*Please note this webinar recording covers direct-mail newsletters, not email newsletters*
This recorded webinar will give you all the steps -- from concept to writing, design, and printing -- for creating a direct-mail newsletter that will motivate your donors to give and keep on giving.
Your presenter, Jeff Brooks, was one of the creators of the original “Domain Formula” that turned nonprofit newsletters from a cost center to a revenue generator. Jeff is the author of three books: The Fundraiser's Guide to Irresistible Communications, The Money-Raising Nonprofit Brand, and How to Turn Your Words into Money.
Jeff has created thousands of newsletters for nonprofit organizations across North America and Europe. He’ll show you the tested and proven best practices for newsletters that get results.
These newsletter tactics have been shown to raise money at a clip that sometimes exceeds direct mail appeals. Better yet, they significantly improve donor retention rates -- that’s the “Holy Grail” of successful fundraising programs!
These powerful newsletter tactics are based on hundreds of scientific tests -- no guesswork or consultant hype here! Just solid knowledge that gets the job done!
During This Nonprofit Webinar Recording You Will Learn:
How to write the stories that capture your donors' hearts, donations, and long-term loyalty
- What (almost) every newsletter story is about
- The style and tone that work (and I can prove it)
- The free online tool that helps turn you into a copywriting genius
- The one thing not to omit from your newsletter, ever
- How to write headlines that will make all your hard work pay off
How to package your newsletter for maximum impact
- How to mail it so people will be glad to receive it
- Winning (and losing) newsletter formats
- The two ingredients that all successful newsletters include
How to choose images that tell the right story
How to design your newsletter so donors will read, comprehend, and be transformed by it
- How to design for skimmers (that is, almost everyone)
- How to make sure every word you write is fully readable
You’ll Get These BONUS Materials:
- Why a Donor Newsletter? (One-sheet case to help persuade your boss that this is the right thing to do now.)
- A Must Have Newsletter Story Checklist.
- A One-Page Newsletter Writer's Guide to Stick on Your Wall
- Checklist: Where to Start with Your Newsletter
- The Webinar Recording and Slides
About Your Topic Expert:
Jeff is specifically qualified to teach this webinar because:
- Has been writing fundraising for more than 30 years: newsletters, direct mail, digital, broadcast ...
- Was part of the team that researched and refined the first true donor newsletters back in the 1990s. Ask about the “Domain Formula.”
- Has written and directed a lot of Donor Newsletters – there was a 10-year period when he wrote about three newsletters per week, every week.
- Is the author of 3 books on fundraising, Including The Fundraiser’s Guide to Irresistible Communications
Jeff Brooks has served the nonprofit community for more than 25 years, working as a writer and creative director on behalf of large and small nonprofits, including CARE, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, World Vision, Feeding America, Project HOPE, and dozens of urban rescue missions and Salvation Army divisions. He has planned and executed hundreds of campaigns in direct mail, print, radio, the internet, and other media that have motivated millions of donors to help make the world a better place.
He blogs at futurefundraisingnow.com, and is the author of three books: The Fundraiser's Guide to Irresistible Communications, The Money-Raising Nonprofit Brand, and How to Turn Your Words into Money. He lives in Seattle.
What Attendees Said about This Nonprofit Webinar:
“Completely explained everything we'd been doing wrong in our outreach through newsletters. This is a wonderful resource for writing a print newsletter to donors to make them feel like a valued part of your organization.”
Kristin Jones, The Lex Rex Institute
“Jeff's presentation was clear, simple, and positive, a perfect model of what he was recommending for writing newsletters. The information was quite helpful.”
Janine Whealan, Wade Institute for Science Education
“Once again, Jeff opened up our organization's eyes to some things we can change about communicating with donors. He is the best!
Mychela Burkhart, Alzheimer's and Dementia Alliance of Wisconsin
“The webinar was well worth the time and money. Very helpful dos and don'ts, guides, examples and concepts. Nothing complex, but practices I hadn't thought about before.”
Dick Burk, REACH for Uganda
“Informative, resourceful, accessible -- this donor cultivation 101 should be in everyone's starter pack! The follow-the-leader mindset that moves like a school of fish in digital communications leads to many mistakes -- simple ones too! I appreciate the data-informed best practices shared - golden nuggets!”
Richard Souto, Learning through an Expanded Arts Program( LEAP)
“I found today's webinar to be a refreshing take on a topic I thought I knew a lot about. The presenter's tips and suggested apps are going to make a huge difference in our writing in all mediums going forward. I'm actually looking forward to our next newsletter!”
Chris Wiseman, Habitat for Humanity of Chester County
“This webinar was very helpful. I knew the basics about always addressing and thanking the donor, but the examples were enlightening and helped me see how to write stories that are much more interesting than the way I currently write them. Thank you for all these wonderful insights!”
Molly Blancke, Lutheran Counseling Center
“Great material, easy to follow and understand the speaker, and he explained relevant information that we can use for our org--thank you so much!!”
Nancy Saavedra, San Diego County Breastfeeding Coalition
“This webinar was jam-packed with great information on what to do and what not to do when putting together a donor newsletter. Definitely one of the most helpful webinars I've attended! Thank you, Jeff!”
Donna Chickering, Rogue River Watershed Council
“I'm so impressed with Jeff's knowledge of this topic and the amount of tips he was able to pack into a short time. This is a great value for anyone who writes newsletters.”
Abby Gwaltney, Community Coalition for Haiti
“If you are considering starting a newsletter for your organization, this webinar is absolutely ESSENTIAL! It is well worth your time!”
Eric Johnson, Supporting Heroes
“I enjoyed the interactive portions of the webinar. It was great to hear how others re-wrote the headlines, and it gave me some additional ideas.”
Pamela Sola, OMSC
“My thought process for developing and designing our organization’s newsletter has been significantly changed. I have some new tools for my toolbox and I now look forward to our next newsletter.”
Mark Lane - The Heat and Warmth Fund
“The webinar was very informative, and a great refresher on what to do and what not to do. The research the presenter has done was helpful in what works and what may not work.”
Rhea Landholm - Center for Rural Affairs
“It was obvious that the presenter knew what he was talking about. I liked the simplistic, straight-forward information. The presenter stayed on topic and had a warm, friendly voice, which made it easy to listen and engage. The content was perfect and exactly what I needed to create a compelling newsletter for our organization.”
Ginger Morris
For more on nonprofit donor relationships and acquisition, check out these webinars.
