On Giving Thanks
In the aftermath of Paris, Beirut and Bamako and with far too many politicians and demagogues working overtime to seize on the public’s anxieties, prejudices and deepest fears, The Agitator is pausing publication for the next two days to give thanks.
Tomorrow is official Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. Many of our readers will be ‘enjoying’ family get-togethers and/or watching football. Canadian readers already celebrated their Thanksgiving on October 12th. And, as for Agitators in Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and South America we trust you’ll at least give thanks that the next two days will be Agitator-free.
For those inclined to actively share the giving of thanks in a gathering of family or friends we commend and recommend you download The Thanksgiving Reader beautifully prepared by Seth Godin and his colleagues.
We can think of no time in recent years when this beautiful and inspirational gift of thanksgiving is so welcome.
With thanks for allowing us to share time with you each day.
Roger and Tom
P.S. Among the many inspirational gems in The Thanksgiving Reader we think this credo from the Native American Shawnee chief Tecumseh is especially fitting these days:
Live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart.
Trouble no one about his religion.
Respect others in their views and demand that they respect yours.
Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life.
Seek to make your life long and of service to your people.
Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide.
Always give a word or sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend, or even a stranger, if in a lonely place.
Show respect to all people, but grovel to none.
When you rise in the morning, give thanks for the light, for your life, for your strength.
Give thanks for your food and for the joy of living.
If you see no reason to give thanks, the fault lies in yourself.
Tecumseh, Shawnee
4 responses to “On Giving Thanks”
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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Happy Thanksgiving Roger and Tom. Grateful for the fundraising smarts you so generously share. 🙂 Lisa ps The Thanksgiving Reader is fabulous.
Well said.
Lovely, Agitator colleagues. And that Seth Godin… what a guy.
Paris. Beirut. And on and on… And let’s not forget our American history of terrorism… Lynchings of Blacks. Killing doctors who do abortions. On and on.
I like the Tecumseh quote. Living without fear… That’s part of the story in my Simone Uncensored blog about terrorism – posted right after Paris.
Peace to all.
Have we no Agitators in Africa? I couldn’t help but notice the continent missing from the list.