Every day, I am guided by pithy sayings. No, not the trite clichés we're overly exposed to. But short, sweet axioms that succinctly convey the sentiments that make up my signature. They are bite-size reminders that help me make decisions each and every day.
Bookmark this post, write your favorite on a sticky note, copy and paste it as an image for your desktop background. Think of it as a compendium of best practices for your direct mail letters, newsletters, cases, and annual reports, as well as your all-important digital realm.
Finally, another 100% true story:
Getting noticed can be negative. Sometimes "aggressive" and "unusual" leave an unreadable signature...a really bad taste.
Take Robbie, a guy I know well. He ran out of tried and true (and tired) ideas to "bring 'em in." He owned a carpet store and needed cash because he didn't need his accounts payable.
He began with the usual: a Lost our Lease Sale, a Fire Sale (word is that a trash can actually lit up), a Flood Sale (honest, the toilet overflowed), a Going Out Of Business Sale (he did, for a long holiday week-end), a Stock Liquidation Sale...you get the idea?
The truth is that he really wanted out, desperately needed cash and had to liquidate.
But how, one more time, to "bring 'em in"? Robbie did it.
His finale, (it's not pretty enough to be called his swan song...more like the ugly duckling)...was...FOUND MY LEASE SALE! And he did find it...somewhere. But he never found his conscience.
Bookmark this post, write your favorite on a sticky note, copy and paste it as an image for your desktop background. Think of it as a compendium of best practices for your direct mail letters, newsletters, cases, and annual reports, as well as your all-important digital realm.
- People give more to people than they do to organizations.
- Fundraisers should consider raising friends, not money.
- Donors don't want to be seen as "piggy banks"...they want to be seen as partners in a cause
- I agree with Mary Kay Ash, founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics, who said that people only want two things more than sex and money: recognition and praise.
- We are not entitled to our customer's loyalty...we must earn it and continue to earn it.
- We, not our clients, must take full responsibility for our relationships.
- Given the choice of selling yourself or selling your product, sell yourself.
- Ask your clients and customers for introductions.....not referrals.
- Howard Luck Gossage once said, “The fact of the matter is that nobody reads ads. People read what interests them; and sometimes it’s an ad.”
- Getting noticed can be positive. Sometimes impressive degrees, resumes, interviewing skills and experience won't land you that coveted job, but by writing an aggressive cover letter or unusual thank you letter, you may get the positive attention that can lead to a hire.
Finally, another 100% true story:
Getting noticed can be negative. Sometimes "aggressive" and "unusual" leave an unreadable signature...a really bad taste.
Take Robbie, a guy I know well. He ran out of tried and true (and tired) ideas to "bring 'em in." He owned a carpet store and needed cash because he didn't need his accounts payable.
He began with the usual: a Lost our Lease Sale, a Fire Sale (word is that a trash can actually lit up), a Flood Sale (honest, the toilet overflowed), a Going Out Of Business Sale (he did, for a long holiday week-end), a Stock Liquidation Sale...you get the idea?
The truth is that he really wanted out, desperately needed cash and had to liquidate.
But how, one more time, to "bring 'em in"? Robbie did it.
His finale, (it's not pretty enough to be called his swan song...more like the ugly duckling)...was...FOUND MY LEASE SALE! And he did find it...somewhere. But he never found his conscience.
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