Best of 2023: Just Make Sure They Spell My Name Right
Phineas T. Barnum, the 19th-century American showman and circus owner, reportedly said, “I don’t care what they say about me; just make sure they spell my name right.” It’s a great line and often, it’s true.
Exposure to the brand increases awareness and it tends to accrue to the positive. We’re predisposed to have a familiar = good mental model. That is until you give me a reason to take away the equal sign.
Take a second and mentally park your fundraiser Identity and put on your regular Joe/Jane consumer Identity hat. Now consider this scenario:
- Salesperson for Brand X contacts you – doesn’t matter the channel (email, text, phone, your front door), pick your preferred one.
- You don’t really know Brand X and instead buy from a competitor, Brand Y
- The first time the salesperson contacts you, you’re busy and largely ignore the contact.
- Brand X Salesperson contacts you the next 5 days in a row.
You are now definitely familiar with Brand X, which is exactly what happened in this digital ad study with three groups varying by ad exposure – 1x, 4x, 6x. That’s really high unaided awareness. Congratulations they spelled your name right.
You’re also not buying Brand X because the Salesperson was irritating and annoying. Just like the digital ads.
The repeated exposure – i.e., high frequency – also reduced brand interest and stated purchase intent. Reach is King. Frequency is wildly over-rated, much of anything past a frequency of 2ish (within a short time period) isn’t just inefficient, it’s brand killing. They’ll know your name but be careful what you wish for.
Kevin
Behavioral Science Q & A
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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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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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