I Know We Can’t All Be Special…
And they can do better.
Today James got a letter from the University of Michigan asking for a donation.
Given all the bragging done by UM grads, I was surprised at the letter.
Here’s how the letter started out…
It’s been a few years since you graduated from the University of Michigan. Whether you’re working full time, continuing to go to school or raising a family, your life has changed since you left Ann Arbor. (my emphasis)
Okay, that was all I needed to read.
- James never really left Ann Arbor.
- The rest of the letter obviously was not relevant to us…
I know it was a form letter request - but I don’t want to feel like just a number when people want us to give them our money.
- Where was the version for the local alumni?
- There are tons of UM grads in the area.
- With technology (and all the brains on campus) it shouldn’t be too tough to do.
When you write a direct mail piece, you’ve got to earn the right to have the next paragraph read - and the next and the next…
- Readers are always looking for the off ramp.
- (Who’s got time to read everything people send us?)
- Treating James like a foreigner was our off ramp for this pitch.
NEXT!
Makes me think of chapter leaders…what do you do to make sure your communications earn the right to be read by members?
Filed under: Board challenges
