Three Risks You Should Never Take. And Three You Should

There's no question that engagement and brand extension are critical. And there's little question that one of these days e-fundraising will be achieve predominance. But it's not going to be anytime soon.

Meanwhile, organizations and programs and services that change the world run on money. And direct mail still brings in 80 percent of it.

However, there are some risks you should take. Like these…

Write long
In advertising, brevity is the soul of branding. In direct marketing, though, that's not necessarily the case. There's a tendency to look at a four- or five-page letter and say, "No one's going to read all that." But that's not really the issue (see the first "Don't" above). The truth is that readers don't spend that much time reading the letter. They're more likely to glance at the opening and P.S., then scan for highlights or emotional words that jump out at them.

So sometimes a four- or five-page letter can help build credibility just by making the reader feel you have that much to say. This can be especially true in advocacy writing because you can go into lengthy and emotional descriptions of all the outrages your organization's opponents are committing.

Or, write short
And I mean, real short. A package that's served some clients well, especially in disaster relief and human services, is the 3-1/2" letter. Here, the 3-1/2" x 8-1/2" reply device at the top is attached to a letter of exactly the same size.

 In this format it can take a very long time to craft the copy, because every word has to do some heavy lifting. But if it's done right, three or four concise sentences can convey tremendous urgency.

Dance the "formula shuffle"
The structural elements of a typical fundraising acquisition or appeal letter are tried and true. Usually. But there are plenty of exceptions. So, to keep complacency at bay, try shifting the elements around. It might make more difference than you expect. 

For example, we mail one control package that violates the cardinal rule of placing the ask prominently on page one of the letter. This one buries it near the bottom of page two. Yet it's been a control for years. We've also seen good results in certain premium packages that don't even mention the premium in the letter, just on an insert.