TrueSense Marketing

As FundRaising Success gears up for the ninth annual Gold Awards for Fundraising Excellence, take a look back at last year's Campaign of the Year from Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC).

Do your donors think rationally when they give a gift? At the start of this video, you’ll be asked a question by Jeff Brooks, creative director at TrueSense Marketing. The question is about making a gift. My guess is, just like your donors, you’ll probably get the answer wrong.

As the rest of the video unfolds, you’ll have a better understanding of what you’ll need to focus on when putting your message or story together.

You should avoid focusing on things your donor really doesn't have any interest in. With that in mind, here are "Three Things Your Donor Doesn't Give a Hoot About," from Willis Turner, senior copywriter at Huntsinger & Jeffer.

Jeff Brooks, creative director at multichannel fundraising agency TrueSense Marketing, answers the questions he's most often asked about direct-mail fundraising:

Is the Internet the death knell for direct mail?

Not even close. Direct mail is a long way from death. It's still the most effective fundraising medium (after the church offering basket), and it's many times more effective than email.

FundRaising Success announces the 2013 Gold Awards for Fundraising Excellence Campaign of the Year winner: Ronald McDonald House Charities.

Jeff Brooks, creative director at TrueSense Marketing, explained why the old rules you learned in school are probably leading you astray in your fundraising copy in his June 2008 column, "In Fundraising, Your English Teacher Gets an 'F.'"

With Katya Andresen exiting stage left from the nonprofit blogging world and taking over as CEO of ePals, we share some of the tremendous fundraising tips she has been gracious enough to pass on to our readers through our various publications.

There’s no question that poor donor communications is a core driver of poor retention. This is something most organizations can fix. But let’s raise the ante a bit. Let me posit that too many nonprofits out there are not making a difference. Or, putting it more charitably, maybe their performance has peaked! Look at your organization closely. Do you need better communications or a poison pill?

In the December 2007 issue, columnist Jeff Brooks, then creative director at Merkle and now creative director at TrueSense Marketing, provided four steps to give your newsletter maximum positive impact with donors in his column, "The Better Newsletter."

Mimi Natz, an expert in online and offline multichannel media management, strategic planning, research, and buying for nonprofits, joins TrueSense Marketing as vice president of media.