Published January 14, 2010 12:00AM
Each month we get more letters than we can publish in the magazine. Going forward we will be publishing some of those letters on our blog to spur even more conversation. Feel free to tell us what you think in the comments section below, on Twitter, or on Facebook.
The following letter comes in From Doctors Without Borders in response to Nicholas Kristof's article, How to Save the World and Influence People.
In “How to Save the World & Influence People,” the “fresh, wet tear, with a bit of hope glistening below” that Nicholas Kristof advocates non-profits use in our marketing materials is aimed at an easy win.
More often than not, the unglamorous side of marketing makes the difference. Doctors Without Borders conducted 145 marketing tests in 2009 alone with changing the font in our letters from 12 to 14 point producing the biggest difference. This testing is all to ensure we reduce our fundraising costs to put more dollars towards our field programs.
No amount of marketing can replace the honest exchange that brings in those valuable committed donors. Ultimately, loyalty is cultivated based on more than just tears. It is cultivated through information, transparency, and building trust with your donors.
Jennifer Tierney
Development Director, Doctors Without Borders