Testing

Behavioral scientists have found that people use both the rational and emotional parts of their brain to make decisions. Donating decisions are made first by emotion and then later justified with rational reasons.

Testing is about the most basic best practice we have in direct marketing. It’s how we measure what works and what doesn’t. In fundraising, it’s critical because if there’s one lesson we’ve all learned over and over, it’s that direct mail is counterintuitive. Logic and common sense do not apply. Except when they do.

Today, there are so many more ways to engage with your donors in all channels & media that you have more opportunities to practice.

In a recent blog, we talked about the negative consequences of evaluating nonprofits on the basis of their “overhead ratios,” the ratio of the organization’s operating costs to its income. Although useful when looked at in conjunction with other aspects of the organization’s data, it can be downright misleading...

Most nonprofits struggle to make online fundraising work. And most agencies will add "digital" on to a direct mail program, but few have cracked the code to discover what really works to raise more money online. In this free eBook, you'll learn a new methodology that will help you optimize your fundraising and grow your online revenue.

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — When nonprofit organizations launch fundraising campaigns, it’s not as simple as ready, set and go; hitting that target goal isn’t a one-two punch. Whether it’s for raising funds, acquisition, retention or whatever, fundraising campaigns can be much like for-profit marketing campaigns...

How does modern design impact your donation page? As modern Web design relies more and more on user experience, it’s brought new design elements to donation pages and landing pages. We like to think that having a beautiful donation page or landing page means we’ll get more donations...

Last week, we discussed preparation and execution in part one of this fundraising and football series. This week, we're covering two more things fundraisers can learn from the game: segmenting your campaigns and being prepared to adjust your strategy...

AB testing can take the guesswork out of optimizing your online presence and marketing efforts. Unfortunately, AB testing can also leave a lot to be desired if you don’t execute it properly. Here are three of its shortcomings—and how to avoid them...

The 100 percent model—the idea that 100 percent of funds raised will go to programs, none to overhead—attracts nonprofits, as well as donors. Charity:water is one well-known nonprofit following this course. But is it a good idea for your nonprofit? Let's see. First of all, if you look at it from the donor's perspective, you…