The 10 Commandments for Optimizing Fundraising Success, Part 3

"Negative imaging works much better because people give to solve problems, not support successes," Gaffny said.

He provided a case study from girls advocacy group Girls Inc. Girls Inc. rolled out two versions of a direct-mail piece in an A/B test, one with a "Girls Can't" theme — describing stereotypes of what girls can't do — and one with a "Girls Can" theme — debunking those stereotypes and reinforcing that girls can do anything boys can do.