The Experts Praise

Hot Appeals or Burnt Offerings

"Herschell Lewis, through Hot Appeals or Burnt Offerings, reminds us all that little things can make a big difference in our work with our donors and prospect. For our organizations to truly be their best, we need to clearly state why and how our donors can join us in our mission. This book can help us in that journey."

 

Pay no attention to the man behind the scr… oh, wait, you probably need to pay attention to the Wizard of Words, Herschell Gordon Lewis.

Frankly, anyone who has been alive as long as HGL really has seen everything. The guy has made a medium-sized fortune consulting with for-profits and charities on direct response techniques and language. They wouldn't keep sending him checks with all of those zeros on the end if the concepts weren't top of the line.

The problem with HGL is that he actually cares about charities. His words are direct and to the point. He makes sense and everything he touts has been time-tested — a given since he'd older than dirt. He teaches his clients to actually say what they mean - clearly. Five minutes with him is well worth the $1.5 million he'd probably charge for those idiosyncratic minutes. Or, you could just read the book. Of course, he'd never let you use idiosyncratic in copy, unless the premium was a thesaurus.

For fundraisers who seek a comprehensive solution to the "hypercompetitive" fundraising environment, Hot Appeals or Burnt Offerings is a must-have resource. Herschell is a luminary in the direct marketing community and in this insightful work he underpins the most crucial element of a successful campaign: relevance. Anyone interested in capturing the attention of — and influencing their potential donors needs to get their copy now!

Herschell Gordon Lewis might look twinkly and avuncular and a darling to have round for dinner, but his censure can pin you to a wall. Here he is again, this time at his crustiest, with a battering ram of a book for the 21st century marketer. But it’s not a book you READ, dear gentle soul … open it up and this King of Communication HOLLERS at you. If you haven’t ‘got it’ at the beginning of this tome, you sure as hell will by the end of it … or you’ll have HIM to deal with! HGL is one mean marketers’ mentor and this is another thumping, ripping stomp through the copywriter’s world. It’s fun and it’s fabulous and, actually, so’s he.

 

Herschell Gordon Lewis practices tough love in his new book on fundraising. First he describes the field as almost feral. Then he offers no-nonsense advice on how to compete in it. Want to do good in the world? You could do worse than to absorb these lessons from the direct mail master.