Emotional Shorthand
But, as with so many things in direct marketing, the rules apply only when they apply. So while it's true that clichés generally fall flat as pancakes, there are plenty of other times when they work like a charm.
- "We've got our work cut out for us ..."
- "We have to watch them every minute ..."
- "It's now or never ..."
Your comp 101 teacher would slap you silly for using phrases like these. But in fundraising, they can be emotional shorthand for your reader. And that's more important than you might think.
- Categories:
- Creative
Willis Turner believes great writing has the power to change minds, save lives, and make people want to dance and sing. Willis is the creative director at Huntsinger & Jeffer. He worked as a lead writer and creative director in the traditional advertising world for more than 15 years before making the switch to fundraising 20 years ago. In his work with nonprofit organizations and associations, he has written thousands of appeals, renewals and acquisition communications for every medium. He creates direct-response campaigns, and collateral communications materials that get attention, tell powerful stories and persuade people to take action or make a donation.
