If They Don’t Read Anything Else, They Will Read the PS

May 29, 2012 Gary Henricksen

"Over 90 percent of readers read the PS before the letter. It is the first paragraph, not the last."

This is what Professor Siegfried Voegele found in his famous studies on direct mail response (Voegele, Handbook of Direct Mail, p 202).

You might think including a PS is trite or corny. The gurus of direct mail fundraising are of a different opinion. They always include a PS because they know it delivers.

So, if letter scanners – and that’s most of our readers – head straight for the PS, what should we say there? One school of thought: put the main reason for giving and the ask in the PS. In other words, a one or two sentence summary of the reason for giving and the request to give.

Examples from Fundraising Letters We Wrote for Our Clients

Other Examples

PS. As a not-for-profit hospital, we rely on your gift to help us support thousands of our neighbors who do not have the ability to pay, by providing free or reduced fee services. Please make an annual fund gift now of {Ask1}, {Ask2}, {Ask3}, or {Ask4} to help ensure our professionals can continue to provide the compassionate care that benefits us all and makes our community so special.
PS. When we began planning our new building, it was important to us that EVERYONE in our community should feel welcome in the Y. But without your donation, some would be left outside looking in. Please help us provide access to all by returning your donation today.

More Engaging Ways to Ask

Legendary direct mail fundraiser Mal Warwick advises something different: "Use the PS instead to disclose some benefit or intriguing fact that’s not discussed in the body copy. Make the PS irresistibly interesting." (Warwick, How to Write Successful Fundraising Letters, p 89).

That’s good advice. It’s also easier said than done! So, Mal helpfully includes 58 examples in an appendix.

Here’s an example of Warwick’s approach from a fundraising letter we wrote:

Direct mail fundraiser Jerry Huntsinger has more good examples in his lesson on the use of PSs on the Sofii website. I couldn’t agree more with this advice from Jerry: "Regardless of how you use your PS, never fail to ask for action. This is what a fundraising letter is all about."

Click here for more on what a fundraising letter “is all about,” and learn how to combine your irresistible PS with a well written letter that will help your nonprofit bring in gifts!

Want the perfect PS in your fundraising letter? We can help!

Five Maples’ team of expert copywriters have done all the research for you and can write an effective fundraising letter for your organization. Then, we will top it off with a PS that will inspire your donors and help you raise more money.