Mentioning Tax Deduction Up Front Increases Charitable Interest

When marketing to donors, how much should you focus on the tax benefits of a charitable gift? Some research has indicated that tax benefits are a small part of the charitable gift decision, and some in planned giving have suggested downplaying tax benefits in marketing. But here's the rub: Researchers also know that the answers to their survey questions are often affected by "social desirability bias": Who wants to admit that one of their main reasons for making a gift to charity might be the tax benefits?