THE NUTSHELL: Starting in July 31, 2024, John Lepp will guide you through a series of free 10 - 15 minute clinics about direct response filled with practical advice on how improve your individual giving and direct mail immediately. The rest of the hour will be yours for questions. Sound good? Keep reading!

“…John’s presentation flow is terrific — fast-paced, energetic, engaging and informative!”

I see you. You’re a passionate fundraiser working extremely hard trying to make more revenue for your mission every day. Do you get frustrated sometimes trying to figure out what is working and what isn’t? Maybe you want to take your ‘mail’ game to the next level. These creative clinics are for you!

Mark your calendars for these, every other Wednesday at 1 pm EST, clinics.

July 31, 2024 - What is direct marketing? Why direct mail? Or digital? Is this a house mailing or special? This DM Clinic, in 10-15 mins, will give you a quick over view of the basics and foundational understanding of this craft - some might call it ‘the lay of the land’. The rest of the hour will be yours to ask questions!

August 14, 2024 - How can you dominate your donor’s mailbox? In today’s DM Clinic, we will go over a highlight reel of things you can do to make your appeal get noticed first and hopefully, opened first too! The rest of the hour will be yours to ask questions!

August 28, 2024 - How do humans make decisions? This is a lay-person’s look at some basic concepts that you should know since these simple things can make a donor respond the way you want or not at all. The rest of the hour will be open for your questions.

September 11, 2024 - What goes in the box? This is a quick overview of the moving pieces of your appeals. What needs to be in it? What function do they provide and why they need to be there. The rest of the hour will be open for your questions.

September 25, 2024 - A letter autopsy Let’s open up and look at the things that we better find inside to give your appeal half a chance at succeeding! The rest of the time will be yours for questions!

October 9, 2024 - Tis the season! Let’s have an early look at great holiday appeals! This bonus session will have an early look at some great holiday packs, what makes this time fo year so important for all of you and how you can gain an edge against the other charities all competing for your donors gifts! The rest of the time, if there is any, will be yours for questions!

October 23, 2024 - What is mezzo fundraising? Let’s talk about this special segment of donors and the sorts of conversations you should be having with them. The rest of the hour will be yours for questions.

November 6, 2024 - It’s called a ‘reply’ form for a reason Let’s look at the anatomy of a great, well performing, reply form and the things that need to be on it to make it work! The rest of the time will be yours for all of your questions!

November 20, 2024 - How much of a nerd are you? This craft is made up of all things that have tried and tested for many, many… MANY years. I will share as many nerdy things as i can into the wild and crazy clinic. The rest of the time will be yours, as always, for your questions.

December 4, 2024 - The direct response super hack This clinic will look at one of the biggest, creative hacks you can bring to your program. Not for the faint of heart or non believer. You need to commit or walk away. Are you up for the challenge? The rest of the time will be yours for questions.

December 18, 2024 - Thank you. This final dm clinic will focus on gratitude. For you. For your donor. How to say thanks with impact across your whole program. The rest of the time will be yours for questions.

You will learn:

• what is direct response

• how to make sure your appeal gets looked at first

• ways to ensure your letter gets read

• how to improve your response rates and average gift

• what needs to go into your mail pack to make it more effective

• 1,000 tiny things that are easily dismissed but can revolutionize your fundraising program!

“To find someone who is so passionate about direct response – when so many techniques have fallen out of favour (for some inexplicable reason) – means a lot to me!”

Why does a circle on your reply form instantly help you raise average gifts and make more money? What are the key things that must be in your letter to get a donor to give (and a story isn’t one of them)? How can you make sure, that in a stack of envelopes, yours gets looked at (and opened) first? Why should you include at least one insert into your mail piece? Why does the length of your letter matter? And (as they say) much… much… more…

John has featured across many of these platforms: