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Jiu-Jitsu Fundraising

An enemy is crystallizing.  It’s motivating.   “Rally the mostly satisfied, even-keeled moderates to storm the bastille.”,  said nobody ever. Does your organization have an enemy?  The rich, the establishment, the pro-this or con-that, the anti-whatever you stand for? Or maybe there’s just a big, prevailing message that has lots of air time, exposure or […]

Learn More September 11, 2024

Beware of Junk Science

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is the most popular personality test in the world.  Fortune 100 love it.  Government agencies love it.  More than 1.5 million people take it every year. Our only issue with it as social scientists is this:  It’s garbage.  Otherwise, the behavioral scientists at DonorVoice love it. It fails two fundamental requirements. […]

Learn More September 9, 2024

What’s cul-de-sac fundraising look like?

The echo chamber is getting louder, we tune out damn near everything not matching what we already believe and we’re much more likely to distrust people who aren’t like us. Partisan agreement between spouses was 60% in the mid 60’s, it’s now closer to 85%.  Pew research shows partisans have few friends from the opposing […]

Learn More September 6, 2024

No Heavy Lifting

We’re taking the day off in deference to our U.S. readers coping with the official end of summer after a long Labor Day weekend. Enjoy … and welcome back to the grind! Kevin and Roger

Learn More September 2, 2024

Why Starting with Groups Misses the Mark: The Case for Bottom-Up Segmentation

Those in the East are more communal and interdependent while those in the West assign greater value to individualism.  People in North America tend to place more value on being unique and are more inclined to focus on their own positive qualities than East Asians. These are very common beliefs, often promoted by cultural psychologists […]

Learn More August 30, 2024

Do Neighbors Always Get the Same Direct Mail?

Bob and Bill are neighbors in Anytown, USA.  They’re the same age, race, income and married with 2 kids and a dog. They both give to the same NationalCharity.org and the same localcharity.org and with an identical RFM profile. Do they get the same direct mail piece?  100% of the time.  Why? Are demographics destiny?  […]

Learn More August 28, 2024

I Feel the Need, the Need for Speed

A line that corny has to be good. Plus, for this writer and many a reader, it was a coming of age movie.  But alas, now it’s back to our original, behavioral science fundraising channel. Here are three story attributes for success. Volume is bad. Does your story go from sad to happy but stop […]

Learn More August 26, 2024

Quick, Scan That Dude’s Head

The Oklahoma State college football team is slapping QR codes on the back of player helmets.  That could be an Onion article or meme fodder and yet it’s proof, life is stranger than fiction. The head coach is eccentric and eclectic and likely more than a bit frustrated by the new world order in college […]

Learn More August 23, 2024

Hello? Is there anybody in there? Just nod if you can hear me…

Conversation abounds in fundraising whether in-person or over the phone and everybody notes we should be active listeners and strive to make our conversations, well, conversational. That feels thin.  Social science has a better answer with implications for humans talking to humans but of equal import for AI bots that are rapidly evolving in ways […]

Learn More August 21, 2024

Is the Ask for a What or Who?

There are two mental giving decisions, will I give? (yes/no) and conditional on a yes, how much? Nobody makes the first decision because they’ve got an affinity for blankets over solar lamps.   We give to reinforce who we are and it’s easier to see me in another person or story then an inanimate object. But […]

Learn More August 16, 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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