Is the opening of your letter taking donors anywhere?

By Kimberly Seville

And my guess is the American Bible Society’s package has a high open rate given the intriguing clear plastic bag it uses as an outer envelope with a large, dark red “DO NOT TAMPER” warning label. Coupled with that strong lead, this appeal to “keep the Bible presses running” looks like a winner.

But you don’t need bombs or AK-47s for your lead to begin a story that speaks to your donors’ hearts. St. Labre Indian School’s late-summer campaign is an outstanding example: