The team at Mountain States Legal Foundation faced a key question: does including program-specific details help or hinder the effectiveness of a monthly giving campaign? They wondered whether sharing the name and history of a program would encourage more recurring donations or if it might distract from the foundation’s core call to action. To uncover which approach would better resonate with donors and drive stronger results, they partnered with the experts at NextAfter to conduct a research study.

The foundation and NextAfter hypothesized that a “less is more” approach would yield stronger results. They believed that providing too much information—such as detailed program descriptions or historical context—could overwhelm donors and dilute the central message. Instead of inspiring action, an overload of detail might shift focus away from the primary goal: encouraging donors to give.

To test their hypothesis, NextAfter designed a study comparing two versions of a donation webpage: a control page and a treatment page. Both pages shared the same layout, fonts and color scheme; the only variable was the written content. This allowed the team to isolate the impact of messaging alone on donor behavior.

The control page included the program name, background, history and features. On the other hand, the treatment page was much more straightforward and included an invitation to become a monthly donor. Both included some level of donor impact information.

The study revealed a striking difference in performance: the control page saw a donor conversion rate of just 7.1%, while the simplified treatment page achieved a conversion rate exceeding 33.3%. According to NextAfter, these results strongly suggest that streamlining the message and focusing on a clear, concise ask is significantly more effective in engaging donors. They emphasize that such simplicity should be a key consideration when crafting future appeals.

“It may be beneficial to continue testing different messaging approaches to see what resonates best with supporters and drives the most donations,” NextAfter wrote.

So, what does this mean for your club? Take time to carefully consider what information is truly essential to make your appeal clear and compelling. Avoid getting lost in lengthy backstories about your club or event—too much background can dilute your message. Instead, focus on the core purpose behind your request. Clearly communicate why the donation matters, how it will make a meaningful impact and what specifically you're asking for. A focused, purpose-driven message is far more effective than an overload of context. Be concise, heartfelt and direct.