Floss Your Donors
I read Tom’s My Shiny New Gadget while sitting in the dentist’s waiting room.
On the one hand he chronicles the rapidly increasing numbers of new nonprofits who are likely to need all the fundamental advice they can get. On the other hand Tom admits he’s bored with basics.
Instead he’s intrigued with the findings of neuroscience and how they might be applied to the fundraising trade.
I finished Tom’s post and glanced around the waiting room. There, on the wall in all its embroidered glory, was a rock- solid, back-to-basics adage:
I don’t need a neuroscientist to tell me this also applies to donors.
Are you flossing?
Roger
2 responses to “Floss Your Donors”
Behavioral Science Q & A
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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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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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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Interesting question. I had a quick look at the testing done on this topic. On the positive side, in all cases, over half of donors decide to cover the fee. In some cases, it goes as high as 65%. Not a negligible percentage at all. Here’s another test from iRaiser showing consistent results (see point […]
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There’s just one thing to consider when designing a supporter journey: the supporter. More specifically, you need to take into account: Who the supporter is i.e. their identity, which is the reason they support this cause, and their personality, which describes the way they “see” and process the world. These will determine the kind of […]
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I’m not an expert in this but a quick search surfaced this article on the effect of tax reforms on 2019’s charitable giving. The researchers didn’t find a reduction. Actually, they observed an “increase in charitable contributions in 2019, even with the lower tax rates and the dramatically smaller number of taxpayers who itemize their […]
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I’m fascinated about how you can read on your iPhone and be flossed at the same time. COOL!!
And I love your point. Maybe it should say Floss only the teeth that want to be kept? Oops… I mean “floss only the donors who want to be kept.” Because maybe our decision-making isn’t so good.
Of course, you may well be meaning. “Hey. Floss damn it! That keeps teeth and donors, too.”
I was just thinking along similar lines this morning… about annual giving. So often, it gets lost in the ho-hum, until an organization wants to raise LOTS of money for a special need. Then all those ignored donors are supposed to magically turn into campaign donors.
Have to take care of your teeth every day (and even then, you’re lucky if you keep them all… genetics matters, too). But if you don’t, you can be pretty sure they won’t be there long.