Yesterday, I showed you a great post from Clairification: Top 10 Fundraising Appeal Writing Tips. In the midst of that post, almost as an aside, was this challenge: Always, always, always include a P.S.; it’s copywriting malpractice not to do so.
It's malpractice all right. And it's very common. You might think there's no need for a P.S. If you think of something you should have said, you'll put it in your next draft, not tacked on in a P.S. Right?
Wrong.
Eye-tracking studies show that a large percentage of letter readers read the P.S. first.
And a good chunk of those read nothing else!
Leaving off a P.S. is the equivalent of sending a couple of sheets of blank paper. No message received!
And, under the assumption that it will be the only passage many donors read, you should include the call to action. Including, possibly:
- The urgency/deadline.
- A reminder of what's at stake.
- Specific instruction about giving.
It's a good practice to write the P.S. first. If you have it polished and clear, you are in a great position for writing the rest of the letter!
