The Fundraiser’s Toolbox
You know that fundraising is hard work. To be successful you need to be well equipped to take on all its challenges. At SOFII, we thought you might like some help. So we’ve put together this fundraiser’s toolbox that we’ll be filling with essential examples, formats, articles, case studies, ideas and tips that we think every fundraiser should know about.
Tutorial 43: leads for personal letters
by Jerry Huntsinger
A personal letter gives you more time to capture your reader’s attention: about 10 to 15 seconds! Jerry Huntsinger shows you how to get right to the heart of the issue with subtlety, gentleness – and persuasion.
Read moreTutorial 44: sudden death
by Jerry Huntsinger
When a reader picks up your non-personalised letter, you have about five seconds before your letter suffers sudden death: one ... two ... three ... four ... five – and that’s it.
Read moreTutorial 45: why I still hate the reply device
by Jerry Huntsinger
Here Jerry Huntsinger says that he really dislikes reply forms, then explains why. You will also learn how to improve this very important device so that it becomes an integral and powerful part of your appeals.
Read moreTutorial 46: premiums: how to use them and abuse them
by Jerry Huntsinger
Jerry Huntsinger has a pet theory about premiums – otherwise known as incentive devices – based on the principle of tactile response. A human being listens, sees, reads, smells, feels the wind and often receives sensory information through handling an object with his fingertips. So if a donor is reading a letter and nothing else it is easy for his concentration to waiver. Click here to find out what you can do instead of blowing wind in your donor’s face.
Read moreTutorial 47: answering questions I wish someone would ask
by Jerry Huntsinger
Jerry Huntsinger asks a string of questions that should be asked, then says you shouldn’t allow your keyboard to filter your personality or your voice. And you can find out how his gardener, crazy Eddie, invented a new take on the Johnson box.
Read moreTutorial 48: seven golden rules for the reply form
by Jerry Huntsinger
Seven golden rules to follow that will really make your reply form work.
Read moreTutorial 49: persuasion or exaggeration?
by Jerry Huntsinger
Jerry Huntsinger is in a more philosophical mood this week. Here he discusses the fundraising writer’s role in ethics.
Read moreTutorial 50: ten ways to break out of a creative slump
by Jerry Huntsinger
Are you in a creative slump and don’t think you’ll make that important deadline. Worry no more. In this, his fiftieth tutorial on SOFII, Jerry Huntsinger gives you some ideas that he uses to get over it.
Read moreTutorial 51: get a second gift: the toughest job of all
by Jerry Huntsinger
More grim news, this time from Jerry Huntsinger: most first-time donors won’t give again. Don’t worry though, as usual he has some sound advice in this latest tutorial on SOFII, with a great ’Welcome to our famly’ letter and strategy that will help you bind new donors to your cause.
Read moreTutorial 52: executive directors: learn to love a fundraising letter.
by Jerry Huntsinger
Are your CEO and chair of your board afraid of fundraising letters? Do they wish they didn’t have to send them? When you point them in the direction of this new tutorial from Jerry Huntsinger they will learn to love them. They – and you – will find some old tips on how to write a great letter, some new ones and best of all learn just why they work.
Read moreTutorial 53: principles of testing
by Jerry Huntsinger
This tutorial from Jerry Huntsinger gives you the principles of testing that will save you from drowning in an ocean of facts.
Read moreTutorial 54: how to survive by the law of probability
by Jerry Huntsinger
It would be so easy to be successful in direct mail fundraising if all you had to do was come up with one winning package and then send it to your house list for the next 10 years. But, surviving in the fundraising world is so much more complicated...
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