2. 10 Really Important Rules

3. Rule #1:

4. Rule #1: It’s not about you.

5. You Don’t Have a Direct Mail Program – It Belongs to the Donor

7. 3 Absolute Truths About Your Next Fundraising Piece

11. “ But … We Have Needs!” People don’t give to you because you have needs. They give to you because you meet needs (including there’s).

12. Rule #1: It’s not about you . Rule #2:

13. Rule #1: It’s not about you . Rule #2: It’s all about them … and the context at that moment.

14. CONTEXT DECIDES How we talk How we dress

19. Donor Pyramid Financial Measures Mid Low Prospects High

37. Eureka! Let’s just mail everyone 7 page letters!

38. Eureka! Let’s just mail everyone 7 page letters! No.

47. January 12, 2010 4:53pm

53. The Keys to Context Speak to the recipient … on his or her terms Speak to the moment … in a compelling way

54. Rule #1 : It’s not about you. Rule #2: It’s all about them … and understanding the context. Rule #3: You’ve got 5 seconds to be successful.

55. “ If your outer envelope doesn’t drive the person inside … you’re screwed.”

56. “ If your outer envelope doesn’t drive the person inside … you’re screwed.” (And the same goes for your subject line!)

57. The ‘A’ pile Theory of Direct Marketing ‘ A’ Pile – I must open it ‘ B’ Pile – I might open it ‘ C’ Pile – Where’s the waste basket?

59. Making the ‘A’ Pile High Passion Low Passion

60. Making the ‘A’ Pile High Passion Low Passion THE RULES ARE VERY DIFFERENT, BY SEGMENT!

93. Making the ‘A’ Pile Of course, you could always just freak everyone out

101. Rule #1: It’s not about you . Rule #2: It’s all about them … and understanding the context. Rule #3: You’ve got 5 seconds to be successful . Rule #4: If your letter’s opening line doesn’t engage them … you’re screwed.

103. Unless you build interest, motivate, or sell, you’ve failed.

112. “ Our”? Sometimes it’s a big Yeccch.

156. Rule #1: It’s not about you. Rule #2: It’s all about them … and understanding the context. Rule #3: You’ve got 5 seconds to be successful. Rule #4: If your letter’s opening line doesn’t engage them … you’re screwed. Rule #5: Make it easy.

169. June 13, 2008

171. Rule #1: It’s not about you. Rule #2: It’s all about them … and understanding the context. Rule #3: You’ve got 5 seconds to be successful. Rule #4: If your letter’s opening line doesn’t engage them … you’re screwed. Rule #5: People give to solve problems, not to celebrate solutions. Rule #6: Remember the 90/10 rule of creative.

172. The elements of every direct mail package (typical 2-page letter package) -The carrier -The opening couple of lines -The body of the letter -The close -The P.S. -The reply slip headline/offer -The rest of the reply slip -The brochure/insert -The reply envelope

173. % of Words -The carrier 1% -The opening couple of lines 3% -The body of the letter 60% -The close 3% -The P.S. 3% -The reply slip headline/offer 2% -The rest of the reply slip 7% -The brochure/insert 20% -The reply envelope <1%

174. The elements of every direct mail package - The carrier 1% - The opening couple of lines 3% -The body of the letter -The close -The P.S. - The reply slip headline/offer 2% -The rest of the reply slip -The brochure/insert -The reply envelope

175. % of Words -The carrier <1% -The opening couple lines 3% -The body of the letter 60% -The close 3% -The P.S. 3% - The reply headline/offer 2% -The rest of the reply slip 7% -The brochure/insert 20% -The reply envelope <1% % Impact 25% 25% 10% 10% 20%

178. Rule #1: It’s not about you. Rule #2: It’s all about them … and understanding the context. Rule #3: You’ve got 5 seconds to be successful. Rule #4: If your letter’s opening line doesn’t engage them … you’re screwed. Rule #5: Make it easy. Rule #6: Remember the 90/10 rule of creative. Rule #7: There are five basic human motivators – use them all.

190. Rule #1: It’s not about you. Rule #2: It’s all about them … and understanding the context. Rule #3 : You’ve got 5 seconds to be successful. Rule #4: If your letter’s opening line doesn’t engage them … you’re screwed. Rule #5: Make it easy. Rule #6: Remember the 90/10 rule of creative. Rule #7 : There are five basic human motivators – use them all. Rule #8: People give to solve problems, not celebrate solutions.

191. The negative spin

196. The positive spin

203. The negative spin

212. The Winner?

213. “ We Did it!!!” Appeals Low Passion High Passion

217. Rule #1: It’s not about you. Rule #2: It’s all about them … and understanding the context. Rule #3: You’ve got 5 seconds to be successful. Rule #4: If your letter’s opening line doesn’t engage them … you’re screwed. Rule #5: Make it easy. Rule #6: Remember the 90/10 rule of creative. Rule #7: There are five basic human motivators – use them all. Rule #8: People give to solve problems, not celebrate solutions. Rule #9: Don’t re-invent the world (because the world’s not sitting around waiting for you to re-invent it).

218. Run With Winners

219. Warren Buffet said it best… “ There’s something about human nature that we want to pick the flowers and water the weeds”

220. You Know it’s trouble when someone says… “ I know that works every time, but (insert one) … the board/the donors/I am sick of seeing it.”

221. You Know it’s trouble when someone says… “ I know that works, but I think we need to try to be more creative.”

227. Why do your winners work? It’s the perfect alignment of your marketing and human nature. And until human nature changes, your winners will still be winners.

228. Rule #1: It’s not about you. Rule #2: It’s all about them … and understanding the context. Rule #3 : You’ve got 5 seconds to be successful. Rule #4 : If your letter’s opening line doesn’t engage them … you’re screwed. Rule #5: Make it easy. Rule #6 : Remember the 90/10 rule of creative. Rule #7 : There are five basic human motivators – use them all. Rule #8 : People give to solve problems, not celebrate solutions. Rule #9: Don’t re-invent the world (because the world’s not sitting around waiting for you to re-invent it). Rule #10: Get out of direct mail before it’s too late! Email’s about to destroy it… eat its lunch ... It’s going to be carnage. (just kidding)

231. E-mail/D-mail Integration? Integrate where appropriate. Innovate where necessary.

233. Speaker Contact Info: Tom Gaffny Tom Gaffny Consulting 781.489.5709 [email_address] Thank You!