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Communications

Is Your Fundraising News-Driven?

For some nonprofits, fundraising can be quite sensitive to the headlines … a natural disaster here, a Supreme Court nomination there. I once had a client castigate me, rightfully, for "sitting on" an urgent appeal opportunity until Monday, triggered by an event that occurred the previous Saturday (this is pre-Internet, I’ll say in meekest of […]

Learn More July 31, 2009

Duh, Why Didn’t I Think Of That?

Need some out-of-the-box fundraising advice? It’s summertime … you must have some interns lying about … ask them! As reported by Forbes, Morgan Stanley’s media research department recently asked one of its 15-year-old interns to write a paper describing his generation’s media habits. The memo bluntly said: We won’t pay for any online content We […]

Learn More July 17, 2009

Push Or Pull?

Last week, I applauded blogger Jeff Brooks, who was critical of Charity Navigator for casting aspersions on direct mail fundraising … specifically for buying into the "myth that fundraising is a form of harassment." I stand by that. But I do accept that most direct response prospecting is intrusive by nature … "cold calls" of […]

Learn More July 16, 2009

Survival Of The Fittest?

NY Times columnist Nicholas Kristof just wrote the fascinating story of Scott Harrison, a fundraiser and skillful marketer who, as Kristof puts its, is making clean water sexy. Some important fundraising lessons here. Scott is a 33-year-old ex-nightclub promoter who "got religion" while vacationing in South America, then deepened his epiphany by doing a volunteer […]

Learn More July 13, 2009

Are Nonprofits Good At Social Media?

Alexandra Samuel, writing in Harvard Business Publishing, says Yes! In her article, Why Nonprofits Are So Good at Social Media, she notes that social media are all about relationship building and points out: "In the nonprofit sector, relationships have always been the key currency: the relationships with the members, donors and supporters that NGOs depend […]

Learn More July 2, 2009

US Govt Buys Twitter, Facebook!

Breaking news from reliable Agitator sources … Realising that social nets like Twitter and Facebook have yet to establish a viable business model, but are essential for promoting democracy (at least abroad), the US Government has decided to purchase the two networks outright. Said President Obama: "We would have preferred to see that users of […]

Learn More June 19, 2009

Twitter: Not Just For Revolutions

Happy to hand the megaphone today to Guest Agitator Janice Christensen, for her thoughts on the powerful mobilizing — and through that, fundraising — role of Twitter. Janice is the former Director of Campaigns of Amnesty International USA, a board member of the Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition (TASSC) and a principal in DonorTrends. […]

Learn More June 18, 2009

Boomers Crash Social Net Party

Here’s a fun account from MediaPost of the phenom of Boomers joining the world of online social networking. As the article begins: "’Congratulations! Your parents just joined Facebook. Your life is officially over.’ Such is the greeting visitors receive upon entering the blog ‘Oh Crap. My Parents Joined Facebook,’ which – as the name implies […]

Learn More June 16, 2009

Sharing Personal Information

At the heart of usage of online social networking is one’s attitude toward sharing personal information. Here’s a chart from a new study of the ‘Gen Next" (Gen Y, born 1977 or after) by the Pew Research Center. 62% of under-30s believe that sharing personal information via the internet is a good thing, so it’s […]

Learn More June 9, 2009

Most Important Rule in Marketing?

My vote goes to Pareto’s 80/20 rule — 80% of the value or activity tends to come from 20% (or less) of customers, or whatever the active universe. The rule is confirmed in marketing scenario after scenario, including fundraising. Most recently, a Harvard Business Review study, reported here in Business Insider, finds that 90% of […]

Learn More June 3, 2009

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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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