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Demographics

Your Donors Are Old! Celebrate!

Odds are that in countless budget and board meetings this summer and fall there will be the usual share of naïve hand wringers warning that ‘our donors are too old’ and urging that ‘we simply must spend more to attract younger donors’. Fortunately, Blackbaud has just released its Next Generation of American Giving study that […]

Learn More August 12, 2013

Seniors Go Social, But Don’t Hyperventilate

The latest report from Pew Research says 72% of online adults are using social network sites. But perhaps most striking, those ages 65 and older have roughly tripled their presence on social sites in the last four years — from 13% in 2009 to 43% now. That’s good news. It means there’s another channel through […]

Learn More August 8, 2013

With A 9-Person Social Media Team, They Better Get It Right!

Would you associate AARP, the voice of America’s 50+ population, with adroit use of social media? If not, think again. AARP has some 80 Facebook pages with over a million fans, an active presence on YouTube and Twitter, and a “toehold” in about 15 other online platforms. Of course, if you have a nine-person team […]

Learn More July 22, 2013

What’s Missing On Your Website?

The Chronicle of Philanthropy just published this great article, 75% of Young Donors Turned Off by Out-of-Date Web Sites, describing what motivates people in their 20s and 30s to donate, and what their giving preferences are. A heap of stats, in the report — the 2013 Millenial Impact Report — sponsored by the Case Foundation […]

Learn More July 19, 2013

The Wall Has Arrived

Although you can read this post in its entirety (we wouldn’t want you to miss this announcement), as of today all other content on The Agitator, present and to come, will be behind The Wall … as in, our paywall. Starting tomorrow, the daily Agitator post you receive in your email via Feedblitz will be […]

Learn More July 8, 2013

A Crowd By Any Name

John Clese at Avectra prepared this guest post on “crowd-contributing”, which he sees as a blend of “crowdsourcing” and “crowdfunding”. Here’s John’s take on “crowd-contributing” … Successful Crowd Contributing – Technology Makes the Difference Everyone’s doing it these days – from large international organizations and local chapters of national organizations, right down to your children’s […]

Learn More May 28, 2013

Agitator Editors Nailed As Chauvanist Male Pigs

For those who’ve long suspected that Tom and I are throwbacks, here’s you’re proof. For those who believe social media is by and large bullshit, here’s your proof. And for everyone else, no matter what you want to prove, here’s a great new social media parlor game. Have at it. Let me explain. The Swedish […]

Learn More May 15, 2013

Data Tells All

Yesterday I wrote about optimizing donor data, versus privacy sensitivities. Then last night I saw an article on this study, which is a great example of just how far personal data analysis can go in terms of predictive capability. As reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, these researchers […]

Learn More April 11, 2013

Roger Craver Quits!

Roger and I spent the Easter weekend in deep contemplation, reflecting over the state of humanity, the important things in life, and The Agitator too. And we had an epiphany. We realized that we’ve been dead wrong about too many things. We’ve led our readers astray. For example … Retention. We’ve harped and carped about […]

Learn More April 1, 2013

Make Contact!

Here’s yet another study from the commercial world that delivers the refrain: Make contact with your customers! Yeah, the study was conducted by Harris Interactive for InContact, a vested interest provider of contact center software. But dismiss these findings, which I believe apply to donors, at your peril … More than a third (68%) of […]

Learn More March 27, 2013

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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

    Ideas, applications, tools, processes, and case studies of break-through solutions in fundraising, including:



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