Golden Rules For Your Reply Form
Yesterday we passed along some pointers regarding converting online leads.
One of the key bits of advice was not to direct someone responding to your online appeal to your website homepage. The appeal should link directly to a ‘purpose-built’ landing page … no distractions, direct reinforcement of your original (motivating) message, immediate closure of transaction.
It seems fitting to talk today about the direct mail analogue to the landing page … the reply form. It’s got to work. Or, as direct mail guru Jerry Huntsinger says, “…the next sound you’ll hear will be your package falling into the recycling bin”.
In one of his many invaluable ‘Tutorials” housed on the SOFII website, Jerry offers Seven golden rules for the reply form.
I’ll make it (too) easy for you and list Jerry’s rules here.
- Make the reply device ‘easy to find’
- Make your reply slip ‘easy to read’
- And ‘easy to fill in’
- Make the proposition ‘easy to understand’
- Make it ‘easy to mark’ the choice of gift amount
- Make the secondary offer ‘easy to understand’
- Make your reply device ‘easy to get excited about’ the second time around
But do yourself a favor, use this link, and get the detail directly from Jerry.
Tom
P.S. BTW, much of this advice applies to that landing page as well! The magic word in both cases: EASY!
One response to “Golden Rules For Your Reply Form”
Behavioral Science Q & A
Integrating an individual giving appeal with other communications from a charity can have both positive and negative effects, and the outcome largely depends on how it’s executed. Advantages of Integration Brand Consistency: Maintaining a consistent appearance and messaging across all communications can reinforce the org’s brand identity and strengthen brand recognition and trust among your […]
Read Full Answer
I’m not aware of any in-market tests specifically comparing recurring vs. gift frequency language. I suspect the answer might not be the same with all gift frequencies, nor with all people. It sounds like a great opportunity for you to test and find out what works for your audience. Based on the literature, here’s a couple […]
Read Full Answer
Based on what we know from existing data, those renewal notices can actually be pretty effective in getting people to donate. They tap into our psychology – creating a sense of urgency, reminding us of past support, and using personalization to make the message hit home. They’re playing on our natural tendencies to feel obligated […]
Read Full Answer
Interesting question. I had a quick look at the testing done on this topic. On the positive side, in all cases, over half of donors decide to cover the fee. In some cases, it goes as high as 65%. Not a negligible percentage at all. Here’s another test from iRaiser showing consistent results (see point […]
Read Full Answer
There’s just one thing to consider when designing a supporter journey: the supporter. More specifically, you need to take into account: Who the supporter is i.e. their identity, which is the reason they support this cause, and their personality, which describes the way they “see” and process the world. These will determine the kind of […]
Read Full Answer
I’m not an expert in this but a quick search surfaced this article on the effect of tax reforms on 2019’s charitable giving. The researchers didn’t find a reduction. Actually, they observed an “increase in charitable contributions in 2019, even with the lower tax rates and the dramatically smaller number of taxpayers who itemize their […]
Read Full Answer
Can I add an 8th? Fill the thing in yourself. Literally – get out a splodgy pen and fill the thing in.