25 Good Fundraising Ideas (and One Bad One)

19. Design is boring
Don’t focus on fancy designs and intricate fonts. People want to be able to read your letter. Plain, black type on white paper works the best, in readable fonts. Don’t get fancy. It’s all about readability.

20. Get rid of the teaser
“Most teasers are bad, and it’s really hard to do one,” Brooks warned. However, he urged fundraisers to test this. In fact, he admitted, “the really, really big winners usually do have a teaser.” Trick is … it has to be a good one.

21. Put a live First Class stamp on the return envelope
It boosts response, but at some level, it’s not worth it, Brooks said. If someone gives less than $100 a year or so, or wherever your organization’s cutoff point is, it may not be worth it.