And the Survey Says: You score points with donors when you let them know you're listening

A peeve and a pitfall

• Don't just slap a deadline on your survey. Yes, deadlines are good; we know that. But a return due date or ìwithin 10 daysî by itself is weak. Why is your survey time-sensitive? Make your explanation believable, and your deadline is more credible. Judicial Watch has a nice line, for example: "Since we make special arrangements for the timely processing of your answers, I hope you can complete your Survey and return it to us within 10 days."
• Don't make it look like too much work. There's no universal right answer on how many questions are ideal — that's something you have to test to find what works best for you. But whatever the number of questions, your survey should appear easy to fill out quickly. The last thing you want is for your donors to set it aside to deal with later — because "later" doesn't happen.
• Don't formulate hyperbolic questions. The less believable your survey or poll is, the more it descends into direct-mail gimmickry.

Now, beyond what not to do, here's a look at some interesting offers of late.