Make Em’ Feel Sad or Hopeful?
There is a lot of misinformation out there about the role of emotion in fundraising. The misinformation ain’t at presidential politics level but still, off the mark.
There is research and lots of test results in a vacuum that’ll show negative emotions “work”. The social science explanation is that a negative emotion like sadness invokes empathy and pro-social behavior – i.e., giving.
I feel sad, I feel bad, I give. Many fundraising pros will also note that positive emotions don’t reflect a need. A counterpoint might hit on poverty porn concerns and undermining the agency of those being helped. In this way, a positive message can affirm the dignity and resilience of those in need and promote empowerment and inspiration rather than pity.
At DonorVoice we’d say both sides are equally right and wrong. This is because emotion doesn’t cause behavior, it’s the goal. I don’t give because you make me feel sad, I give because I want to feel better, maybe even inspired.
Having said that, fostering a sad feeling first is useful but only if we invoke a positive feeling as emotional resolution. Proof?
Four head-to-head experiments and a clear winner. Why does this work best?
- We invoke empathy and inspiration; both together are more powerful than either alone
- We use story to provide the donor with the emotional feedback they need, namely that giving will result in a better outcome (for them and the beneficiary).
- Absent closing that feedback loop, we place too much burden on the donor to close it themselves.
Kevin
6 responses to “Make Em’ Feel Sad or Hopeful?”
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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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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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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And sometimes the offer is “just right” … emotionally. Both empathetic and inspiring. This morning, I paid for 19 Thanksgiving meals at the Nashville Rescue Mission. All the faces were smiling in the e-appeal. I can taste the gravy, feel the warmth and hope.
Tom, indeed, great example
Why does Sad-Hope work best? It’s basic storytelling with a happy ending. 🙂
Kerry, you’ve cut to the chase, well said
Hi Kevin. Could you help me understand the difference in the test between Sad-Hope and Hope-Sad? There’s a big delta there! Also, since the results report on response rate, I’m guessing we’re looking at results to a single message. Is that correct? Thanks!
Hi Jeff, hope all is well. Yes, it’s a single appeal and the difference between Sad-Hope and Hope-Sad is sequence, starting with sad emotions and ending with hopeful and the reverse, respectively.