Do you wish you could raise more money – much more money – through your year end fundraising letter?

Are you sending out an annual appeal letter this year, and wondering how you can double the amount of money you raise through that campaign?

Would you like to start using direct mail at your organization, or supercharge your current direct mail fundraising program?

If direct mail isn’t playing a role in your overall fundraising strategy, it should be.

According to The Next Generation of American Giving, Blackbaud’s report on generational giving habits, “direct mail continues to be the workhorse.”  In fact, “93 percent of individual donations still come through traditional offline channels.”  And that’s not going to change overnight.

It’s clear.  If you’re not using direct mail, you’re leaving money on the table.

Now just in time to help you create your year-end direct mail fundraising package comes Your Year-End Appeal | The Basics and More, my six-week eCourse created to make your organization’s direct mail fundraising as successful as possible.

“I just wanted to thank you again for your help with our Annual Appeal. This year, we almost doubled the amount we have ever received from one appeal. Amazing!”

Curran Streett, MPH Executive Director
The Pride Center of the Capital Region
Albany, NY

If you struggle with writing or donor segmentation, if you’ve never created a direct mail appeal, or if you just want to ensure that you’re doing everything in your power to maximize your results, this course is for you.

Your Year-End Appeal runs from Monday, November 17th through Wednesday, December 10th.  This is an online class, delivered via email.  In addition to the course syllabus and special bonuses, you’ll also gain access to our Private Facebook Group where you can ask questions, share your own examples, and get feedback.

“There is truly NO better small shop resource!!!”

Dr. Janet Buchanan, CFRE
Vice President, Philanthropy
Carroll Lutheran Village

Learning was never so much fun!

Every Monday morning, you’ll receive comprehensive guides to the topic of the week that you can read on your computer, smartphone, tablet or e-reader, or print out to read at your convenience.  Each guide contains 5-15 pages and presents everything you need to know to dramatically increase your organization’s direct mail fundraising revenue in the crucial last few months of 2014.

When we helped Maria Stein Shrine with their 2013 year-end appeal letter (mailed to house file alone), it raised 23% more than the preceding year.

“Possibly even better, there were 61 new donors whose donations ranged from $10 to $1,000. Thanks for your help making this happen!”

Don Rosenbeck
Executive Director, Maria Stein Shrine of the Holy Relics

Don’t worry if you’re not technologically savvy.  We’ll include information on how to download and read/listen/or watch the course materials for all class participants.

The Class Modules: Direct Mail Fundraising | The Basics and More!

Here are the course modules you’ll receive with this class:

Week One (Monday, November 17) – Why Direct Mail?

• Guide:  Direct Mail Fundraising, More Relevant Now than Ever!
• Bonus:  Direct Mail on a Shoestring Budget.  Listen in on my recorded 30 minute teleseminar with direct mail guru Mal Warwick

Week Two (Wednesday, November 19) – Your Case Statement

• Guide:  Writing a Case Statement That Reels ‘Em In!
• Bonus:  Case Statement Worksheet
• Interview Worksheet

Week Three (Monday, November 24) – Your Design

• Guide:  Successful Direct Mail Design on a Budget
• Bonus:  Cheat Sheet:  20 power phrases that that will make your donor feel like the hero of your fundraising direct mail
• Bonus:  Free and Low Cost Design Resources
• Podcast:  How to Use Design to Hook Readers and Convey Emotion

Week Four (Tuesday, November 25) – Segmentation and Your Donors

• Guide:  The Complete Guide to Donor Segmentation

Week Five (Monday, December 8) – Secrets to Donor-Centricity

• Guide:  The Secrets to Writing a Donor-Centric Appeal Letter
• Bonus:  Nonprofit Bulk Mail: Do-it-yourself Versus Outsource from Blase Ciabaton, the Direct Mail Man

Week Six (Wednesday, December 10) – Taking it Multi-Channel & Follow-Up

• Guide:  Beginning Strategies for Bringing Your Direct Mail Donors Online

“Last week, I received my first $100,000 gift. I have such great stories to tell about the good work we do. It’s easy to be passionate when you’re doing what you love.I do not have any staff and my board has set a goal for me of $1 million by December 31, 2014. I really received the reigns of the foundation in late October. Since then, I have raised nearly $325,000. My annual appeal was very successful.

Using your book, webinars, classes, etc. I am moving forward nicely!

As your emails always say, Yes, you have my back!”

Teri Donaldson, Executive Director, The Futures Foundation

With Your Year-End Appeal | The Basics and More you’ll learn by doing.  And you’ll have lifetime access to the class materials!  So even if you’re not able to attend to the classes as they arrive in your inbox, you can read at your leisure.  There are no tests or quizzes, only solid information that you can review whenever you’re ready and worksheets created to guide you every step of the way.

“Your new direct mail course was very helpful and beneficial to me. In this course, you simplified something that has become so complicated at times. Everyone is looking for a way to stand out. Everyone wants their direct mail campaign to make a BIG difference. Your course provides easy-to follow steps of how to accomplish this. I especially liked that the course was broken up over six weeks and focused on a new component of direct mail each week. By including actions to complete each week you also forced us to sit down and really understand what you were teaching while working toward the goal of our end of the year appeal—Thank you!”

Tyler D. Wilson, Executive Director
The Ricky Proehl P.O.W.E.R. of Play Foundation

Who is This Class For?

Your Year-End Appeal | The Basics & More is designed for anyone who wants to learn how to raise more money through the mail, including supercharging your annual appeal letters and maximizing revenue from an ongoing direct mail fundraising program, as well as how to launch a fundraising mail campaign for the first time. Direct mail fundraising still works – and produces amazing results for non-profits worldwide – but raising money through the mail takes practice.  Learn what works and what doesn’t through this comprehensive multimedia class. This class is design for both those new to direct mail fundraising as well as seasoned development professionals.  Non-profit founders, executive directors, development directors, fundraising staff, board members, fundraising consultants and volunteers will all benefit from this course.

Learn from the Best in the Business

Year-End Appeal | The Basics & More is being presented by Pamela Grow.

Pamela Grow is the founder of Simple Development Systems | The Membership Program, and Basics & More, ‘fundraising fundamentals’ ecourses. She’s raised hundreds of millions through her consultancy, her widely-read Grow Report ezine, her affordable Basics & More eCourses, and her membership program. Pam’s over-riding goal is to provide exceptional donor-centered fundraising training to small nonprofit organizations — at prices they can afford. With Chris Davenport, Pamela created 100 Donors in 90 Days and The Donor Retention Project. In 2010 Pamela was named one of the 50 Most Influential Fundraisers by the influential Civil Society magazine, and in 2014 she was named one of the Top 50 Most Effective Fundraising Consultants by the Michael Chatman Giving Show. She’s been featured by the Chronicle of Philanthropy, the Foundation Center and co-hosts Little Shop a regular column of FundRaising Success Magazine. She is a regular contributor to SOFII, the showcase of fundraising innovation and inspiration, and Charity Channel.

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Two options:

Regular Registration

$77

Or Premium Registration

Need some extra help?  Sign up for our Year-End Appeal Letter Review with Mary Cahalane and Pamela Grow.  Click here for more information.  But hurry — we have just 10 slots open.