Understanding Why People Give Pt. 1
In this episode of The Guiding Brands Podcast, Chief Guide Karen Vick welcomes Adam Ortman — consumer psychologist, CEO, and founder of Kinetic 319 Marketing, a Denver-based marketing and advertising agency rooted in consumer psychology. Adam shares his insights on leveraging psychological principles for more effective nonprofit marketing and fundraising, drawing from his experiences with clients ranging from big names like Nike, American Express, and the American Red Cross, to small and midsize nonprofits.
Key points discussed in this episode:
What is consumer psychology, and how does it influence purchasing, donating, and brand interaction? Why people give: The personal, emotional, and empathetic drivers behind donations of time, money, and support. The critical role of empathy—how people want to see themselves reflected in the causes they support. Common nonprofit marketing mistakes, including the “projection fallacy” (assuming decision-makers’ preferences reflect the wider audience) and “compassion fade” (how big numbers can actually decrease giving). The four pillars of trust: Authenticity, Empathy, Relevancy, and Consistency—for nonprofit and small business marketing alike. Practical steps for small businesses and nonprofits to discover what their audience actually cares about—through surveys, feedback, and focus groups. Harnessing the power of AI tools (like ChatGPT) to easily craft effective surveys and question prompts.
Resources mentioned in the episode:
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Kinetic 319 Marketing: https://kinetic319.com/
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American Red Cross: https://www.redcross.org/
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Google Forms (for easy customer/donor surveys): https://www.google.com/forms/about/
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Microsoft Forms: https://forms.microsoft.com/
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ChatGPT (for writing survey/interview questions): https://chat.openai.com/
Next steps & actions for listeners:
Ask your customers or donors what matters to them! Whether you use a formal survey, a quick email, or a simple conversation—dig deeper for specifics and look for patterns in their feedback. Chunk your goals into achievable milestones. When fundraising, share the big vision but highlight the realistic steps donors can help achieve. Focus your communication: Be authentic, empathetic, relevant, and consistent to build trust and stronger relationships. Don’t be afraid to leverage technology! Use AI tools to help you shape targeted questions and streamline outreach.
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