Donor Doctor Show

Welcome to the Donor Doctor with your host James Newberry. On today's show, James and Stuart discuss Package Design and How to Avoid "Crashes" in Fundraising. Tune in, learn about package design, and come up with the best possible solution for your fundraising! Importance of Design One package can be many times better than another. However, the most attractive package may not always be the best. The power of graphics varies. Consider the package from Smile Train. It had a picture of a girl with a harelip, and may not be as powerful if they take off that picture. It conveys the idea that even a small amount can make a lifelong difference to the child's life. Another example is the gold foil carrier. James used it for both prospect and house letters—one looked plain while the other had a gold foil on. Apparently, the one with the foil did more than the other. Sending the Right Message The need to send a message is more important than having it appear professional. A donor can receive a package similar to a Chri

Welcome to the Donor Doctor with your host James Newberry. On today's show, James interviews Jim Minarik, Top Political and Charitable Copywriter. Tune in for some classic insights and advice on copywriting! The Need to Cultivate Relationships The Donor Doctor exists for a two-fold purpose: to educate and to help establish relationships. People tend to quit on what they have started learning, and clients often fail to cultivate the relationships they've created from their lists.   Stuart MacLean has known many such cases of clients who wasted the great opportunities they had. One particular organization that hired him was successful in capturing millions of names. But after getting the contributions, no real follow up was implemented.   The lifetime value of donors is huge. The fact that they are already comfortable where they are does not mean that they are to be neglected. Relationships are established to be cultivated and not just to be left behind. Debates on Carriers Everyone has his own say wi

Welcome to the Donor Doctor with your host James Newberry. On today's show, James discusses with Christopher Wogan and Ben Walters Email Fundraising. Tune in for some tips and examples for fundraising! Offers through Email Among the most common types of email is the offer. An example of which is the email from George H.W. Bush. Its popularity hit the local news. Another example is the email from Amy Schumer. She offered to have donors meet her backstage. Its lack of a subject line, however, affected the results they received. Ways to Attract the Recipient's Interest Curiosity and recognition are good ways to attract the recipient's attention. Curiosity sparks intrigue, and has been often used in emails. An example is one of the letter that James received. It started with: Why I went to a brothel on Christmas. The copywriter didn't literally mean what he stated, but it had enough truth to it. Selling a brothel was his job during the season. Getting People Involved Another way to spark the recipient's interest

Welcome to the Donor Doctor with your host James Newberry. On today's show, James discusses with Ron Robinson—Reagan Ranch, YAF & William F Buckley—VISION. Tune in to their interesting talk, and learn about the significance of vision and of building relationships with donors! On the Same Side Ron is the president of Young America's Foundation. He is a big fan of William Buckley, who founded the Young Americans for Freedom (YAF). They met at a political campaign during Ron's college days in New York. William had a number of unique experiences. He was on the tarmac with his dad when Chamberlain returned with the Munich Agreement. Also, he served as honor guard during Roosevelt's burial. Responding to the Need of the Market Ron has had a lot of accomplishments. A major part of them come from responding to the needs of his market—students. Among the challenges is dealing with the biases in college campuses. Many have lost their sense of humor, and have become ideological and totalitarian in their views. They

Welcome to the Donor Doctor with your host James Newberry. On today's show, James talks with his son in Storytelling with son: Covenant House to Prophetic Bibi Letter. Timing is Everything On our last episode, James discussed James Ogilvy. Mr. Ogilvy had written a letter on behalf of the UNCF. In 1968 tensions were high. There were racial riots, the Chicago Riots, RFK had been assassinated and MLK as well. The writing of this letter had perfect timing with unrest of the times and timing is the key to successful fundraising. Stats and Stories However, in critiquing the letter, James found some flaws. The most glaring was the lack of storytelling. The letter was concentrating more on statistics rather than telling a story. The letter would have been better by adding in a story of a young black kid who was helped by UNCF. A transformational story of coming from the projects and becoming very successful would have been very powerful. Power on any Medium James had attended a Youth for Tomorrow banquet with his son

Importance of Lists Most people believe that lists play a huge role in succeeding in any fundraising appeal. They think that regardless of the situation, everything boils down to the message and the recipient. In any case, people ask help in finding like-minded targets. Rita, however, disagrees with the idea. She believes that success is achieved from fulfilling all the necessary components—message or package, recipient, goal, and technique. Having balance from all areas brings out better results. Testing for a Reason Research and asking relevant questions are crucial in any case. When creating a recommendation, the client relays his ideas and goals. For this, the list person gains more background knowledge and eventually inquires from third-party resources. It's a give and take process for both client and list manager. This basically cites the significance of communicating one's knowledge and expertise. Increasing Response Rates Success could also depend on the expectation. How much you get is only the resul

Welcome to the Donor Doctor with your host James Newberry. On today's show, James interviews Tiger Haven: Test Before You Leap. Lesson from the Haven Tiger Haven is a sanctuary and rescue facility for big cats. They've been in business for 25 years already. Throughout those years, they've had their own share of struggles and issues. James explains that the danger in fundraising is it can cost more than what's acceptable. Tiger Haven lost $400,000 when they raised funds with a different agency. From this, we learn that it is best to test your fundraiser first before partnering with them. Closed to the Public There are some things we learn from Tiger Haven. First, Mary Lynn doesn't believe in having visitors. She does not want the cubs to be abused or used for a profit. The problem with closing the facility to the public is that they might not be able to collect a lot of funds. Most people naturally would want to see the place first before contributing. No to Offloading When trying another agency, it is best to

Welcome to the Donor Doctor with your host James Newberry. On today's show, James shares the Herschell Gordon Lewis Discussion that he had with Stuart MacLean. Remembering Wendy Wendy Newman, an expert copywriter, passed away last 2016. Stuart recalls how she taught him something in direct marketing. They used to test for the same account, raising support for disabled troops. Stuart had the highest response rate, but Wendy had the highest average gift. Tune in to today's episode to know more about it. Writing Fundraising Letters Stuart first heard about Herschell Gordon Lewis through his book, Direct Mail Copy that Sells. His concepts on copywriting seemed easy to do, but Stuart observed that not a lot of people apply them as they should. It takes passion to learn the craft. Many tend to believe that writing a fundraising letter is as easy as A-B-C. However, it's not always the case when working with adamant clients. Both parties have to work together to come up with the best possible solution. Authenticity i

Welcome to the Donor Doctor with your host James Newberry. On today's show, James discusses the Secrets to Using the Right Carrier. The Cardinal Rule of Envelope Copy According to Herschell Lewis, the only purpose of the carrier envelope is to get itself opened. It does not just serve to keep the contents from popping out or spilling out onto the street. None would want to feel like being swindled when they open a carrier envelope. To help us determine which one to use in fundraising, James presents the different types of carriers. Types of Carriers Carriers play an important role, especially in direct mail. As James puts it, the whole package stems from deciding which carrier to use. The following are the twelve types of carriers: Dimensional Carriers - These usually come in boxes and tubes. Related to it are file folders, button-and-string envelopes, and square envelopes. Personal Stationery - These are carefully crafted to look more appealing. One may use good handwritten fonts and a windowless envelope

Welcome to the Donor Doctor with your host James Newberry. On today's show, James interviews Daniel Gray: Author and Close Associate of Richard Viguerie. Working with Richard Viguerie Daniel had the privilege of working closely with Richard Viguerie, the Father of Political Direct Mail. Many did not pass the 90-day trial that Daniel went through to get hired. Having done well in the test, Richard became Daniel's mentor in a lot of ways. An Eye on Involvement Dick Benson, the author of Secrets of Successful Direct Mail, was among those who influenced Richard Viguerie. From him, Richard learned to keep an eye on the happenings in the commercial market. Having learned from Richard, Daniel shares the purpose of every fundraising technique—to get people involved. He used to do a yes/no sticker technique, where donors would stick the answer to the corresponding box. It generated more results in contrast to plainly checking the preferred option. Head-to-head Testing Daniel does well in doing head-to-head testing. He

Welcome to the Donor Doctor with your host James Newberry. On today's show, James shares David Ogilvy's Life and Stories. Discussion with Stuart MacLean. Seeing Talent in Nonconformists A nonconformist is not necessarily a rude person. To Stuart, it simply means that you have something that you can assert. Authorities, however, sometimes take it as a form of insubordination when it's not. "Talent is most likely found among nonconformists, dissenters, and rebels." -David Ogilvy Still, it is good to cherish those who don't usually go with the norm. Such polite dissenters have ideas that can be supported. Go for Fun It's relatively common to want employees who would follow the rules. But for any advertising or other creative industries, you would really want people who can think out of the box—people who could formulate interesting and fresh ideas. "Funny agencies are more creative and successful." -David Ogilvy Following up a certain formula is not enough. Agencies need innovators, and a way to do that is by ha

Welcome to the Donor Doctor with your host James Newberry. On today's show, James interviews Dat Lang: Life Story, Discussion of Upfront and Backend Gifts. Meet the Expert on Premiums Dat Lang is an entrepreneur and a member of the Fast 50 Asian Americans. He is an expert on premiums, which are usually used in direct mail. In 1978, he and his family arrived in the US as boat people after the fall of Vietnam. The challenges they had helped form him into the person he is now. A Good Start Dat worked in the corporate world after college, and eventually helped establish a foundation for entrepreneurs. He and his wife started their own business 10 years ago. They came into the nonprofit business by accident. Dat and his wife were introduced to an agency, which sought to expand their business through premiums. Back then, they used premiums mainly for backend fulfillment. Getting Involved With that done, Dat and his wife were likely the first to get people respond using toothbrush premiums. The technique allowed the

Welcome to the Donor Doctor with your host James Newberry. On today's show, James shares Crowdfunding Talk with Son. Crowdfunding Sources Kickstarter and GoFundMe are two popular crowdfunding sources that have millions of online supporters. From them, you can start your own choice of campaign in any category you want. Kickstarter in particular has 15 campaign categories to choose from, which includes arts, crafts, and film and video. Funding usually lasts for about 30 days. An Art of Asking One fascinating Kickstarter campaign is that of Amanda Palmer. She sought to raise funds for a new record, art book, and tour. She is also famous for her TED talk titled "The Art of Asking." Amanda had difficulties getting a job after college, so she went to become a street performer. She dressed up as a bride and gave out flowers. Some people didn't like what she was doing, and told her to get a job instead. Kickstarter Success In fact, Amanda is a talented musician. She even had a music label sign her. But having sold 25

Welcome to the Donor Doctor with your host James Newberry. On today's show, James interviews Michael Garner MPA Problems Development Directors Face. Start of Fundraising Career Michael has done direct mail, telemarketing, and is currently taking up Masters of Public Administration specializing in nonprofit management. Born out of necessity, he spent 4 years working in a telefund center while studying in an undergraduate course. He saw that there were generally 2 types of people working at the telefund center: those who immediately realized they hated the job and those who just loved doing what they do. Michael fell in love with fundraising, and eventually ended up becoming the assistant manager. Building Connections In telemarketing, potential donors are always encouraged to give more than their highest donation or than the amount they previously gave. For this, it is important to find out what the donor exactly wants to achieve and then connect it back to the cause. Direct marketing, however, may require mor

Welcome to the Donor Doctor with your host James Newberry. On today's show, James interviews Ben Walters Political Email Expert. Amish PAC: Hooray for Trump Ben is one of the organizers of Amish PAC, the first political organization that reaches out to Amish and Mennonite people to support the Republican party. Having seen the intensity of the supporters, he correctly predicted Trump's victory in the recent presidential election. The Draft Ben Carson Committee Ben joined in the Draft Ben Carson committee as well. He shares that the best emails they made were during the time that Carson was #1 on the poll. They sent out 5 booklets to African American neighborhoods for every donation they received. Apart from being #1, controversy also attracts attention. When once Carson said he wanted to be comfortable with Sharia Law, it drew a lot of attention across donors. For this, they put out an open letter to Carson expressing their support. Generating Support via Emails The response generated from email depends on th

Welcome to the Donor Doctor with your host James Newberry. On today's show, James interviews RJ Robinson How to Write Good Copy. Keys to Copywriting Success RJ is a copywriter and account executive of Eberle Communications Group. He studied at a Jesuit school, where he got exposed to writing. Passion and talent are keys to achieving success in copywriting. But, it isn't always the case. One other key that most don't realize is the importance of reading. One good thing about RJ is that he is well-versed. This fact is evident in the copies he's written. Tune in for some of his copy samples! Significance of a Good Start James discusses the leverage in direct mail versus other kinds of fundraising. With direct mail, you get to write a good appeal and mail a lot of copies. It's rather lucrative for charities. "There's a veteran out there who's ready to take his life. We must help them." -copy excerpt The above excerpt is from one of the direct mails that James has kept over time. One good thing about it is it disc

Welcome to the Donor Doctor with your host James Newberry. On today's show, James interviews Michael Brown High Dollar Political Fundraising. Early Beginnings Michael used to sell vacuums during college. He would walk into the neighborhood carrying a $2500 vacuum on his back, and go door to door. From this, he learned to overcome rejection especially in selling an unwanted product. Sales and politics have always been in Michael's background. As a child, he was able to sell a car in a car lot. He learned the value of honesty and trust at such an early age. Overcoming Uncomfortable Situations Fundraising can be uncomfortable sometimes, but such situations aren't meant to be personal. Michael used to work as the Finance Chair for the Pennsylvania Republican Party. With this, he shares his experiences in raising high amounts. Major donors are typically expected to be asked for money, and it's a compliment for them when they have the capacity to give a considerable amount. Taking them to the next level is always t

Welcome to the Donor Doctor with your host James Newberry. On today's show, James interviews Hilary Wood -- Friend of Horses...How to get an $800K gift. Nationwide Horse Rescue Hilary is the founder of Front Range Equine Rescue, and has been featured in a number of publications already. From about 7 horses, they now have rescued over a thousand horses. They've also conducted rescue programs and education advocacy all over the country. On the Move with Passion Despite her passion for horses, Hilary had very limited access to them during childhood. She knew about them only through books and movies. It was only when she became an adult that she got her first horse, Dancer. Hilary left her work in Virginia, and moved out to Colorado. Having been exposed to horse rescue, she decided to do it as well. She shares that she'd rather save one horse in a year. Reaching Out through Direct Mail Many people may not like fundraising, but Hilary believes that it effectively gets her message out in addition to just raising fu

Welcome to the Donor Doctor with your host James Newberry. On today's show, James interviews Stuart MacLean Involvement Devices for Direct Mail. Involvement through Mailing Tubes   Stuart's first mailing tube appeal consisted of a hand-held American flag that can be used for a parade. However, people used it as an upfront premium instead of an involvement device.   The idea behind the tube was to have something that would encourage people to be a part of an event. Stuart and his team applied this concept, and placed a little tab on the opposite side of the flag. It worked very well for a lot of their fundraising clients.   Remembering Gettysburg   Thousands of American flags were submitted for the grand opening of a museum that Stuart and his team helped raise funds for. It meant to commemorate the Battle of Gettysburg, and it was remarkable how a lot of people participated through the flags.   After the event, however, one donor sent in a confederate flag with $100 contribution. As t

Welcome to the Donor Doctor with your host James Newberry. On today's show, James interviews Stuart MacLean Direct Mail Copywriting. Working for Richard   Stuart graduated in 1980, and eventually worked for a couple of political personalities. He shares how fortunate he was to work for Richard Viguerie, the pioneer of political direct mail.   For his first 6 weeks, Stuart was tasked to relate a reading list to samples of every appeal contained in bankers' boxes. In doing so, he had a copy coach and copywriter assigned to him.   No Easy Feat   It's not easy being a copywriter. For this, Stuart shares his own experiences. The mind power involved in writing a really good copy can exhaust you physically.   For the first page of a copy, a copywriter makes sure to attract the reader to read on and be interested. By the time he finishes writing, he'd find himself physically tired from doing his best to write well. And, it takes time to write a really good copy.   Dealing with Clients &n