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The Frequency Machine: More Asking, Less Giving?

It took 15 days to break my resolution to not write about frequency anymore… Medium and large charities are few in numbers but have the vast majority of donors and thus, dominate the collective donor experience.  And a soiled Commons affects us all. Standard fare for a medium or large charity is sending 10-20 mail […]

Learn More January 17, 2025

‘She Was Sad’ is the Most Boring Sentence Ever

“She was sad” should be in the dictionary under “tell, don’t show”. Emotion—something so central to human connection—gets watered down into the simplest, most literal words: sad, angry, happy. What if we went deeper? Imagine instead: “She was crying.” Now we’re showing. Now we’re describing. And chances are, you just felt a twinge of sadness […]

Learn More January 15, 2025

Emotion Is A Spice Rack, Not Salt

The word “emotion” in fundraising is often treated like a monolithic blob. “Make it emotional!” they say. But Emotion isn’t salt, something you sprinkle on everything and call it a day. It’s more like a spice rack: different emotions have unique flavors and purposes. Use the wrong one, and your recipe (or fundraising appeal) falls […]

Learn More January 10, 2025

Do Your Donors Want To or Have To?

How many New Year’s resolutions start with, “This year, I’m going to exercise more regularly”? And of those, how many play out like this: Day one: You’re a fitness god. The gym is your temple. You practically high-five strangers on the treadmill. Day two: Reality hits. Muscles you didn’t know existed are staging a rebellion. […]

Learn More January 6, 2025

Holiday Hiatus: Even Agitators Need a Nap

Friends, readers, and fellow troublemakers, As the holidays descend like a herd of caffeinated reindeer, we at The Agitator are pausing our relentless drumbeat of wit and wisdom. Yes, even agitators need a little time to recharge and reflect. So, from now until… let’s say “a week-ish” (because precision is for grant proposals, not holiday […]

Learn More December 20, 2024

“Nonprofitness” Is a Verb—And You’re Not the Only One Doing It

Ask any donor: What makes a nonprofit, well, nonprofit? Is it the tax status? The actors involved? The actions they take? Or is it the lofty goals they pursue? Spoiler alert: It’s not the tax code, the org chart, or your stellar board of directors. It’s something far more elemental and far less tied to […]

Learn More December 18, 2024

Attribution Gone Wild: How $100 Becomes $400

Picture this: A mid-size nonprofit spends $783K across channels and raises $3.1M. Pretty straightforward, right? But here’s where it gets interesting – and by interesting, I mean messy. Let’s look at what each channel claimed versus what actually happened: Take a moment with those numbers. The platforms are claiming $7.27M in revenue from activities that […]

Learn More December 13, 2024

Beware of Old Tricks, Not Dogs

For  years, in The Agitator and as a principal in a direct response fundraising firm, I’ve held firm in my opposition to two types of fees: those based on volume, and the traditional 15% commission fee for purchasing and placement of media. I oppose them for one simple reason: they align the incentives with the […]

Learn More December 11, 2024

Your Campaign Results Report is Wrong and It’s Unavoidable

You know those funhouse mirrors that distort your reflection? One makes you tall and thin, another short and wide. That’s how most campaign reporting works. The numbers might look impressive or disappointing but they never show the real picture.   Your Numbers Are Lying (And it’s not their fault) Here’s the thing: all campaign-level reporting […]

Learn More December 9, 2024

What’s 82 Seconds Worth?

If there’s one thing that trips up fundraisers again and again, it’s this: we’re too quick to ask.  This speed over connection choice plays out in the calendar of pushes and within a given appeal.  The fundraising playbook has conditioned us to believe that the sooner we get to the ask, the better the results. […]

Learn More December 6, 2024

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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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