Remove Altruism and Helping Remove Participation and motivation Remove Psychology
article thumbnail

How many ways can you say “thank you” to a donor?

iMarketSmart

According to an article in the Journal of Economic Psychology saying thank you can actually have a negative effect on your relationship with a supporter. The researcher notes that gifts, in particular, “reduce feelings of altruism ” causing your expression of gratitude to backfire in your face.

article thumbnail

3 Big Reasons Why An ‘Ask’ Is Mostly About Your Donor’s Hero Story (Not Your Organization’s)

iMarketSmart

These establish motivation from the main character’s original identity. Without this, even a catastrophic threat won’t motivate action. To motivate dramatic action, the problem must be disruptive. Otherwise, it won’t motivate action. 26] This combination motivates action. The narrative arc. The inciting incident.

Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

article thumbnail

Dr. James explains the power of giving: why leading with a gift always wins

iMarketSmart

1] This primal-giving game models reciprocal altruism.[2] A good gift signals a “helpful reciprocity” relationship. This process repeatedly signals a helpful reciprocity social relationship. He gives advice and participates.) The previous social signals help build relationship. How complicated? Bring a gift.

article thumbnail

What Dr. James means when he recommends you harness the power of storytelling in major gifts fundraising

iMarketSmart

In fundraising, story works to motivate the donor. This helps because we know, intuitively, when a story works. This also helps appeal to the widest range of donors. It not only helps get the big gift. It also helps deliver a donor experience worth that gift. But it also works for the fundraiser. Story works.

article thumbnail

Your mission is the gift. Really.

Nonprofit Marketing Blog

If donor gifts actually depress donations, does that mean that fundraising incentives like t-shirts, tote bags, and custom jerseys are not effective in getting participants to solicit gifts from their friends? They’ll help you, but they’ll resent you for it. What I am not is a neuromarketer, psychologist, or behavioral economist.

article thumbnail

Science of Giving 3: Do people give more if it’s painful?

Nonprofit Marketing Blog

All month, I’m blogging the fascinating book, The Science of Giving , which covers a range of seminal studies about giving psychology. The bottom line of this study is that people sometimes are most motivated to choose charitable giving involving significant pain and effort.

article thumbnail

Giving vs. Sharing: The Power of Community in Major Gifts Fundraising

iMarketSmart

Giving helps “those people.” Sharing helps “us.” The gift helps those in another country rebuild after an earthquake. In contrast, reciprocal altruism is stable. This is altruism. This is reciprocal altruism. Meanwhile, the reciprocal altruism players will be sharing with each other. It’s not equal.