Are You Teasing Me?

A lot of fundraising writers have it all wrong (in my opinion). They work for hours to develop copy that reads well, tells a great story, has a clear ask, and compels the recipient to open up the wallet and respond. The reply form is easy to use, and the insert advances the case to give.

But it isn’t until the last minute that they write the envelope teaser — that often-maligned “sales” copy printed on the front of the envelope. (For nonprofits using e-mail appeals, the subject line is the equivalent of the teaser.)