1. Group Influences on Behaviour

2. Public Radio Industry Over 800 NPR member stations in the US Funding:
1/3 from individuals
On-air drives, direct mail, telemarketing
1/3 from corporate underwriting
1/3 from state and local governments, universities and foundations
Individual donations
$250 million per year
Average gifts range from $20 - $250 depending on the length of listening

3. Social Information
Seattle’s Lakeside Upper School counts … Bill Gates among its alumni. Rumor has it a fundraiser for the high school put the bite on Gates, who asked: “How much is everyone else giving?” About $75 he was told. “So put me down for $75,” said Gates.
-- Forbes, Jan 22, 1996, p. 16

4. On-Air Drives Listeners call to make pledges
Share social information during the phone conversation
Control: say nothing
Social Comparison: $75, $180, $300

5. Implementation Phone Conversation Test Groups Dependent Measure
“Hello! Station-Name member line.”
“Are you a new member or renewing member of Station_Name?”
Test Groups
Say nothing (control group)
“We had another member who contributed $XXXX.”
$75 $180 $300
Dependent Measure
“How much would you like to contribute?”
Ethical Concerns
No deception
Anonymity protected all donors

6. Social Information Increased Giving for New Members (Number of Callers = 317)

7. Social Information Increased Giving for Renewing Members (Number of Callers = 113)

8. Long-Term Financial Impact (One Year Later)
31%-45% Higher Revenue

9. Financial Impact (with very low cost)
250 Million Donor Income
10% Increase
25 million.
Investment?
CPB paid about $250,000
Return on Investment?
How can we make the results more generalizable, more precise, and more effective?

10. Other Fundraising Media: Direct Mail
Social Information Increase Contributions in test stations
We had another member Mary, who has contributed $300 last year, We invite you to join this member and make your pledge today!
Telemarketing

11. Boundaries?

12. How to strengthen the effect?
Mass Fundraising (Not Major Gifts)
Segment donors into groups.

13. Similarity Matters (Mary &vs.Tom, She vs. He)

14. Gender Identity Esteem Matters

15. Self-Other Focus Matters

16. Social Identity on Giving
Gender Identity
Gender Identity Esteem
Self-Other Focus
Symbolic Social Identity
Social Networks
Moral Identity

17. Survey 1237 active members Questions
Why do donors contribute to public radio stations?
What are the psychological characteristics that donors have?
What is their listening habit?
What is their listening social network?
What are their demographics?

18. Social Network Matters

19. Only Friend Listeners Matter

20. How can we use this information?
Listeners call to make pledges
Ask the type of family and friends social network they have:
Listener network
Resident network

21. Implementation Phone Conversation Test Groups
“Hello! Thank you for calling XXXXX”
Test Groups
Say nothing (control group)
“Before I take your pledge
may we ask how many of your friends and family members also listen to XXX Public Radio?
may we ask how many of friends and family members also live in the XXX area?
Dependent Measure
“How much would you like to contribute?”
Ethical Concerns
No deception
Anonymity protected all donors

22. Only listeners matter!

23. Can we do better than that?

24. Yes Listeners call to make pledges
Ask people about their social network:
Thanks for calling XXX Public Radio
Thanks for calling XXX Public Radio. Before I take you pledge, may we ask if you have more or less than 2 friends and family members who also listen to XXX public radio?
Thanks for calling XXX Public Radio. Before I take you pledge, may we ask if you have more or less than 45 friends and family members who also listen to XXX public radio?
Thanks for calling XXX Public Radio. Before I take you pledge, may we ask if you have more or less than 150 friends and family members who also listen to XXX public radio?

25. Well….

26. How can you use the idea? Create talking points Programming
Development
Create communication network between listeners
Prime such networks right before people make a contribution

27. Does Fundraising Stop here?
How can we help donors give?
What does giving make our donors?

28. Morality Measures
Below is a list of traits that people possess. Please indicate how much you believe you actually possess such traits, and how much you ideally would like to possess such traits.
Actual: Your own beliefs concerning the moral traits you think you actually possess now.
Ideal: How much you would like to possess this trait: the type of person you wish, desire or hope to be.
Please rate the extent to which you believe you actually possess the traits next to “Actual”; and the extent to which you ideally would like to posses such traits next to “Ideal” on the following one to nine point scale.
Caring Actual: Not at all Completely
Ideal: Not at all Completely
Compassionate Fair Friendly Generous Helpful Hardworking Honest
Kind

29. Morality: Survey Results29

30. Morality: Survey Results30

31. Morality Control Condition Moral Condition
“Thank you for being/becoming a member.”
Moral Condition
“Thank you for being/becoming a XXXX member.”
XXXX= two randomly selected words from the following five words
Caring
Compassionate
Friendly
Kind
Helpful 31

32. Morality Increases Giving in Females32

33. How to do it yourself?
Caring Compassionate Fair Friendly Generous Helpful Hardworking Honest
Kind 33

34. That’s some serious stuff!
Social Information
Social Networks
Morality
How about having some fun??

35. I/We Implementation
“Thanks to our community’s [your] continuous annual membership support, XXX Radio has the financial resources needed to be there for you, me, and our neighbors [you] each and every day.”
“We’re [You and XXX Radio are] in this together – more than 18,000 listeners join us in playing [play] a critical role in keeping this station – our [your] station – strong. Our [Your] continuous support is vital.”
“As we approach the [the] November anniversary of your last contribution [approaches], we’re [I’m] writing to ask for a renewal of your membership [a renewed commitment]. Your ongoing support will help guarantee another year of our community’s [your] favorite radio programs – shows like Morning Edition, All things Considered, Car Talk, A Prairie Home Companion, and Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me.” 35

36. Positive Emotion Implementation
Smiley faces versus double circles
CONTENT OF
THE LETTER
We or I
RENEWAL FORM
CONTENT OF
THE LETTER
We or I
RENEWAL FORM 36

37. We/Smiley and I/Double-Circles Increase Contribution in Male Donors Average Amount Changed from Previous Contributions by Focus, Emotion and Gender 37

38. Because… Positive Emotion (Fredrickson, 2001)
Broadens the scopes of attention, cognition, and action
And is both an end and a mean to achieve the end.

39. For further information on philanthropic psychology contact jenshang@indiana.edu