degrade the human being but to remind him that […]

Learn More April 1, 2019

Year-end Results: More Answers to “What Happened?”

Back in January, Roger cited M+R’s “What the Heck Just Happened?” post about subpar year-end results.  Now, M+R is back with answers in a preview of their always helpful benchmarks.  The full post is up here and is well worth a read.  Some answers to our burning questions: Did the tax law change mess things […]

Learn More March 4, 2019

Dick Pics and Mince Pie

Some days the competition for readers’ attention is just too steep. Like now,  where the story sucking up all the oxygen involves the wealthiest man in the world, a sleazy media company, possibly the President of the United States and the Saudis– and dick pics. Regardless, here at The Agitator we soldier on.  This week we’re going to examine the […]

Learn More February 11, 2019

The Easy Money is Gone: Overcoming Barriers to Growth

As I noted in the first  post of this series —The Easy Money is Gone— a smaller pie and more mouths to feed is a recipe for disaster. And yet, status quo thinking, and activity dominate within organizations. Fortunately, as reflected in the generous and thoughtful comments to that post there is optimism about the future […]

Learn More February 6, 2019

The Sex Life of Danes and Quid Pro Donor Information

Hopefully, you’re convinced.  You’ve seen you get better results when you know and prime your donors’ identities.  And you think that creating content for your donors can be a valuable way of acquiring new constituents. But there’s a question at the back of your mind: will people tell you what you want to know?  Will they […]

Learn More February 1, 2019

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

Poor Year-End Giving and Email Volume

Year-end giving was down (on average and especially online).  M+R has said it; PMX has said it; you may have seen it yourself. The 2018 year-end giving macroenvironment cocktail was something like: Government shutdown + Tax bill shifting donations from 2019 to 2018 + Democratic House balancing out some policies + Continued mail deliverability challenges […]

Learn More January 16, 2019

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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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