Why Agitate?
The Agitator is for direct marketing fundraisers and non-profit execs and boards.
We bring you the latest data on donor trends from our own proprietary studies and analyses; white papers and case studies on philanthropy, direct mail & online fundraising successes; a continually updated library of need-to-know reports and studies from third parties throughout the marketing & fundraising biz; relevant lessons from the world of commercial direct and relationship marketing; and our opinions on who’s “got it” and who’s not.
We’ve been reasonably successful at this craft starting in the late ’60s. This experience has shaped a distinctive POV on most non-profit marketing and fundraising issues.
But heaven knows we don’t have a monopoly on wisdom and insight. There are plenty of other smart non-profit marketers out there, and our goal is to engage them (you), and occasionally to provoke, challenge, annoy, excite or amuse. If your chief concerns today are choices of paper stock for your next direct mail package… or whether long letters really work better than short letters…or what’s the latest trade gossip, you won’t find much help in our posts. (However, some of our favorite links will direct you to sources with considerable “nuts & bolts” insight.)
Rather, our mission is to help us all think more clearly, innovatively, and productively about emerging trends…to challenge the trite and traditional…to help us all take a fresh look at ourselves and our organization’s core marketing assumptions and strategies…and to build a dynamic online community of kindred, curious spirits in the process. So let’s have at it!
As brilliant and omniscient as we think we are, there will be occasional gaps in our information and logic, to say nothing of annoying biases. We invite you to help fill those gaps and correct our course. Naturally, you’re always welcome to comment on a post. But if you’re interested in contributing facts, opinion, news, insights, analysis or simply your own rants regarding marketing and fundraising for non-profits on a more regular basis, we’d love to hear from you.
Behavioral Science Q & A
Whether “help” is more engaging or not really depends on the framing and context. The word help can sometimes weaken the perceived agency of the supporter, making their role feel secondary rather than central (your point). On the other hand, help can also signal collaboration rather than implying full ownership of the outcome, which might […]
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Great question! Here’s how behavioral science can help unpack what might be happening: Pain of Paying: Even a small extra charge can make giving feel more transactional than emotional, potentially reducing generosity. Fairness Concerns: Some donors might perceive donor cover as a surcharge rather than a contribution to the cause. If they feel the charity […]
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The choice between “Your gift CAN…” and “Your gift WILL…” taps into the psychological framing of certainty vs. possibility. Currently, there is no academic research directly comparing these two framings in charitable appeals. However, I suspect no framing is universally better—the outcome likely depends on your target audience and the campaign’s goal. Here are some thoughts: Certainty Framing – […]
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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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