Nobody likes to fail. But when it comes to direct-mail efforts, lessons that arise from stunning failures often can lead to stunning success

By Margaret Battistelli Gardner

Important Fundraising Lesson Learned: When everybody loves the package, it’s probably going to fail. Never go “outside the box” without first testing a small cell, and make sure an established winner carries the fundraising load. Take calculated risks. Think through all the production headaches your concept could cause.