Thoughtful, well-executed upgrade campaigns will get the job done without scaring off your most loyal donors.

By Jerry Huntsinger

To * or not to *?
On the reply form, you need to suggest several dollar amounts. This can be based on a) a simple string from low to high or b) a computer-generated string from low to high based on the donor’s previous history. Either way, one technique is to put an asterisk above the upgrade amount, and then repeat the asterisk below with a note such as, “We really need this amount, if you possibly can, Mrs. Jones.”