“Teaser copy.” You’ve seen it, I’m sure.
Teaser copy is that little bit of copy on the outside of the envelope. Its job? Get you to open the envelope and read the letter inside.
It seems to be almost standard for fundraising appeals these days. But it shouldn’t be.
Teasers can be very effective – if they’re good. Otherwise, you risk turning off the reader, making the package look as mass-produced as it is… and sending your letter to the recycling bin.
If you’re not sure your teaser copy is great, you’re probably better off going with a plain envelope with a real stamp. (You can get nonprofit rate stamps – more personal looking than a meter or indicia.)
But more often than not, the mail that makes its way to my house carries some sort of teaser. Most of the real clunkers I see don’t even make it into the house. (The recycling bin is in the garage.) Others I keep as a warning, or for a laugh.
Is your teaser copy effective?
Thanks to some recent pieces I’ve received, here’s a clue:
Your donors don’t care about your annual fund. Or your annual fund goals. Or your budget.
So why waste opportunities by focusing on boring inside stuff?
Donors are moved by the chance to help. The chance to change the world, make it a better place in some way. They give from their hearts and it’s their hearts you need to reach. Your organization is the vehicle, not the journey’s end. You’re there to put their dreams of a better world into action.
And if your envelope doesn’t focus on donors’ dreams or fears, if it’s not compelling, or mysterious or urgent… you’re done. Every penny, every hour you’ve spent on that piece goes right into the bin.
What do you think?
Let’s play a little game. Which one of these envelopes do you think will persuade me, the donor, to open it?
Don’t bother with teaser copy if it’s not interesting
See the ones on the right? All about the organization, not about the potential donor. I’m not interested in your annual fund. I don’t think of myself as your donor.
I want to know where I come in. (Envelope D gets extra points off because it was addressed to “Mr. and Mrs.”. I have never been a Mrs. and I bristle when people want to remove my name and give me my husband’s. It’s foolish to make assumptions because it makes your database easier to manage.)
Listen. We do good work. All of these organizations do. And we do need support. But we won’t get enough support if we don’t get out of our own internal mindsets and think like donors.
Avoid the inside baseball stuff like your annual fund calendar or goals. That’s what you do within your organization. It’s like asking me to be alarmed because you’ve been using too many paper clips. Not my problem.
Instead, inspire me. Worry me. Tease me with a story I have to keep reading. Make me feel needed.
To tease or not to tease
So, use a teaser? Sure, if you’ve got something great – something that will intrigue me enough to get me to open that envelope. (That’s the envelope’s whole job, right?) Make it good, and it can get you over that first, most important hurdle. The examples on the left do that. They look personal. There’s a story I’ll want to hear. There’s an urgent need I have to respond to.
But is it boring or all about your inside systems? Skip it.
Do you have some great examples of hits or misses? Share them in the comments!
Want to read more on the subject? Try these from Jerry Huntsinger and Lisa Sargent.
Mary,
My first comment is that envelope E would be my first choice. Being a former preschool teacher makes me a sucker for children’s drawings.
My second comment is about your never being a “Mrs.” If you read my recent post, you know I had a conversation with a couple of local philanthropist. A comment she made was that “any organization that she gave to and then sent the thank you in her husband’s name, never got another dime from her again.’
That will actually be the subject for a future post.
I’m sure whoever handles the data thought that would be an easier, cleaner way to handle it. But that shouldn’t be the goal.
And I liked the drawing, too. Good organization, good approach.
Thanks, Richard!
Wondering why I’m not seeing any art (envelope illustrations) with your post. I’m looking at my gmail inbox at full screen.
You might need to allow images. Gmail often hides them until you do – a security measure. If that doesn’t work, just click through to the website and you’ll be able to see them all. Thanks for reading!
Mary, I loved your headline. Then, when I read your post, you definitely made it worthwhile.
I found Envelope B — “Your Annual Fund Enclosed” to be so bizarre that I initially doubted that it was a real example. I’ve now taken some time to think about, and I still don’t have a clue what it means. However, I do know it has nothing to do with me. Sheesh!
Generally, I hate teaser copy. Nothing says “junk mail” quicker than teaser copy, particularly when paired with a window envelope. However, I also recognize that it does work if done properly. The key with direct mail is to test, provided the nonprofit’s mailing list is large enough. The charity should test different teaser messages and no message at all. The charity should also segment the test into acquisition and renewal segments; teaser copy might be more effective with acquisition while a more personal approach might work better with existing donors.
Another way to get direct mail envelopes opened is to hand-address them or use a handwriting font (there are some very good ones out there). A hand-addressed look with a live postage stamp stands a good chance of getting opened. But, again, test it.
Yet another way to get a direct mail package opened is to use an odd sized envelope. For example, a large flat envelope or small monarch size. Again, test it.
The worst teaser copy I’ve received was “Thank You!” I thought it was a thank-you letter from an organization I didn’t remember supporting. So, I opened it. Guess what? I didn’t remember supporting them because I had not given them anything. The letter was really a fundraising acquisition appeal. I never was able to quite figure out what they were thanking me for. I was a little annoyed. However, I felt a bit better when I promptly deposited the letter in the recycling bin.
I agree with everything you said, Michael. I think my least favorite are the ones made to look like invoices with some sort of scary “overdue” copy. Seriously, how dare they?
Mary, I love the line: It’s like asking me to be alarmed because you’ve been using too many paper clips. Not my problem.
Thanks, Diana!
Ah teasers … I look at teasers every day in my work in every category of non-profit, B-to-C, or B-to-B DM. They work a lot of the time, but Michael’s absolutely right- the key is to test everything. The great Mal Decker, who died last week, used to say there were 2 rules for testing: 1. Test everything; 2. See rule #1.
Teasers for fundraising should be about engaging the donor or member to open the envelope (Job #1). Of A, C, & E, E is the best, easily.
One of my favorites is from the Union of Concerned Scientists acquisition letter: “It’s time to clear the air …” below photos of Rush Limbaugh, Sarah Palin, and Glenn Beck. Brilliant package that’s been the UCS’s control for over 3 years. So many others!
It must be fun, looking at so much. I have to admit, though, that I don’t look as carefully as I should. So much of what ends up at my house looks the same.
I’m so with you – I’m sick of getting envelopes with “Support our 2015 Annual Fund”. As a donor, I don’t care about the annual fund. I want to know what you’re doing that matters. What lives have been changed? What impact have you had.
I wish more nonprofits would read and digest your article Mary!
Thanks, Sandy. I appreciate that!
Seems like it wouldn’t need saying. And yet…