For many people, the possibility of having influence is enough to get them to donate money to a political campaign. Now unless you're very naive, you can't really think that donating anything short of huge amounts of money will allow you to the rub shoulders with the powers-that-be.
That's why a membership upgrade mailing from the National Republican Senatorial Committee that's been in the mail since early 2010 works so well. First, there's the outer, a cream-colored 5-1/4" x 7-1/4" outer with a photo of the U.S. Capitol building and "Inner Circle" in fancy script. So already it reeks of exclusivity, and the gold bands are a nice additional flourish.
The letter inside flatters the target party member, as well as emphasizes exclusivity. "Because you have been an active leader and a concerned citizen, you are one of only a few Republicans ... who have been recommended by the Republican Senate Leadership to serve ..."
And as for rubbing shoulders, the letter continues, the Inner Circle's membership has been personally addressed by both former Presidents Bush, Sean Hannity and Mikhail Gorbachev, among others. That's a pretty big benefit right there, and more are offered in a separate brochure, including special credentials, event invitations, a framed U.S. Capitol lithograph, and occasional free books.
But back to the letter — it's not all sunshine and lollipops. What would a political fundraising letter be without a swipe at the opposition? "We must not forget or dismiss — not even for a moment — the seriousness of the threat we face from ultra-liberal Democrats," it warns, with a bullet-pointed list of actions sure to raise hackles of hard-core Republicans, like "Taken over Wall Street, Banks and the Financial Industry" and "Failed miserably at stimulating the economy and creating jobs."
Having set the stage for the loyal party member to move up to the Inner Circle level, the reply form includes a line with an invitation to call the main office with any questions, and a few lines below that, room for her preferred telephone numbers and email address. Together, these two final touches cement the donor's commitment.
Paul Bobnak is the Archive Director at the Who's Mailing What! Archive, the world's most complete library of direct mail. He can be reached at pbobnak@napco.com
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