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$24 Million Fine … Yawn!

Yesterday Roger did a yeoman job of laying out the sordid story of Quadriga and its fellow travelers. From a ‘moving forward’ standpoint, perhaps his three key points, aimed directly at Agitator readers, were these: “…fundraising companies, consultants and their copywriters — this means everyone involved in this sector, no weaseling — has the duty […]

Learn More July 2, 2014

Fundraisers Fined $24 Million

The Attorney General of New York has just announced a $24.6 million settlement with a veterans charity and its fundraisers. This is the largest financial settlement won by fundraising regulators in U.S. history. CNN broke the news last night on Anderson Cooper 360. You’ll recall it was that network’s investigative team who first surfaced the […]

Learn More July 1, 2014

We Promised Him 10 Minutes

The other day I did a post on Selling Your Board On Direct Response. I don’t know if you noticed, but Agitator reader Mike Cowart added a comment that takes the cake. Mike says: “I was invited to do a board presentation by the CDO of a large hospital foundation. The Board Chairman owned several […]

Learn More June 30, 2014

Tsk…Tsk, Tut…Tut

No doubt Monday’s news that Greenpeace suffered a $5.2 million loss on an ill-timed bet in the currency market will unleash a tsunami of tsk-tsking and tut-tutting in our sector. The Associated Press reported that an employee in the finance department at Greenpeace International headquarters in Amsterdam bet the euro would not strengthen against other […]

Learn More June 18, 2014

Feeling Good Or Feeling Effective

When you personally make a charitable contribution, what’s really going on? Are you looking to feel good or feel effective? You could take the coward’s way out and say ‘Both!’ About two weeks ago I read this column in the NY Times — Donating, and Making Sure the Money Is Put to Work. I set […]

Learn More May 6, 2014

What’s Your Call?

Over the last 75 years, the PGA Tour (Professional Golfers Assn) says it has made nearly $2 billion in donations to charities — from St Jude Children’s Research Hospital to Boys & Girls Club to myriad local charities. But it might surprise you to learn that the PGA Tour is a nonprofit business league (501(c)6, […]

Learn More December 18, 2013

Top 5 Innovative Fundraising Ideas

Today I’m shamelessly exploiting the hard work of Angie Moore, who recently reported 50 Innovative Fundraising Ideas she collected from readers of Fundraising Success. I’ve boiled her list down to my own Top 5. In no particular order, here goes. No actually, #1 deserves to be #1 … 1. “Normally, fundraising departments increase their financial […]

Learn More September 30, 2013

Giving For Now … Or For The Future?

I’m heartened to see the Chronicle of Philanthropy giving ample column inches to the issue of fundraising integrity, with these excellent opinion pieces by Jeff Schreifels and Mark Rosenman. Jeff’s piece, About High Fundraising Costs: It’s Complicated, makes this argument: “It’s time to make sure everyone understands that direct marketing is about the long run, […]

Learn More July 10, 2013

Thoughts On Draining The Swamp – Part 1

When it comes to cleaning up fundraising corruption and just bad stuff in our sector it’s clear that the regulators don’t have the resources and some of our trade associations have been too quiet, while others just don’t have the balls. So what should we as individuals or organizations do, if anything? Frankly, the bad […]

Learn More July 9, 2013

When Sharks Become Vegans

“Bizarre” …  “Startling” … “Surreal” Those were just a few of the adjectives in reaction to this week’s news that Guidestar, Charity Navigator and the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance have done an about face and launched a campaign to now convince donors they really shouldn’t focus too much on overhead costs when evaluating […]

Learn More June 21, 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

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