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Media usage / trends

The Agitator Wall Update: We Confess!

In the interest of full transparency with our Agitator readers, we have a confession to make. We are watching you! Using technology developed at AOL, we have been studying your facial and emotional reactions to The Agitator’s paywall proposition, as recorded without your knowledge via the webcam on your computer. The technology is described here. […]

Learn More June 15, 2013

What To Do About Fundraising’s Dark Side

Thanks to those who have commented on Roger’s posts this week (here and here) on outrageous fundraising practices. But frankly, we wish we were getting even more concerned and constructive response. Like these thoughtful comments from Jennifer Phillips, chief strategy officer at Avalon Consulting Group … Fundraising’s Dark Side And What To Do About It […]

Learn More June 14, 2013

How Do They Get Away With It?

#1 on the list of America’s “50 Worst Charities” according to a collaborative report from The Center for Investigative Reporting and The Tampa Bay Times is the Kids Wish Network. The Times/CIR investigation reveals that over the past 10 years this knock-off of the highly respected Make-A-Wish-Foundation, has “channeled nearly $110 million donated for sick […]

Learn More June 12, 2013

Read This! Then Shower!

The Center for Investigative Reporting has just released a series of reports including The 50 Worst Charities and The Failure of Regulation that should both sicken your soul and make your blood boil. A year-long study by a team of investigative reporters from the Center, The Tampa Bay Times and CNN not only names names, […]

Learn More June 11, 2013

The Courage To Change

Early this year the 100 year-old American Cancer Society (ACS) rocked the direct response ecosystem with its decision to stop all direct mail acquisition … stop the use of direct mail to non-dm acquired donors … and remove the ACS list of donors from all exchange universes. Judging from comments I overheard at the February […]

Learn More April 24, 2013

Fundraising Desperation And Chaos In 2013

In my first post of the New Year I want to give advance notice on some topics deserving of greater attention. The nonprofit sector is in big trouble. And although Tom and I realize that a lot of readers want to know whether green envelopes work better than orange envelopes, there are more serious issues […]

Learn More January 8, 2013

We’re In It For The Money

Frankly, I would have written the matter off as a tempest in a teapot, but this situation is grist for a good debate among Agitator readers. Here’s the situation. There’s a niche group of companies that use online petitions to generate acquisition leads for nonprofits. The email addresses of the petition signers are then sold […]

Learn More October 26, 2012

Acquisition: Guilty Until Proven Innocent

Before we wade into the nuts, bolts, techniques, pitfalls and opportunities in our Acquisition Series, we want to once more remind everyone of the climate in which today’s acquisition efforts are conducted. Long before the recent spate of media attention on acquisition costs and practices, there was a growing belief on the part of donors […]

Learn More October 2, 2012

Acquisition: Asking The Wrong Question

Our August post on Catch & Release Fishing focused — yet again — on the burning need to get serious about retention. At the time Lisa Sargent worried that our intense focus on retention might be interpreted as damning acquisition in general, and she urged us to do more on the flip side of the […]

Learn More September 27, 2012

The Quadriga Plot Thickens

In its second installment on fundraising this week, CNN, via Anderson Cooper 360, again criticized the fundraising practices of Quadriga Art. This time CNN says eleven charities “have been turned upside down” by millions of dollars of debt to Quadriga. For example, Help the Children in California received $32,000 out of hundreds of thousands raised. […]

Learn More September 26, 2012

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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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