The Little Words Mean the Most

Table of contents (TOC) for the new book, to date

 

 

View from orbit

 

1. Insert this into your job description
2. Job #1: Keeping your customer happy
3. Donor, who art thou?
4. Lifetime value (LTV)

 

View from 30,000 feet

 

5. How to improve first-time retention
6. Why bequests are your easiest, simplest road to riches
7. You know who's not your customer? Your boss and board
8. Are your expectations realistic?
9. Donor-centricity: The secret to increased giving
10. Does your charity come across as an egotistical maniac?
11. Raising awareness does not raise funds

 

Wheels down

 

12. Do you have a "case for support"?
13. How to figure out your case
14. "Make it bigger"
15. Ron Arena's 3 big questions
16. In the mind of a donor
17. Natural constituencies
18. Get them into a fight
19. Focus on your target audience
20. Donor communications 101
21. Triggers
22. Interest me (or else)
23. (1) emotions (2) totally (3) rule
24. You're an intrusion, too
25. The rise of skimming

 

Into the weeds

 

26. AIDA (it's not an opera, it's a sales approach)
27. Stories, not stats
28. Sad or happy? Both.
29. Do you have an offer?
30. Grade level of your writing
31. How to use "anchoring" to your advantage
32. Do you know your SMIT?
33. The perfect length for a direct mail appeal
34. One-line opening paragraphs
35. To PS? Or not to PS?
36. What are you writing today: Acquisition, existing or lapsed?
37. How often can you ask in a year?
38. How soon will we know our results?
39. The Domain Formula for print newsletters
40. Content for newsletters

 

plenty more to come

 

 

 

My new book starts with a benediction; it ends like this

 

 

Good luck, my dear fundraiser. You're already a hero for trying. Knowledge is your friend. Ignorance is your enemy. And so you have this book in your hand. It's armor of a sort.

The US Constitution, with automatic spell check

 

 

We the Purple

Some images just make themselves: Adrian Sargeant giving donor retention advice

 

 

Working title what do you think

 

 

2nd edition of this nonprofit industry best-seller

How to Write Fundraising Materials That Raise More Money

A deep education: the art, the science, the secrets you need ... to be a star!

Vigorously updated, fully revised, EXPANDED significantly ... for today's integrated, multichannel age of digital and print media. World-sourced from top experts. Nothing else like it.

 

 

 

My old-old friend, John, lives in Kentucky per misadventure

 

 

John: I could.

 

Me: They're going to throw you in the BBQ pit. That's what they do with old meat.

 

 

 

 

How to really write a direct mail letter: Tucson, Friday the 13th

 

Coming to Tucson, Friday the 13th!!!!, Jan. 2017: A NEW show

 

 

 

do not eat

 

 

 

internal politics are rodent poison

 

 

 

 

Cases are movie trailers

 

9 tips from Fast Company & Buddha Jones

 

Start Fast, End Big

The Mini-Movie Needs Its Own Heart

Think Non-Linear

Tweak The Three-Act Structure

Exercise Brutal Efficiency

Seek The Defining Moment

Picking a Road

Making a Bad Movie Look Good

Sometimes "Version One" Is The Best