Grenade Throwers Unite!
I see that Nick Allen of Donordigital has merged with David Fenton of Fenton Communications. These guys “get” the necessity and efficacy of integrating online and offline advocacy and fundraising strategies.
Nick has always been a new media pioneer.
I met him in the early 80's when he was trying to do something I was beating my brains out to get advocacy clients to try … using video to raise money for causes! Nick was doing it to end US wars in Central America. In those days, quaint rules like the Fairness Doctrine actually worked perversely to make it virtually impossible even to buy your way onto the airwaves with a controversial message. Cable TV, and specifically Ted Turner, was just beginning to offer an alternative to broadcasters for issue advocates.
But what we really needed was an Internet! And more clients with Nick's curiosity and enthusiasm for trying something new.
David organized for me the launching press conference for Turner's Better World Society in 1985. I still remember his courageous attempt to “coach” Ted! He's ably represented scores of hugely important and successful causes over the past 25 years.
I can't think of two smarter, more imaginative guys to entrust the marketing of a cause to. And now that they're on the same team (again) blending their talents, even better.
Tom
P.S. Both of them are peace-loving guys … not sure how they'll feel about my calling them grenade throwers.
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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