Search Results for: ask less
GPT? Yes. Chat-GPT? No.
The number of people professing to be expert in AI or machine learning (and not knowing the difference) is skyrocketing. It’s like the 19th century gold rush with con artists selling worthless mining technology. I’m going to share our experience with GPT for copy and make recommendations. I didn’t stay in a Holiday Inn last […]
People Are Different But In Predictable Ways
People are different in their motivation and interests and yet the sea of sameness of one-size-fits-all fundraising dominates. The Control ad and a Test ad both going to a single audience; the unspoken assumption is that everyone’s the same. But what if the test failed because it did well with some people but poorly with […]
We Are What We Choose
Are you more outgoing and social or introverted? Are you described by others as being warm, friendly and often helping others? Might people describe you as hard-working, dependable and a planner? You almost certainly had answers for all 3 questions that came naturally and quickly. These are typical descriptors for people and well, you know […]
Are You About To Lose Out On The Best Fundraising Season Of The Year?
With 211 shopping days left until Christmas of course there’s plenty of time to get ready for the year-end giving bonanza. Right? The problem is that the much-touted—almost sacred– belief that the year-end giving season is the best giving season is at, best, an incomplete belief, and perhaps a full-blown myth. Summer season may in […]
The Double-Edged Sword of Social Proof in Fundraising
Social proof is a psychological and social phenomenon whereby individuals tend to emulate actions and behaviors of others to shape their own. It’s grounded in the belief that if many people engage in a certain behavior, it must be beneficial or correct, thereby prompting others to follow suit. Here’s an example fundraising message, “On average, […]
Death to Channels. Long Live Channels
Defining donors by channel is a bit like defining me by whether Amazon, USPS, UPS or Fed-Ex delivers my packages. It’s accurate and objective but I rarely make that choice and it’s inconsequential to why I bought what I bought. The channel I give in is often a function of exposure and where I happened […]
Is AI Creative?
Creativity is often defined by three criteria, The idea or product is novel (original) and, Has value or utility (usefulness), Within a specific context or task (task appropriateness) AI can certainly devise novel works of music, art and writing. It’s true AI has no cognition, emotions or experiences and therefore, its originality is limited to […]
Remember When You First Fell In Love?
You were sure that exhilarating rush would last forever. Alas, as we all know, the early flames of a long-term relationship usually die down. A stable bond replaces the exhilaration. BUT…that bond needs occasional juicing if it’s to stay healthy and deepen. A good deal of what the Agitator covers focuses on the essential task […]
All Segmented Up and Nowhere to Go
Why create segments? The only reason is you believe Different Strokes was something other than an early 80s sitcom. But what makes people different isn’t the question. Some people like red hats, others blue; knowing that won’t help you raise more money. What are the different reasons people support your charity is closer to the […]
Is Your Data Noisy and Ambiguous?
Do you prefer noisy and ambiguous or clear and explicit? Doubt anyone would say the former but the sector, ironically, relies almost exclusively on the noisy and ambiguous kind of data. The person, Clicked – did they click out of idle curiosity or with intent? Did the context (e.g., time of day or mood) impact […]