Most Urgent Communication
Have you ever been reading an email when you heard your phone ringing (or felt it vibrating in your pocket) only to say, “Ehh, I’ll get it later. I’m reading this email.”?
How about opening the mail? “Ehh, I’ll get to the ringing phone later. Where’s the dang letter-opener?!”
The fact is, in most people’s lives a phone call is the most urgent form of communication. A potential supporter of yours may have heard from you by mail, by email, by facebook, tweets, and texts. It’s not urgent until you call. All of your other efforts can be dismissed and brushed aside.
When you make the call, you know they’ll put down whatever they’re doing to listen.
Other Ways to get Noticed
Potential donors get a lot of mail that comes in a standard letter envelope with a mass mail address label. So how do you get your support letter noticed?
1. Hand Write the Address – If you write out your potential donor’s name and address by hand, they can be more sure the letter came from a human, not a robot, and they’ll be more likely to open it.
2. Include Pictures – Use a headshot, a senior portrait, or photos from a past missions trip. Make your support letter, support card, or newsletter, something people want to put on their refrigerator. They’ll see it more often and remember to give.
3. Make it a Different size – When your support letter comes in a standard envelope it looks suspiciously like a bill. Send a postcard or a hand-written note that includes your key support information to make sure your potential supporters want to give it their time.
An example of something I sent that wasn’t a “traditional” support letter. This is a half-page I included with hand-written note cards.
