12 Tips for Bulking Up Your Offer

Gaffny said the key with offers is to tell people what they want to hear — not what you want to say. People don't give because you have needs. They give because you meet needs. And the biggest need you meet is theirs.

He offered attendees the following 10 rules for constructing great offers:

Rule No. 1: Have one
Four questions you should ask about every appeal are:

1. Is there an offer somewhere in this piece?
2. Will my target audience care about it?
3. Is it about "you" as much as "me"?
4. Does it jump off the reply slip?

Rule No. 2: Give them a big promise
Gaffny showed an example of a mailing by Mercy Home for Boys and Girls’ "Legacy of Miracles Fund Challenge Grant." Just the name "Legacy of Miracles" brings home this point about giving donors a big promise.