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Communications

When Donors Speak Do You Listen?

  More importantly, the question should be, ‘when donors talk do you listen — and do you respond? My guess is that very few organizations take the time and care required to respond to the comments, insights, complaints and suggestions of donors and other constituents. Our sector isn’t alone of course. Failure to respond to customer […]

Learn More September 10, 2015

Breakdown In Trust Is A Good Thing

For too long too many nonprofits –especially those focused heavily on direct response –have behaved as though they’re still operating in a by-gone time when donors placed blind trust in nonprofits and their brands. This failure to recognize—not through lip service and jargon but by the way we practice our craft — the vast changes […]

Learn More August 14, 2015

Innovation Series #5: Ideas Applied

We’ll end this innovation series with some examples of innovation applied. Here’s Tom’s Top 5 Innovative Fundraising Ideas from two years ago. We invite Agitator readers to update the list with your own entries in our Comments section. Thank you. The Editors By Tom Belford   |    September 30, 2013 Today I’m shamelessly exploiting the hard work […]

Learn More August 7, 2015

Wanted: “Retentioneer”

Seems like the hot new job title in Silicon Valley is “Retentioneer.” The term is a combination of “Retention” + “Engineer” = Retentionner.” Tech companies are finally realizing the futility of focusing on growth without fixing the leaky bucket of attrition. In short, they need to fix retention to have any chance of real growth. Sound […]

Learn More July 29, 2015

They’re Looking At Us!

Most of the time, when I write about our commercial marketing brethren, I’m talking about stuff they’re doing that we in the nonprofit sector might learn from. Today, the tables are turned. I’ve noticed two articles lately from commercial guys praising nonprofit marketing efforts. Here’s what they like. The first article, by direct marketer Bob […]

Learn More May 27, 2015

Secret Mix For Social Media

At the end of each week Tom and I review the unused goodies that have piled up in our mailboxes from our RSS feeds, Google Alerts and our global network of Agitator correspondents. Then, after saving the gems, we hit the delete button. Last night, in the course of this ritual, I came across a […]

Learn More February 13, 2015

Is Social Media Like Teen Sex?

Indeed. Social media is like teen sex. “Everyone wants to do it. No one actually knows how. When finally done, there is surprise it’s not better.” Attributed to Avinash Kaushik, the web analytics guru, the quotation encapsulates much of the frustration, ambiguity, misinformation and hyperbole surrounding social media. Your intemperate Agitator once even explored the […]

Learn More October 24, 2014

Social Media For Events And Campaigns … Done Right.

Anyone who has been following the Ice Bucket Challenge campaign knows that social media has become an integral part of fundraising events and campaigns. Without question, social media creates heaps of buzz for campaigns and makes events a lot more interactive and fun. But it can be pretty hit and miss. The experience can be […]

Learn More September 17, 2014

I’ll Take My Fundraising Cannibalism On the Rocks

As of yesterday, the high visibility ‘Ice Bucket Challenge’ had produced $15.6 million from existing donors, plus 307,598 new donors for The ALS Association. The campaign designed to build awareness and support research for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig’s Disease, goes like this: People make a video of themselves or a friend dumping […]

Learn More August 19, 2014

Facebook Furor And Fundraising

Of course the recent furor over the Facebook study on online behavior on its site shows there are limits to how much deception people will tolerate in the name of science. But I fear all that knee-jerk, anti-Facebook reaction does us all a disservice by dampening scientific inquiry. And if any field of human endeavor […]

Learn More July 10, 2014

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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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