My inbox occasionally delivers a gem that’s just right for a timely post.

Today, a longtime Agitator reader passed one along I can’t resist sharing.  It starts off…

MEMORANDUM

To:  High-Level Direct Marketers Who Are Political Conservatives (if this is not you, please do a friend a favor and pass it on).

FROM: Richard A. Viguerie ( the pioneer of political/ideological direct)

SUBJECT:  Are You Satisfied With Your Life/Career?

You can view Richard’s Memo in its entirety right here in case you didn’t receive an original or a colleague failed to do you the favor of passing it on.

My purpose in calling this to your attention is three-fold.

• To alert our politically conservative readers–especially those dissatisfied with their careers or their lives – to opportunity.
• To point out some very good –and very rare—professional qualities of Richard Viguerie whose professional friendship I’ve valued for 51 years and whose political values and ideologies I’ve detested and actively opposed for 60 years.
• To highlight some copy improvement opportunities in Richard’s memo.

First, let me get a coincidence out of the way.

In an August 13^th post  Kevin and I promoted the Nonprofit Innovation and Optimization (NIO) Summit to be held in Austin and online  from September 21-23. (You can get your ticket for the live event here and or register to watch for free via the online stream here. ) Richard and I will do a session together at 11:00 EST on the 22^nd—that’s the coincidence.

Now back to the Memo.

Good Habits. Regardless of your place on the ideological spectrum if you’re aiming to be at the top of the game there are a couple of Richard’s traits you should emulate—none of them ideological.

• The prime importance Richard assigns to direct mail—calling it “the workhorse of fundraising.” At a time when too many fundraisers are paying too much attention to digital and not nearly enough to the fundamental advantage of postal mail this memo provides some great evidence of the power of postal mail.

Richard notes (warns?) that his firm is planning to mail 220 million postal letters in 2024 for 30 clients.  Frighteningly, his memo says, “we are moving [our firm] to the front lines in the Cold Civil War now raging in America between socialism/Marxism and liberty/freedom.”

To which I say, “Bring it on.”

• The Essential Requirement of Hard Work and Disciplined Learning. Richard is now 87 years old and, in the memo, claims he works 12-13 hours a day 5 ½ days a week. What’s impressed me far more in the 50 years I’ve known him is his insatiable appetite for learning. He notes that for 2+ hours every day he studies business marketing and direct mail.  Every time we talk he’s reports on a new book, a new concept, a new study. Learn. Learn. Learn.  And yes, he’s an Agitator

Note to Richard:  Improving Your Memo

So, Richard, as you read this post here are some thoughts on improving the copy in your memo if you really want to recruit true conservatives.

These thoughts based on direct response testing the DonorVoice team is undertaking using Moral Foundations Theory to more effectively communicate and motivate donors.  To get beyond fundamental identities like  Republican or conservative, Democrat and liberal, parent or dog lover into a deeper more realm of motivation.

In the graphic below are five moral frames—each two rows represent the ying/yang of a given Moral lens (e.g., Harm is the opposite of Care).  So, for example a writer can frame a message or argument as doing Caring or preventing Harm.

Click to enlarge

The DonorVoice folks report testing indicates conservatives tend to use one of the lenses shaded in blue -Loyalty (its evil twin is betrayal), Authority or Purity when making exactly the type of decision you (Richard) are trying to invoke in your memo: the idea of doing something bigger/more important with your life, etc.

So, rather than just speaking at the audience with mainly descriptive factoids; bios of senior management, number of pieces mailed (hardly the stuff of a revolution) try looking at your audience of potential recruits through these lenses emphasizing words and concepts that will compel them to action.

Meanwhile, Richard, I’ll see you on the panel next week at the NIO SUMMIT

Roger

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