Do brochures — long accused of lacking intimacy — have a place in direct-mail fundraising?

By Jerry Huntsinger

Of course, I didn’t believe a word of it. It’s a fable, a teaching anecdote, a morality story. And the aim is to discredit the apparent effectiveness of brochures in direct-response marketing, whether you’re selling products or soliciting donations.

I first heard the brochure legend back in 1962 when I attended a seminar taught by a gentleman whose name I’ve long forgotten.