There are countless different tips, tricks, and tactics you can use when writing your appeal letters, emails, landing pages, and any other direct response communications. I want to give you three secrets that I’ve used over the years to write effective direct mail and digital copy.
In the busyness and constant activity of life, it’s all too easy for matters that are truly important to slip by the wayside. With this in mind, when you contemplate how best to reconnect with donors who haven’t given to your organization in a while—consider serving them with a friendly reminder.
Fundraising (and marketing in general) boils down to communicating a compelling need in simple terms with a clear call to action. And while not every communication channel is equally effective, the same ingredients are critical. See how to make your fall fundraising work across all channels
With much excitement, we announce a new Donor Focus column that answers queries from fundraisers like you by Wiley Stinnett, our veteran SVP, Executive Creative Director. The first question up: “Is Direct Mail Dead?”
Direct response strategies are often structured around moments in time: holidays, emergencies, infrastructure needs, or when you pay your bills. As soon as our donors break the seal on that carrier envelope, it’s just a matter of time until the appeal is out of mind. But your newsletter shouldn’t be that way.
We often hear clients use the words “Summer Slump,” a term they use to describe what can be a difficult time of year to fundraise successfully. With school out, people on vacation, and good weather, donors can be distracted, and supporting your organization’s cause may not always be top of mind. But summer doesn’t have to be a time when you’re barely meeting your budget.
If it’s been a while since Sally A. Sample sent you a financial gift, don’t assume she’s forgotten about you altogether.
Sally is what you call a lapsed donor, and the potentially quieter summer months ahead of us might be a good time to start figuring out how to get those lapsed donors back. Generally speaking, lapsed donors haven’t made a financial gift of any kind in more than 12 months.
As you approach the summer months, traditionally a season of reduced giving, get ahead of the curve and make sure your data is performing the way it should be.
Building a quality development program can take several years to complete. I’ve found that it doesn’t come overnight and there are few shortcuts, if any. Mostly it’s learning the tricks of the trade, using the right tools, and serving in the apprenticeship of time. It also requires having the ability to see the potential of something that perhaps others can’t see.
Gone are the days when a successful growth strategy can rely solely on acquiring new donors through a single channel, like direct mail or radio or television. Now potential donors are consuming information multiple ways and your organization needs to be present in the places they spend their time.
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