How to use the left-digit bias to your advantage

The psychological principle of left-digit bias is all around us.

For example, it’s the reason why things are £19.99 in the shops or online rather than £20.

Because we read numbers left to right, our brains pay more attention to the first number. In the case above, 1 is lower than 2, so it’s more appealing.

This isn’t anything new, but I’m sharing it because I see many charities and non-profits ignoring this when asking for donations.

Yes, every penny counts. However, if asking people to donate £4.99, £19.99 or £29.99 rather than £5, £20 or £30 encourages more of them to give, the cause will actually make more money, not less.

Another way I’ve seen this used is to ask for specific amounts, e.g. “Donate £18.74 today to buy vital medical supplies for Matthew.” This is extra powerful because of the specificity.

Something to think about the next time you’re working on a fundraising campaign or pricing your agency’s services.

Until next Thursday.

Jamie 📣