Your Nonprofit’s Self-Image
The latest extension of Dove’s ‘Real Beauty’ campaign has generated buckets of attention. As Dove puts it, the mission of the campaign is “to create a world where beauty is a source of confidence and not anxiety”. We first wrote about this campaign in 2006, applauding its focus on self-esteem.
What’s creating the latest buzz is this video showing how an artist’s sketch based on a woman’s own self-description varies — i.e., is less flattering — from a sketch of the same woman described by someone else. This ‘experiment’ has been viewed more than 16 million times.
Terrific lessons here.
But looking at it through The Agitator’s more parochial lens, I was wondering …
Who would ‘deliver’ the more accurate ‘sketch’ of your nonprofit (flattering or otherwise) … you and your staff, or your donors?
Unlike your personal self-image, where how you regard yourself is damn important, in the case of your nonprofit, it’s the donor’s sketch that counts.
But they can’t draw without a vivid, memorable impression to reflect upon and then interpret. You — i.e., your organization — are an important shaper of that impression, but not the only one.
So, what does your donor’s sketch look like?
Tom
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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