Setting a microgoal ??

Your organization probably has specific targets you’re trying to hit to continue increasing your impact. But for donors, presenting those goals in their full form might actually deter them from giving.

Sometimes, breaking them into smaller, more tangible targets can have an even bigger impact. That’s exactly what this organization did when they tested using a “microgoal” in an email to their housefile.

Let’s dive in and see what happened.

Hypothesis

Introducing a microgoal in a housefile email will increase donor conversion by making the campaign goal feel more achievable and immediate.

Why might this work?

The concept of a microgoal taps into a psychological principle called the “goal gradient effect,” which suggests that people are more motivated to act when they feel closer to achieving a goal. By breaking the larger campaign goal into more manageable targets, donors may feel a greater sense of urgency and responsibility to help reach the goal. The microgoal also makes the ask feel less overwhelming.

Control

Treatment

Results

The microgoal treatment led to a 55% increase in donations, a 122% increase in revenue, and a 40% increase in the average gift amount.?

Some tips for testing this (and other) ideas

1. Test the wording of your microgoal. Should it focus on the number of people helped? A specific amount raised? The time left in the campaign?
2. Experiment with how you visually present the microgoal on the page. Can a progress bar or countdown clock help make the goal feel more immediate and attainable?
3. If you use a microgoal, keep your messaging cohesive across the campaign. You should address the same goal in your ads, on your donation page, etc.

A/B testing is the primary way to cut through subjectivity and let your donors tell you exactly what works to improve results. Discover the power of a/b testing and start building your own testing program through this data-driven training course. Click to learn more!