Renewal Series: The Architecture of the Series

In my earlier Renewal posts, I've talked a lot about how to write an individual Renewal letter -- how to make it compelling, what goes in and what stays out, and why it's so darn important to do them right. But the individual Renewal letter is just one part of an entire series.

It might be tempting to either send the same letter two or three times to your donors, hoping that one time the ask will sink in, or to take one basic letter and switch out examples of your work.

But while that might seem like an easy out, it's a mistake. You should look at your Renewal Series as a single entity -- one really long, drawn-out conversation with your donors about the importance of their donations. And it's critical that that conversation should be consciously directed by you.

Rules for your Renewal Series:

• Got stories? Now's the time to use them. If you can put a face to your mission -- a person you have helped, an animal you've saved, a family that benefitted from what you do -- your donors will flock back to you.
• Each letter should highlight the organization's needs for the coming year -- the things that your donors will be supporting with their Renewal donation -- but try to shake it up as you go. Don't rely on the same old boilerplate for each letter. Use your personal touches to describe your programs in a new way each time.
• Repetition is good to a point, but by the time you're sending the 6th effort, saying the same old thing is a waste of time, money and effort. Shake it up. Try a new approach. These people need to hear your message in a new way if you want them to renew.
• Don't forget the victories. If you've you've won a fight in the past year (with the help of your donors), don't forget to tell them. And thank them.
• Urgency is key, and should increase as the series goes on. In Direct Mail, one of the biggest challenges is getting people from the point of reading their mail, to the point of acting on what they've read. Making a case that their gift is needed NOW is a central part of motivating donors to take that extra step to reach for their checkbook.
• Acknowledge, acknowledge, acknowledge! Gratitude should be the central message of your entire series. Acknowledge their previous giving history. Acknowledge their generosity in supporting your organization when there are so many other organizations. Acknowledge that they're busy. Acknowledge that their gift may have crossed with your letter in the mail.
• BUT...a little guilt is good! Especially late in the series, it is OK to turn up the heat on your donors. Tell them how much you'd hate to lose them, how valued their support is. Remind them of all their donation makes them a part of -- what they'll be missing out on if they don't renew.

To think of it another way, as you craft your series, imagine each letter as the next step in a staircase. If the first effort is your baseline, each subsequent effort should step up the personal touches, the urgency, and the gratitude.

Tomorrow: Renewal Art tips.

And if you have questions, or feel like you want something covered more completely, please post it in the comments section!