Future Fundraising Now

Help me sell new book on fundraising

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by

Jeff Brooks
in

TFGcovertiltshadow200

I could use your help marketing my new book, The Fundraiser’s Guide to Irresistible Communications: Real-World, Field-Tested Strategies for Raising More Money.

I’m looking for a marketing tagline: A succinct, powerful, persuasive sentence that will help people decide this book is something they need — that this book will help them meaningfully and immediately improve their fundraising, and that it’s easy to read, practical, and based on experience. (In fact, it is all those things. Not everyone knows that yet.)

Here are some tagline choices. Please vote for your favorite. If you have a different suggestion, leave it as a comment.

Which tagline do you think works best?
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
pollcode.com free polls 

Thanks for your help!

The Fundraiser’s Guide to Irresistible Communications is available at Amazon, Amazon.co.uk, or from the publisher (best bet if you need multiple copies)

    Comments

    20 responses to “Help me sell new book on fundraising”

    1. Karen Zapp, copywriter Avatar
      Karen Zapp, copywriter

      Jeff,
      Few thoughts off the top of my head for you which I think align with your viewpoint. Plus they’ll likely catch the reader’s eye and draw them in:
      > When raising money matters more than “warm and fuzzy”
      [Note: This incorporates a concept which I assume is covered in your book is that you can’t sugar coat an issue to the point of hiding its meaning just because you – the copywriter/fundraiser – feel good about a softer approach. This does NOT mean someone is nasty in the letter, email, etc. It just means you’re clear and leave out the fluff.]
      Variations of this concept include:
      > No nonsense way to REALLY get donors opening their wallets
      > Be bold or close your doors
      Other thoughts:
      > Donors first. Your charity a distant second.
      > This works. Period. Ignore at your own risk.
      > Go Broke or Raise Funds. Those helped by your charity hope you choose wisely.
      > Field-Tested. Donor approved. This works … Period!

    2. Karen Zapp, copywriter Avatar
      Karen Zapp, copywriter

      Jeff,
      Few thoughts off the top of my head for you which I think align with your viewpoint. Plus they’ll likely catch the reader’s eye and draw them in:
      > When raising money matters more than “warm and fuzzy”
      [Note: This incorporates a concept which I assume is covered in your book is that you can’t sugar coat an issue to the point of hiding its meaning just because you – the copywriter/fundraiser – feel good about a softer approach. This does NOT mean someone is nasty in the letter, email, etc. It just means you’re clear and leave out the fluff.]
      Variations of this concept include:
      > No nonsense way to REALLY get donors opening their wallets
      > Be bold or close your doors
      Other thoughts:
      > Donors first. Your charity a distant second.
      > This works. Period. Ignore at your own risk.
      > Go Broke or Raise Funds. Those helped by your charity hope you choose wisely.
      > Field-Tested. Donor approved. This works … Period!

    3. Andrew Avatar
      Andrew

      > 20 years of lessons in less than 150 pages.
      > The fundraiser’s master class.
      > Lost secrets of the fundraising gods.
      > Multiply your fundraising power! Details inside!

    4. Andrew Avatar
      Andrew

      > 20 years of lessons in less than 150 pages.
      > The fundraiser’s master class.
      > Lost secrets of the fundraising gods.
      > Multiply your fundraising power! Details inside!

    5. Fern Sanford Avatar
      Fern Sanford

      It’s all about the donor.

    6. Fern Sanford Avatar
      Fern Sanford

      It’s all about the donor.

    7. Michelle Avatar
      Michelle

      To combine Karen’s suggestion above with your top option:
      No-nonsense fundraising that works.

    8. Michelle Avatar
      Michelle

      To combine Karen’s suggestion above with your top option:
      No-nonsense fundraising that works.

    9. Tom Ahern Avatar
      Tom Ahern

      Buy this book. It will pay for itself a million times over … literally!

    10. Tom Ahern Avatar
      Tom Ahern

      Buy this book. It will pay for itself a million times over … literally!

    11. Tina Cincotti Avatar
      Tina Cincotti

      Just 150 pages til you know everything you need to raise more money.

    12. Tina Cincotti Avatar
      Tina Cincotti

      Just 150 pages til you know everything you need to raise more money.

    13. Cynthia Avatar
      Cynthia

      I think your ideas are catchy, but would like to make a suggestion: How to write words that will make people want to save the world.
      In a sentence, that’s what your book does.

    14. Cynthia Avatar
      Cynthia

      I think your ideas are catchy, but would like to make a suggestion: How to write words that will make people want to save the world.
      In a sentence, that’s what your book does.

    15. Sam Vigil Jr, CFRE Avatar
      Sam Vigil Jr, CFRE

      Jeff,
      In my view, only two of those you listed are the best and really work — catchy, succinct, memorable, rhythmic, easily roll off the tongue, and pull me in even further after the subtitle has already grabbed my attention:
      – Fundraising that works.
      – Fundraising for the real world.
      “Fundraising that works.” – I like it… and I don’t like it. But I think it may work the best of the two.
      I don’t like it because it is such a cliche. But, I like it because it catches me. I want solutions that work, and “Fundraising that works” tugs at the emotions I have to find solutions that work! And I feel this sense of urgency… I want solutions that I can use now! And “Fundraising that works” implies I can start using those solutions right now. That strong pull overcomes my dislike for the cliche.
      “Fundraising for the real world” implies solutions that work – in the real world! (..even if just about anything “real world” is a cliche, too.) It’s not some pie-in-the-sky theory, but implies the solutions have been tested “in the real world,” right down at the nitty-gritty street level where I spend most of my time. In addition, “for the real world” echoes the “Real-World, Field-Tested Strategies…” part of the subtitle… which could also make it seem redundant.
      But, those two would make me pick up the book and at least leaf through it.
      My $0.02.
      Sam
      P.S. Yes, I’m buying the book, even without the tagline.

    16. Sam Vigil Jr, CFRE Avatar
      Sam Vigil Jr, CFRE

      Jeff,
      In my view, only two of those you listed are the best and really work — catchy, succinct, memorable, rhythmic, easily roll off the tongue, and pull me in even further after the subtitle has already grabbed my attention:
      – Fundraising that works.
      – Fundraising for the real world.
      “Fundraising that works.” – I like it… and I don’t like it. But I think it may work the best of the two.
      I don’t like it because it is such a cliche. But, I like it because it catches me. I want solutions that work, and “Fundraising that works” tugs at the emotions I have to find solutions that work! And I feel this sense of urgency… I want solutions that I can use now! And “Fundraising that works” implies I can start using those solutions right now. That strong pull overcomes my dislike for the cliche.
      “Fundraising for the real world” implies solutions that work – in the real world! (..even if just about anything “real world” is a cliche, too.) It’s not some pie-in-the-sky theory, but implies the solutions have been tested “in the real world,” right down at the nitty-gritty street level where I spend most of my time. In addition, “for the real world” echoes the “Real-World, Field-Tested Strategies…” part of the subtitle… which could also make it seem redundant.
      But, those two would make me pick up the book and at least leaf through it.
      My $0.02.
      Sam
      P.S. Yes, I’m buying the book, even without the tagline.

    17. Danny Avatar
      Danny

      Forget what you know – know what works.

    18. Danny Avatar
      Danny

      Forget what you know – know what works.

    19. promotional video production Avatar
      promotional video production

      It’s all about the donor, without them caring fundraising would never work.

    20. promotional video production Avatar
      promotional video production

      It’s all about the donor, without them caring fundraising would never work.

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    The future of fundraising is not about social media, online video, or SEM. It’s not about any technology, medium, or technique. It’s about donors. If you need to raise funds from donors, you need to study them, respect them, and build everything you do around them. And the future? It’s already here. More.

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    Jeff BrooksJeff Brooks has been serving the nonprofit community for more than 35 years and blogging about it since 2005. He considers fundraising the most noble of pursuits and hopes you’ll join him in that opinion. You can reach him at jeff [at] jeff-brooks [dot] com. More.

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    The future of fundraising is not about social media, online video, or SEM. It’s not about any technology, medium, or technique. It’s about donors. If you need to raise funds from donors, you need to study them, respect them, and build everything you do around them. And the future? It’s already here. More.

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    About the blogger

    Jeff Brooks has been serving the nonprofit community for more than 30 years and blogging about it since 2005. He considers fundraising the most noble of pursuits and hopes you’ll join him in that opinion. You can reach him at jeff [at] jeff-brooks [dot] com.