6 Neuromarketing Tips for the Charity Sector
At LAB, we are passionate about decoding why people do what they do.
This led us to distill a few practical tips that can be applied to marketing communications instantly and transform performance.
Here are our 6 tips for the Charity sector.
1. Use nudge theory to encourage donations
Setting low anchors (minimums) will reduce friction and increase volume of contribution.
Example: “Even as little as £X will help to make a difference to the life of a child.”
Social proof influences potential contributors - especially if the locations are close.
Example: “Tom from Clapham donated £X.”
Illustrating the consequence visually.
Example: “Move the sliding scale and get a different consequence: from £5 for books/shoes to £25 for ‘a childhood’.”
Using ‘social norm’ messaging increases people leaving money to charities from 5% to 15%.
2. Will they be leaving a legacy?
Positive messaging can really cut through the noise.
Example: "Leave the world a bit better than you found it."
3. Frame contributions as tangible & trivial
Illustrate donations in terms of what is sacrificed. Make it tangible and cheap!
Example: “For less than the price of your daily coffee, you can help change a child’s life for the better."
4. Show them the palpable value of contributing
Some people choose to not donate because they think that their money will be used for admin.
Address this reservation directly to cut through the noise and reassure possible contributors that their donation matters.
Example: “We are a small, action based charity - that means 97% of money raised is spent on children."
5. Give them pleasure now, pain later
Encourage people to give more tomorrow.
Let them get the pleasure of doing a good deed (donating) and delay the pain by setting regular debits to automatically ‘inflate’ at a transparent rate (EG 10% every 18 months).
Example: “Sign up now to donate monthly to the cause.”
6. Use emotionally scintillating imagery
Create positive feelings in your possible contributors with emotionally engaging imagery that shows positive emotions.
Some charities show imagery that sparks negative emotions in the viewer such as sadness, anger and, in case they choose not to donate, even shame.
Igniting negative emotions might get donations, but will make your contributors not feel great - and, in time, they will associate your brand with the sadness/anger/shame you’ve made them feel. Using positive imagery will have better effects in the long term.