Tag Archives: donor psychology
When too much emphasis ruins your fundraising appeal
To add emphasis to fundraising copy, you can use boldface, italics, underling, all caps, and even asterisks and other symbols. But if you overuse them, as legendary adman Herschell Gordon Lewis says, “When you emphasize everything, you emphasize nothing.” Sometimes … Continue reading
What political speeches can teach us about fundraising
When they’re speechifying, politicians want their audiences to respond, and they love it when a line in a speech sets off thunderous applause. But they don’t leave this to chance. They use specific techniques to get a response, and getting … Continue reading
Posted in donor psychology, fundraising
Tagged copywriting, donor psychology, fundraising
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One big reason to ramp up your major donor marketing
Now’s the time to do more than ever to engage major donors, and here’s why. The U.S. economy is minting new millionaires at a stunning pace. According to one study, the number of millionaire households shot up from 13.7 million … Continue reading
Is this the easiest, most direct way to motivate donors to give?
It’s no secret that giving confers all kinds of benefits to donors. People who give are generally happier and even healthier than non-givers. But if that’s true, then how would donors react if we pointed out those benefits in an … Continue reading
Afraid of missing out? You’re not alone
Social proof is a powerful motivator in fundraising. We might, for example, localize an appeal with the donor’s city name to imply that others in the neighborhood are giving, or we might add “Many donors give this amount” on a … Continue reading
One of the real lessons from Obama fundraising
By now the fundraising tips to be gleaned from Obama’s 2012 fundraising strategy have been picked over by just about everyone. You know — the casual tone in emails, unconventional subject lines like “hey” and “wow,” the low-dollar asks, the … Continue reading
Tell me a story — but make it fast
Storytelling. It’s an essential part of persuasion for fundraising and marketing. But your story can’t be a rambling, meandering yarn that goes on without a point. Not in the hyper-paced, information-now world we live in. No, stories have to be … Continue reading
What’s the right pacing for your promotional copy?
A direct response letter – whether it’s for fundraising or for a consumer or B2B product –tends to take on a life of its own. It has a tone, a voice, an overall feel. A big part of creating that … Continue reading
How NOT to telemarket
Lots of nonprofits telemarket to persuade donors to give. They can, because the do-not-call laws don’t apply to them. But even so, there’s a right way and a wrong way. I received a phone call a few days ago from … Continue reading
Fundraising Copywriter George Crankovic 