Mike Jacobsen, CBA’s creative director/copywriter, recently enjoyed an article in Fundraising Success magazine about fundraising letter copy. In it, Kimberly Seville analyzes some pieces of direct mail she received during the most recent political campaign season from a pretty recognizable signer. According to Mike, the article manages to make two good points:

1. To be effective, there is absolutely no need for a letter to sound like it was “really” written by the person who signs it ­– the donor has no idea what that person sounds like anyway.
2. BUT an exception can and should be made when the signer is a well-known public personality with a distinctive voice (for example, Sarah Palin).

A very important thing to keep in mind: “The only voice we should be concerned about is the voice that works — the voice that raises the most money.”

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