The friendship lens

March 4, 2013

All promotion, marketing and communications efforts are designed to increase your value proposition and spur positive action. They’re based on... View Article

Be direct

February 21, 2013

Action follows confidence.    … Confidence that you have a solution.    … Confidence that the success of your solution... View Article

Personal = Powerful

February 4, 2013

No matter how many people your direct mail, e-appeal, or on-air campaign reaches – to be effective, it must focus... View Article

Three important things…

February 1, 2013

…that every effective fundraising appeal has.1) AUTHENTICITYIt fully exudes your organization, never pretending to be something else.2) AUTHORITYIt’s confident and... View Article

We, you, and us

January 24, 2013

When it comes to copy that persuades, small words can have a big impact. Version 1: “Contribute now because we... View Article

They did it right

November 30, 2012

This article about the Obama campaign‘s email strategy gives us the thrill of a peek at their top performing subject... View Article

Declare, don’t ask

November 27, 2012

When bold fundraising is required (and that is now), a question can be a risky proposition. It can weaken the... View Article

Mars and Venus

November 13, 2012

Some interesting insights in this New York Times interview with uber-researcher Jen Chang. Among other ideas, she lays out words... View Article

Brilliant rewrites

November 9, 2012

Earlier this week, at the age of 103, celebrated modernist composer Elliott Carter left his place in the world. He... View Article