The direct mail, door drops and household deliveries showcase
Congratulations! You’ve just found the world’s best and biggest collection of fundraising direct mail, right here on sofii.org. There are more than 160 detailed case histories and articles here for you to learn from, crib from, adapt or copy. And lots more besides. Enjoy!
Click here for the full contents and index for SOFII’s direct mail showcase.
The summary report of the Commission on the Donor Experience into direct mail fundraising can be found here.
How I wrote it: the Starlight Children’s Foundation emergency appeal
by Fergal Byrne & Sean Triner
In this, the fourth of a series of interviews with leading fundraising writers, Sean Triner talks with Fergal Byrne about a fundraising appeal letter he wrote on spec for the Starlight Children’s Foundation, Australia, in 2009. In this conversation Sean tells Fergal how he wrote the letter and what really matters in making sure this kind of letter is a success.
Read moreDeerfield Academy: Bruce Barton’s fundraising letters from 1960, letter 22
by SOFII
It has been a pleasure and a privilege to bring you all these letters from that master of direct mail letter-writing, Bruce Barton. But, as the infamous ‘they’ say, ‘all good things must come to an end’. Yes, this is the last SOFII has. But, of course, as they also say, ‘the glass is half full’, so maybe there are more out there that will find their way to SOFII.
Read moreDeerfield Academy: Bruce Barton’s fundraising letters from 1957 and 1958, letters 20 and 21
by SOFII
Bruce Barton’s letters are all about the donors’ achievements, so are welcome news packed with flattery and tales of selflessness and fine motives.
Read moreDeerfield Academy: Bruce Barton’s fundraising letters from 1956 and 1957, letters 18 and 19
by SOFII
There’s no trickery in these letters, no artifice, no phoney PSs. Just direct, honest talking put in such an endearing and charming way as to become irresistible for those recipients who share the writer’s enthusiasm for Deerfield Academy and his passionate belief that it should give the best education possible to its students.
Read moreDeerfield Academy: Bruce Barton’s fundraising letters from 1955 and 1956, letters 16 and 17
by SOFII
A four-year gap between Bruce Barton's letters for Deerfield Academy in no way diminished his exceptional capacity for penning a powerful appeal. Read, reflect and recycle, for there is real treasure here.
Read moreDeerfield Academy: Bruce Barton’s fundraising letters from 1951, letter 15
by SOFII
With all the usual captivation and craftsmanship of a classic Bruce Barton letter, this provides a very valuable lesson in donor care from 60 years ago that is just as relevant today.
Read moreUniversity of Oxford: legacy brochure
by SOFII
The dream inspires. A classic legacy promotion brochure with multiple enclosures shows you how it’s done. By providing an inspiring vision in the main document as well as individualised content in the template insert, this brochure has the ability to be as broad or as narrow as required.
Read moreUniversity of South Carolina: ‘We are South Carolina Y’ALL’ (Young Alumni Leaving a Legacy)
by SOFII
In another piece from our archive, this innovative and engaging alumni fundraising from the University of South Carolina (USC) is a great reminder to the higher education sector that communicating with young people about legacies can and should be done.
Read moreDeerfield Academy: Bruce Barton’s fundraising letters from the turn of the 1950s, letters 12, 13 and 14
by SOFII
It's a delight now to add letters 12, 13 and 14 to this growing SOFII series featuring legendary writer Bruce Barton's brilliantly conversational direct mail letters for Deerfield Academy.
Read moreDeerfield Academy: Bruce Barton’s fundraising letters for letters 9, 10 and 11, from 1948 and 1949
by SOFII
Reporting back, storytelling and irresistible offers – more fundraising gems from Bruce Barton.
Read moreDeerfield Academy: Bruce Barton’s fundraising letters from 1946/47, letters 6, 7 and 8
by SOFII
Featured here are letters six, seven and eight from the 21 letters in this SOFII series, three more fine examples of the fundraising letter-writer's art from an age gone by.
Read moreDeerfield Academy: Bruce Barton’s fundraising letters from 1945, letters 3, 4 and 5
by SOFII
These letters are masterful examples of wrapping up serious information in easy conversational style. Find letters three, four and five here.
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