Case Study: Human Rights Campaign Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal, Part 3

"Second, please support HRC's tireless work for LGBT equality by including your 2010 membership renewal gift with your petitions. You can also renew your support securely online at hrc.org/april2010. And if you reaffirm your commitment with a donation of $35 or more, I'll send you a boldly stylish HRC dog tag keychain as our thank you gift — to show the world that you're on the frontlines of the fight to end discrimination in our armed forces."

The text was versioned differently for appeal and acquisition, using other language to encourage becoming a member or donating in the second call to action.

The letter went on to state how your support will be used to help HRC and in the repeal of DADT. The calls to action were reinforced in the final paragraph, again in bold text, and it highlighted the "FREE" keychain for your gift of $35 or more, and was signed by Solmonese with a handwritten signature. The P.S. was a callout to the Alva insert and again asked to return the petitions and donate/renew to HRC.

The Alva insert, which has been wildly successful for HRC, was a personal letter from Alva recounting his own story of how DADT impacted his life. It thanked recipients for their support and was signed by Alva — an incredibly emotional story to engage readers and put a face to the cause.

The premium insert created a sense of urgency to respond with the text, "GET YOURS BY RUSHING YOUR HRC GIFT OF $35 OR MORE TODAY!" A second insert highlighted the "FREE" benefit of being an HRC member: a one-year subscription to Equality, HRC's LGBT magazine.

Finally, the reply form had a personal touch, putting the recipient's name on it. It had specified dollar amounts in check boxes, as well as a space to provide a gift in the amount of your choosing. There was also a check box for respondents that wanted to opt out of the premium, along with the HRC URL to make online donations or renewals. Below that were the petitions to the U.S. senators for the recipient to sign, as well as a box titled "Take the Next Step!" Inside that box, HRC gave people the option to receive information about HRC Equality Circle, HRC's legacy gift program, and HRC Partners, the organization's monthly giving program, a great way to upsell and cultivate donors further.