Send the Babes?!
First, we implore you … don't shoot the messengers!
Here's a study, first reported in a June 15 NYT column, that looked at door-to-door fundraising solicitation and concluded that the strongest incentive for generating the gift was to send a more attractive female to do the … asking!
No joke. The University of Chicago prof, John A. List, who did this field test is described by Steven Leavitt, co-author of Freakonomics, as the young economist most likely to win a Nobel Prize.
The original Times column, written by Tyler Cowen, was making a broader point that research indicates most donors do not behave “rationally,” claiming that donors “often tolerate high administrative costs, fail to monitor charities and do not insist on measurable results …” And that, as a result, “failing causes” are not weeded out.
This is a crucial proposition with many implications for philanthropic stewardship, accountability and donor loyalty. We will come back to this proposition many times in the life of this blog!
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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