Context effect for regular giving
THE CHALLENGE
The most valuable supporters are those who make a regular gift. That’s why a USA international relief charity wanted to increase the number of new supporters that sign up for a regular gift.
Their strategy was to ask supporters, a few months after their first gift, if they wanted to give monthly.
OUR SOLUTION
Decisions can be highly influenced by the options available. Instead of just offering a monthly giving option, we suggested testing the inclusion of a quarterly giving option.
Compared to monthly gifts, quarterly ones might seem more appealing which might increase their uptake.
What is more, supporters now have an alternative option in front of them and not just a binary decision – yes or no to monthly giving. This might increase the overall number of supporters who agree to a regular gift; the ones that might not be willing to commit to a monthly gift, might still commit to a quarterly one.
In the test version, we asked and offered supporters to sign up to regular gifts – quarterly or monthly –, while in the control version we asked them to sign up for monthly gifts (see control and test reply form images).
THE RESULTS
The majority of supporters decided to make a single gift, even though this wasn’t an option.
In the control condition, 6% signed up for monthly gifts with an average of $32 resulting in annual revenue of $72,960.
In the test condition, 5% signed up for monthly gifts with an average of $34, and 4% signed up for quarterly gifts with a higher average of $40. The combination results in annual revenue of $72,344.
The test resulted in 3% more regular supporters but didn’t have a positive lift in annual revenue. This is because of the slightly lower uptake of monthly gifts in favor of quarterly gifts in the test condition. It’s possible that the presence of a quarterly option downgraded some supporters who might have gone for the monthly option.
That said, now that these supporters have agreed to a regular gift, even if it’s a quarterly one, it might be easier to upgrade them or convert them to monthly later on.
Behavioral Science Q & A
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 […]
Read Full Answer
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 […]
Read Full Answer
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 – […]
Read Full Answer
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 […]
Read Full Answer
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 […]
Read Full Answer
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 […]
Read Full Answer