Ahern Donor Communications, Ink.: Content / 2004 / 4.03: Why people ignore your newsletter

Writing your case for support
Crafting direct mail and other donor correspondence
Developing popular donor newsletters
Down-to-earth training in best practices
Auditing donor communications programs for effectiveness

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Newsletters

2013

•	13.01: Composing a satisfying thanks: Wikipedia did One way to build trust is by answering questions before they're asked.

•	13.02 Know thy customer ... Who's buying you? Customer satisfaction. Customer knowledge. Serious marketers obsess over them. But not fundraisers.

•	13.03 Want to deepen your "culture of philanthropy"? That requires adding so-called "social information" to your messaging stew. Social Information = Donor Growth Hormone

•	13.04 Bequests: The other white meat? "Planned giving" might well be a major marketing misstep....

•	13.05 What things make me generous? Confessions of a donor. Speaking from the heart.... Why I give

•	13.06 Confessions of a donor ... part 2! "Donors spotted near deep-ocean hydrothermal vent..." What do we really know about them?

•	13.07 The charity newsletter: Friend or foe? Getting past your unprofitable fears

•	13.08: We're looking at advertising the wrong way Proposed: A new set of messages for nonprofits

•	13.09: "Poverty Porn": they know not what they say "Idiot savants." Minus the savants.

•	13.09: Major gifts or more gifts: Which is better? When "tomorrow comes" will your nonprofit still be in the same uncertain financial shape? That depends.

2012

•	12.01: Following in the footsteps of your promise They chose your charity for a reason, when they gave that first time. Your donor newsletter should reflect, not neglect, that reason.

•	12.02: Charity newsletters Extraordinary experiences ... for the rest of us.

•	12.03: The brain according to me Neuroscience is the most important force at work in fundraising today. Or it should be.

•	12.04: Cheryl and Kathy ask good grassroots questions About donor newsletters & more

•	12.05: Why we put a lot of charity in our will The secret life of donors

•	12.06: Are thanks really necessary? Some experts say, "No."

•	12.07: Readers of this newsletter rise in defense of thanking the heck out of donors. Trinkets get the boot. No thanks? "No, thanks!"

•	12.08: "Dear Thomas..." or "Dear Tom..." How would you like to be addressed? Does your favorite charity's database know the difference? Probably not.

•	12.09: What role do e-newsletters play in fundraising? They're lousy at bringing in donations, a veteran copywriter observes.

•	12.10: Now entering the fundraising arena: the next big generation of donors. In the US, they will be ages 55-75. Rise of the baby boomers -- again?

•	12.11: So, there! Email newsletters don't get results? Some highly indignant email fans beg to powerfully differ.

•	12.12: The person signing your appeal might wonder... Why does good direct mail sound so weird?

•	12.13: It's the wrong answer to a great question. So let's do something else. Elevator speech? Ride to nowhere.

•	12.14: Tell little stories all over the place. The human mind laps that stuff up. Notes from neuroscience

•	12.15: "Non-profit?" Donors have no idea what you do with their money. And frankly? They suspect the worst!!!

•	12.16: Meet Jane Your "One size fits all ages" appeals ignore a juicy fact: a 70-something is way different than a 50-something.

•	12.17: Look, your newsletter is in fact a "customer service experience" And the content donors like to read? It's what charities so rarely say.

•	12.18: The Warren Buffett lesson A printed annual report is a different experience than an online annual report, for a couple of reasons.

2011

•	11.01: The nuts and guts of a successful bequest-sales strategy Proper bequest marketing, per Radcliffe, part 2

•	11.02: A troubled mind walks into a bar A few things I want to get off my fat-flated chest, as 2011 ignites.

•	11.03: The 5 Realizations Approach Finding the Path to Donor Nirvana

•	11.04: Most donor communications do not achieve anything like the desired results, thanks to an error as common as salt in sea water The Hidden Killer - A Simple Misunderstanding

•	11.05: B4 u do yr annual report Repeat after me: "I am a marketer!" And consider a few donor-friendly models, for inspiration.

•	11.06: "Dear donors: We're happy to say, we have switched to a digital annual report." Happy? R U really so sure?

•	11.07: How a $1,000 gift was born Does your staff know what to say to strangers, should the occasion arise?

•	11.08: Which is your next priority, younger donors or boomers? An infatuation with younger donors can distract you from the real work at hand: cultivating boomers as they start their bell lap.

•	11.09: Is that your future calling? Lately, my crystal ball is waking me up ... with unnerving predictions

•	11.10: Playing to lose What happens when know-nothings are allowed to outvote the fundraiser? A sure-fire recipe for failure.

•	11.11: Social Information: A gentle nudge in the right direction Dr. Sargeant finds that the mere mention of what another donor gave leads to copycats & increased giving

•	11.12: You're selling forest. You're not selling trees. Donors give to the mission. If you're getting great results, feel free to spend their gifts as you see fit. (Though Charity Navigator might disagree.)

•	11.13: Meet AIDA: the sales formula, not the opera This oldie but goody makes writing a direct mail letter faster and far easier.

•	11.14: The Verbatim Rule You know, it just makes sense.

•	11.15: In direct mail, all responses, even complaints, are good Hoping you'll offend no one? That's the wrong star to wish on.

•	11.16: The "planned giving" newsletter: Does anyone really need these things? Pity the trees that died in the pursuit of lackluster results.

•	11.17: The Domain Formula for donor newsletters Certified Proven (unlike the others)

2010

•	10.01: Idiot's guide to time management I fidget, you fidget, we all fidget.

•	10.02: Donor profiles in your newsletters: Worth the trouble? They can lead to bigger things ... or nowhere. You decide.

•	10.03: Young heads are different heads Are younger donors alive ... or dead to you?

•	10.04: Is direct mail dead? (No, it's just dull.) My goal? Entertain the heck out of the reader.

•	10.05: "I'll never give you a penny again!" Music to my ears. Here's a terrific direct mail concept the client refused to try. Take it if you want ... and if you dare.

•	10.06: Your strategic plan = your case for support? No! Don't! "The bridge is out"!!!

•	10.07: Oh, man, did Dale Carnegie have it right. How to win friends and influence people: Donor bequest edition...

•	10.08: Why gifts matter They buy impact and self-esteem

•	10.09: Why, oh why, don't they trust you? "Because I don't pee like Jesus."

•	10.10: How to produce powerful case statements Approvals, the delicate art of

•	10.11: Connecting gift and impact The 2 dots that matter

•	10.12: The outrageous Mr. Radcliffe wishes a word Bequest marketing the right way

2009

•	9.01: Does your boss or board chair get to approve your stuff? Abandon all hope, ye who enter here. Sad but true: Most donor communications are built to fail

•	9.02: If your paper newsletter is a flop, switching to electronic won't help. Two key questions answered about newsletters

•	9.03: I just wrote a couple of appeals for a big hospital. This time I took notes. Here's how to get a better letter. Your next direct mail appeal: Will it burst into song?

•	9.04: "Deserving charity"? There's no such thing. No one owes you a gift, as this "inside a donor's mind" report makes clear.

•	9.05: Take the Donor-Centered Pledge (or die) 23 rules to live by (instead)

•	9.06: Straight to trash? The avoidable, sad fate of most annual reports Entertain me with stories. Put stats in perspective.

•	9.07: Writing a fabulous case is easy You're just answering questions

•	9.08: Bill's amazing "Warm Words" campaign Bill Pratt decided to raise something other than money for once, and joyous response flooded in

•	9.09: A campaign case is a series of talking points Report from the front lines

•	9.10: The perfect "eventless" fundraising event Arts charity raises money year round: Pick a day, any day. And fund it.

•	9.11: Are you a funds-raiser or a funds-depleter? Basing your metrics on acquisition is like trying to bail a boat with a sieve. You work hard, but you still sink.

•	9.12: Dr. Sargeant says you're only doing half your job And he has the data to prove it.

•	9.13: Release your inner archer: Learn to shoot message arrows Targets? The vulnerable hearts and curious minds of your donors

•	9.14: Valuable direct mail concept absolutely free Do you have the guts to try something different? My client didn't.

•	9.15: Deciding what goes into your donor newsletter Here's the easiest explanation I've ever come up with

•	9.16: Qualityspotting How do you know when your donor materials are strong enough for the outside world?

2008

•	8.01: Acquiring new donors through direct mail: Measuring success Measuring donor acquisition programs

•	8.02: Why is giving by bequest so rare in the U.S.? Reviving your "death brochure"

•	8.03: Would you buy a mattress from this charity? What you do vs. why you matter

•	8.04: How to write a good donor-centric headline Writing a winning headline

•	8.05: Does your stuff suffer from jargon breath? Adopt a zero-jargon policy and you'll raise more money

•	8.07: What is news? Making donor news the right way

•	8.08: Obama's Web 3.0 campaign: Rewarding role model? Or risky distraction? Are e-newsletters dead?

•	8.09: Richard Radcliffe has your back Are you marketing bequests? (Right.) Or "planned gifts"? (Wrongo.)

•	8.10: When you're feeling a little irrelevant... Do you know the real you? The one donors really care about? Likely not, thanks to the "curse of knowledge." But there's an easy way (fun, too) to see yourself anew. Read on.

•	8.11: The dirty truth about cases Bitter truth? Maybe a quarter of the cases I'm hired to write never reach the finish line. Interesting tale, that.

•	8.12: Why won't paper die? Everyone's drumming their fingers, waiting for paper to expire as a communications medium. Sorry.

•	8.13: Can direct mail be a cash cow for smaller nonprofits? Think "cash calves" instead. Mass-market expectations yield disappointing results at local levels. Take heart, though: direct mail is about far more than instant cash.

•	8.14: "Hi. My name's Inertia. And I'll be disappointing you from this day forward. I know you have many obstacles to surmount, so I'm thrilled that you've named me Number One." Meet the enemy: Inertia

2007

•	7.01: Make your case and write the donor into the story Donor = solution. It's your job to mention that more than once.

•	7.02: Molehill bequests grow into mountains, if permanently endowed Bring this up when you're promoting bequests

•	7.03: Three improving things I learned last year 2007's "eureka" moments

•	7.04: What to tell a second-guessing boss about good communications Dear Boss

•	7.05: Why pay thousands to have an expert tell you what you're doing wrong? Do it yourself. Ready for your self-audit?

•	7.06: What do we call it? Case themes

•	7.07: Want to raise more support? Want to retain more donors? Donor-centric pledge

•	7.08: To make it into pile #3, know what you're selling Selling hope

•	7.09: How to make your billion-dollar goal? No Ph.D. OK needed for your case

2006

•	6.01: Raise the problem, be the solution Emotional twin sets

•	6.02: On the delicate subject of ED, committee, and board approvals Approvals

•	6.03: You're writing, but they're not reading. Improve your odds. Getting them to read

•	6.04: Fundraising communications: Cost or investment? Building donor relationships

•	6.05: Trust = Giving + Retention What are donor newsletters for?

2005

•	5.01: Your creative brief: Don't leave home without it Writing a creative brief

•	5.02: Successful donor communications? A tale of three piles The uncommitted

•	5.03: Never run out of newsletter story ideas again: The front 9 Newsletter story ideas

•	5.04: Never run out of newsletter story ideas again: The back 9 Newsletter story ideas

2004

•	4.01: Why people ignore your newsletter Newsletter basics...

•	4.02: Why people ignore your newsletter Newsletter basics...

•	4.03: Why people ignore your newsletter Newsletter basics...

•	4.04: Want more response? Get all emotional. Emotional triggers

•	4.05: You love stats. But do stats love you? Using statistical evidence

•	4.06: Disconnecting the dots: "Visibility" and fundraising success Visibility

2003

•	3.01: Analytical types: Good to the last objection Part one of four personality types...

•	3.02: Amiables: Smile and say "Howdy!" Part two of four personality types...

•	3.03: Expressives crave the new Part three of four personality types...

•	3.04: Bottom-Liners leap to conclusions (and that's a good thing) Part four of four personality types...

•	3.05: Are you interesting (especially to donors)? Communications basics...

•	3.06: The Abraham Lincoln lesson Case basics...

•	3.07: A surefire story formula Case basics...

4.03: Why people ignore your newsletter

Newsletter basics...

Part 3 of 3

In part one of this series on nonprofit newsletters, we met Fatal Newsletter Flaw #1: Not using "news-like" language. People crave the new. A newsletter must provide.

In part two, we examined Fatal Newsletter Flaw #2: Making your newsletter hard to skim (dysfunctional headlines are the chief symptom)...and expecting instead that people will read deep, dense prose.

Now let's look at the third, fourth, fifth and sixth (phew!) major reasons why newsletters fail. (For those of you keeping score, I've upped the number of Fatal Flaws from four to six since last we spoke.)

Fatal Newsletter Flaw #3: Your newsletter doesn't use the word "you" enough.

As I point out often, "you" is the most effective word in the persuasion lexicon. Absent true personalization (i.e., using someone's name: "Dear Linda…"), "you" is the most intimate word you have at your command.

And remember: "you" is glue. Every time you use it (especially in headlines) the reader pays slightly more attention...involuntarily. Readers can't help it! They're hard-wired to respond to "you"! It's the best cheap trick I know.

Avoid the institutional voice in your donor newsletter. Don't "we did this" and "we did that." A donor newsletter is really just direct mail in disguise. And as any professional copywriter will tell you, good direct mail focuses on "you," not "we." (See further comments below, in Flaw #6.)

Fatal Newsletter Flaw #4: You rely on statistics rather than anecdotes to move donors.

Statistics are weak persuaders. They're abstract. More often than not, they leave the reader cold.

Anecdotes work far harder. They're concrete, easy to understand, and stir the emotions. Why does the Wall Street Journal start with an anecdote for most of its front-page features? Because anecdotes require no translation. No matter how complex the topic, the reader will instantly understand what's at stake if you start with an anecdote.

Fatal Newsletter Flaw #5: You don't prioritize your news properly.

You confuse readers by putting unimportant information in high-value locations. What would you think of a newspaper that devoted its front page to stories that didn't matter? And yet how many nonprofit newsletters waste their front page, issue after issue, on windy opinion pieces "From the Executive Director's Desk"?

Fatal Newsletter Flaw #6: You lose sight of your real audience.

As I said earlier, a donor newsletter is NOT about how your organization does things.

A donor newsletter is about three things: accomplishment, vision, and recognition. Your newsletter should answer the donor's three top questions: (1) "How have I changed the world because I gave you a gift?" (2) "How could I change the world even more if I gave you additional money?" and (3) "How important am I to you?"

Copyright © 2005-2013, by Tom Ahern and Ahern Donor Communications, Ink.
All rights reserved., 10 Johnson Road, Foster, RI 02825, Phone: 401-397-8104, Email: a2bmail@aol.com .