The 10 Commandments for Optimizing Fundraising Success, Part 2

GAVI put an interrupting thought on its outer envelope. Through the window you could see a penny, and the teaser read, "Imagine if the life of a child you love depended on the flip of this coin."

5. Tell a story. "It's the single most powerful tool at our disposal," Gaffny said. He said he's a huge believer in dialogue because people are naturally nosy and love to eavesdrop, and dialogue right away with no preamble is very powerful. He also said using pictures is a great technique, because we all know a picture is worth a thousand words.

One word of warning, however. Gaffny said stories don't work quite as well for national health organizations like the American Cancer Society. Why? Because we already know the cancer story — nearly everyone has been touched in some way by cancer. No story you tell us will change our view. So collection plate appeals work better for those type of organizations, Gaffny said.

5. Make it easy
Ask yourself, how easy are you making it for donors? Put it right there, Gaffny said. Make it easy to reply, easy to read, easy to digest and easy to respond. Is there a specific offer that jumps off the page? For example, the American Cancer Society used an outer with the teaser, "Incredible News! Your chance to make twice the difference!"

Also, the reply slip must stand on its own, Gaffny said, so that if the recipient reads only the reply slip, he or she knows the offer/ask.

6. Remember the 90/10 rule of creative
That rule: 10 percent of the words make 90 percent of the difference. The most important 10 percent of any package, according to Gaffny, is the outer envelope/subject line, the opening line and the reply device — or all the "you" stuff.