Ads written by journalists are why most people hate advertising.
They're also why so many ads are ineffective and a waste of money.
This is what we learn from The Monday Morning Memo at That Hovering Question Mark
It applies equally to fundraising.
Ads written by journalists are those that begin by revealing everything that is to come. Like, “Guidomeyer’s Furniture is having a sale!”
That's what you get when you follow the 5 Ws of journalism: Who, What, When, Where, and Why.
Fundraising written to those rules lead like this: "You can feed hungry children with your year-end donation today!"
It's a fact. Not a story.
To make it a story that the donor will be interested in paying attention to and possibly become part of by giving, open with a statement that triggers more questions than it answers.
This applies to email subject lines, outer envelope teasers, beginnings of letters ... wherever you're hoping to get the attention of would-be donors.
Pull people into the world of the problem you want them to help solve.
Don't whack them over the head with your pre-programmed solution to a problem they may not understand or know about.
