Comments on: The Donor Pyramid Lie – IV http://www.theagitator.net/communications/the-donor-pyramid-iv/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-donor-pyramid-iv Fundraising and advocacy strategies. Trends, tips ... with an edge Mon, 21 May 2012 15:58:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Pamela Grow http://www.theagitator.net/communications/the-donor-pyramid-iv/comment-page-1/#comment-19093 Pamela Grow Thu, 28 Jan 2010 12:34:41 +0000 http://www.theagitator.net/?p=1337#comment-19093 So true. Many of us land in nonprofit development with little to no training. I came from a grant-making background when I landed my first development job and had the good fortune of having studied direct marketing. My organization's first appeal was a resounding success right off the bat. Sad to say that most of the nonprofit-specific coursework I've taken since then has provided little by way of applicable techniques. Two additions to the 25: 1) Let them say it for you: use clients', donors', staff members', etc. quotes liberally. 2) Use P.S. - and even P.P.S. - to reiterate your point. So true.

Many of us land in nonprofit development with little to no training. I came from a grant-making background when I landed my first development job and had the good fortune of having studied direct marketing. My organization’s first appeal was a resounding success right off the bat. Sad to say that most of the nonprofit-specific coursework I’ve taken since then has provided little by way of applicable techniques.

Two additions to the 25:

1) Let them say it for you: use clients’, donors’, staff members’, etc. quotes liberally.
2) Use P.S. – and even P.P.S. – to reiterate your point.

]]> By: Jill Ruchel http://www.theagitator.net/communications/the-donor-pyramid-iv/comment-page-1/#comment-19085 Jill Ruchel Thu, 28 Jan 2010 08:51:34 +0000 http://www.theagitator.net/?p=1337#comment-19085 This is so true. One of the problems is that many charities do not understand how much science (and art) is in good copy, whether a slogan, letter copy, email or website. Some of this comes from a culture in smaller organisations of doing everything for nothing, and being a jack of all trades (whether by choice or not). Sometimes a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing. There is also, whether at board level or otherwise, a reluctance quite often to invest - not understanding that spending $5,000 on a copywriter for an appeal might turn a million dollar income into two million dollars. That kind of return is not always there, but I've seen it more often than not when charities start to use skilled, understanding professionals for their copy. This is so true. One of the problems is that many charities do not understand how much science (and art) is in good copy, whether a slogan, letter copy, email or website. Some of this comes from a culture in smaller organisations of doing everything for nothing, and being a jack of all trades (whether by choice or not). Sometimes a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing. There is also, whether at board level or otherwise, a reluctance quite often to invest – not understanding that spending $5,000 on a copywriter for an appeal might turn a million dollar income into two million dollars. That kind of return is not always there, but I’ve seen it more often than not when charities start to use skilled, understanding professionals for their copy.

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