Ever open your email and feel like your brain’s going to short-circuit?

You're not alone. Seventy-four percent of U.S. adults say they feel overwhelmed by email. More than half of U.S. consumers (56%) say they’ll unsubscribe if they receive four or more marketing messages from the same company within 30 days. And it’s not just Boomers. Eighty-one percent of Gen Z and 78% of Millennials say they wish it were easier to disconnect from digital devices.

These are your future major donors asking for fewer pixels and more presence.
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That’s the opening fundraisers need. The real opportunity isn’t another email subject line tweak or fancy GIF. It’s a return to what’s real: mail and phone. Tangible. Human. Hard to ignore.

​This isn’t nostalgia talking. It’s data. And it might just be the smartest pivot you make this year.

In the race to do more, cheaper, we forgot what actually works.

Physical mail gets opened 80–90% of the time, while emails land between 20–30%. Direct mail spending has even grown recently – reaching about $39.4 billion in the U.S. in 2023.

And here’s the kicker: when mail and digital work together, results jump. In one test, donors who received both mail and email were 60.5% more likely to respond to the mail piece than those who got mail alone.

That tracks with what I saw last year. Inspired by the project Postcards to Swing States, my team handwrote and mailed over 200 postcards promoting our Giving Tuesday match. It was a standout success. Part of the magic was the form itself: a postcard is immediate – no envelope, no delay, just message received.

The phone didn’t stop working. Most programs just stopped dialing.

Organizations that add professional telemarketing to their strategy see an average 27% increase in annual donations compared to those relying solely on mail or digital campaigns.

Why? Because personalized calling does what algorithms can’t – it builds connection.

And that connection drives results. DCM’s 2023 telefundraising trends report found that contact rates have remained stable since the pandemic – holding strong at about 2.5 contacts per hour. Advocacy and political campaigns saw average gift amounts rise by 19% between 2018 and 2023, thanks to high-touch calling models.

I’ve seen the impact firsthand. Last year, I worked with a college to rebuild their phonathon from the ground up: stronger management, better scripting, and smart segmentation. In 2022, they raised $134,317. This year? $396,309. And their youngest alumni – graduates since 2020 – are showing a participation rate over 17%. That kind of traction doesn’t come from wishful thinking. It comes from consistent, human contact. 
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Telemarketing gets a bad rap, but it’s still the only channel that delivers personalized conversations at scale. It’s strategic because it’s still deeply personal.

So if you think phone is “old school,” think again. It’s working better than ever – for those who use it well.

Here’s where things get interesting: Millennials and Gen Z aren’t avoiding analog as expected but they are getting burnt out on digital.

More than 80% of Gen Z (80%) and Millennials (78%) say they share interesting mail with someone else. That’s a viral loop, but with ink and paper.

They’re open to analog – especially when it connects to the digital world. QR codes. Custom URLs. Interactive print. That’s not outdated. That’s modern engagement with real presence.

Gen X? They’ll still take your call and they appreciate personalized pieces.

Boomers? They’re the MVPs of mail. They read it, they act on it, and yes – they still pick up the phone when the number’s familiar.

We’re in the relationship business, not just the metrics business. Somewhere along the way, digital promised us scale and forgot to tell us we’d lose connection.

If you want your message to stand out, don't just add to the digital pile-up. Get in someone’s mailbox. Pick up the phone. Make it personal. Make it human.

Analog hasn’t vanished – it’s been waiting. And right now? It’s the cleanest path to cutting through.

This isn’t a call to throw out your digital playbook. It’s a nudge to rebalance. To layer your strategy. To stop thinking in either/or.

You don’t need to call everyone or mail every donor. Segment. Experiment. Pair analog with your digital. Measure. Adjust.

I’ve been doing this long enough to tell you: this is where fundraising is heading next.

I’m betting on analog. Because I’ve seen the numbers. I’ve seen the results. And I’ve seen how a phone call or handwritten postcard can do what a hundred emails never could.
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Let’s go back to what works. Not because it’s old – but because it still moves the needle.

This isn’t a blip or a nostalgia play. The signs are clear: digital fatigue is rising, mail spend is climbing, and younger donors are just as responsive to tangible, personal outreach as their parents and grandparents.

We’re not at the plateau. We’re on the upswing.

That’s why the institutions that recalibrate now – layering mail and phone back into their strategies for all generations – will see the payoff not just in annual giving but in the major gift and planned giving pipelines for decades to come. Early engagement drives loyalty, and loyalty drives legacy.

The inbox is saturated. The mailbox and the phone line are open. The organizations willing to seize that opening today are the ones who will own the donor relationships of tomorrow.

Fundraising’s next edge won’t come from squeezing another 0.2% out of your email subject line. It’ll come from showing up where people are actually ready to listen.

Cheers!
​
Jessica

P.S. Like this kind of insight? Subscribe to Real Deal Fundraising and get my best articles, tools, and curated resources every week – including webinars, videos, and free downloads.

If you liked this…

• Phonathons Are STILL Not Dead – Busting the Biggest Myths About Calling Donors
• 31 Ways to Hit the Refresh Button on Direct Mail
• Kickstart the Year: Setting Annual Giving Projections for Success
• Spoilt for Choice: Why Giving Donors Direction Works
• 10 Traits All Former Phonathon Callers Share

Works Cited:

• GlockApps – Email Fatigue and Overload
• GetApp – Why Users Unsubscribe
• Quad + Harris Poll – Gen Z & Millennial Digital Disconnect
• Postalytics – Direct Mail Stats
• Winterberry Group – 2023 Direct Mail Performance
• NextAfter – Mail + Email Synergy Study
• Callin.io – 27% Giving Increase via Telemarketing
• DCM Telefundraising Trends – Contact Rates + Gift Growth
• Lob – 2025 Direct Mail Consumer Insights
• USPS Delivers – Generational Preferences for Mail & Phone

In 2018, I sat in a conference room during a session led by executive presence coach Eda Roth. She broke down executive presence into three components: communication, appearance, and gravitas. She shared that the impact of your presence comes across in three ways:

• 55% through visual cues – your appearance and body language
• 38% through vocal cues – tone, pacing, and volume
• Only 7% through your actual words

That stuck with me. As a fundraiser, I’d been taught to focus on what I was saying: the pitch, the story, the ask. But this shifted something. I started to think more about how I was being – not just what I was saying.
And the more I worked with fundraisers in the years that followed, the more I came to believe this: Gravitas isn’t one-third of executive presence. It’s the result of the other two (communication and appearance) – plus something extra.

It’s what makes someone feel grounded, trustworthy, and clear – even before they speak. And here’s the good news: you don’t have to act like someone else to cultivate it.

Dr. Lisa Hale, writing for Forbes, defines gravitas as the blend of eight qualities: confidence, composure, credibility, clarity, conviction, connection, decisiveness, and respect. She says it’s the moment you stop asking “Do I belong in this room?” and start asking “What do the people in this room need from me?”

That’s exactly the shift fundraisers need to make.

Gravitas isn’t about being the loudest or most polished. It’s about having internal calm and external presence – so that donors, board members, and colleagues feel like they’re in steady hands.

Here’s what gravitas looks like when it shows up in real conversations and real donor meetings:

• Confidence – You know your worth, your expertise, your impact and the impact of your organization – and you let that knowledge inform your tone, your posture, and your choices.
• Composure – You stay calm when a donor surprises you with a tough question or an emotional story. You don’t rush. You breathe.
• Credibility – You follow through on your promises. You bring the right facts. You become someone they can rely on.
• Clarity – You don’t speak in jargon or try to impress. You say what you mean and ask for what’s needed – directly.
• Conviction – Your belief in your mission is tangible. You’re passionate without being pushy.
• Connection – You listen deeply. You nod. You mirror their energy. You see the person across from you.
• Decisiveness – You steer the conversation. You guide next steps. You’re not waiting for permission to lead.
• Respect – You treat your donors’ time, stories, and values with care – and you treat yourself the same way.

After that 2018 conference session, I found myself in a networking event with other women in higher education leadership. The conversation turned to fashion.

I happened to be wearing knee-high black suede boots, small fishnet hosiery, and a red-and-black dress that made me feel powerful and completely myself. So I asked, “Do you think women in higher ed leadership can be successful wearing boots and fishnets?”
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One woman answered, without missing a beat:
“Women in leadership should wear whatever makes them feel powerful.”

That’s stayed with me. We sometimes forget that appearance is part of presence – not because we have to look a certain way to be respected, but because what we wear affects how we carry ourselves. When you feel put together, you stand taller. You smile more easily. You claim your seat at the table.

Let your wardrobe reflect both professionalism and personality:

• Tailored pieces with a pop of color or bold pattern
• Comfortable, confident footwear (yes, that includes boots)
• Accessories that feel like you, not like a costume

​You don’t have to disappear into neutrals to lead with strength.

You don’t have to be a body language expert to connect powerfully in a meeting. These small cues can make a big difference:

• Nod as they talk. It shows you’re tracking – and it makes them feel heard.
• Lean in slightly when they share something important. It’s a physical signal of emotional presence.
• Mirror their posture and pace – subtly. People tend to trust those who feel “in sync” with them.
• Slow down if they’re reflective. Speed up a bit if they’re animated. Match their energy with authenticity.

Fundraisers often worry about what to say. But how you say it carries even more weight.

• Match your volume to the space and person. Don’t overpower – or disappear.
• Use pauses to let your words land – and to show confidence in your message.
• Ask a thoughtful question right before you take a bite or sip in a meeting where you are having a meal. It gives the donor the floor and you a moment to regroup.

Imposter syndrome is real. And it’s sneaky. You can be experienced, credentialed, and well-prepared – and still feel like your voice doesn’t carry weight.

But gravitas shows up when you shift from proving yourself to trusting yourself.
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You don’t need to be louder. Or slicker. You need to be more yourself – grounded, clear, and focused on the person in front of you.

Executive presence isn’t a suit you put on. It’s a muscle you build. Fundraisers with gravitas don’t just ask for money – they inspire trust, connection, and confidence.

So go ahead:

• Wear the dress that makes you walk taller.
• Ask the direct question.
• Let silence do some of the work.
• Show up as the most grounded version of yourself.

You don’t have to act like someone else to have presence. You just have to show up on purpose.

What’s one way you’re learning to trust yourself more this year – in fundraising or in life?

Cheers!
​
Jessica

P.S. Like this kind of insight? Subscribe to Real Deal Fundraising and get my best articles, tools, and curated resources every week – including webinars, videos, and free downloads.

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When I worked at the University of South Carolina from 2005 to 2010, I was proud of the cases I built. I wrote compelling scripts and talking points for our phonathon team – clear, detailed, airtight.

I led with numbers, and they were good ones. I talked about the decline in state support, the rising importance of a college degree in the job market, and the long-term economic impact of thriving public universities. I knew the statistics on student loan debt inside and out. I framed the problem clearly and gave donors a chance to be part of the solution.

And it worked. To a point.

​Looking back, those appeals were sharp – but they leaned heavily on logic and numbers. That clicked with some donors. But others? Not so much. Those appeals weren’t wrong. They were just incomplete for the wide range of minds we’re trying to reach.

Fast forward to 2012. I was at The University of Southern Mississippi, learning how to write copy for direct mail. I started ghostwriting letters for different deans, department chairs, and students. At first, I stuck to what I knew: the stats. But it didn’t feel like enough.

I needed a broader emotional range.

So I started interviewing the letter signers, weaving in their voices and their vision – what this place meant to them, not just what they wanted donors to do. That’s when I started seeing the power of storytelling.

When I came to work at Starr King School for the Ministry in 2015, I had to stretch again. The usual notes in higher ed fundraising – nostalgia, school pride, career outcomes – didn’t resonate with a justice-minded, largely layperson donor base. These were Unitarian Universalists who cared deeply about their values and how the school perpetuated those values in the world.

I needed to connect the dots with emotion, shared purpose, and a clear sense of what their giving could do.
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That meant telling stories that didn’t just inform – they moved people.

Somewhere along the way, I realized this shift wasn’t just about moving from stats to stories. It was about recognizing how different people make decisions.

One person might want the spreadsheet. Another wants the story. A third just wants the ask – clear and bold. And someone else? They want to feel like they’re part of something bigger before they commit to anything at all.

That’s when I remembered a model I’d seen back in 2007, from Mark Murphy at Leadership IQ. It mapped out the four main persuasion styles – and it helped me understand why my old appeals worked for some and left others cold.
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Here’s the gist:

There are two axes:
• Emotional → Unemotional
• Linear → Freeform

Put those together, and you get four types of decision-makers:

This is where I naturally live. I want the stats. I want the logic. I want the argument that makes sense.

If you're reading this post and wondering, “Where’s the ROI?” – you might be here too.
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That’s the kind of appeal I built early in my career. And it worked with people like me. But that’s not most donors.

Think of the board member who scans your whole appeal in 14 seconds and writes the check anyway.

They don’t need the backstory. They just want the point. What do you need, what will it do, and how much are you asking?
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Closers are decisive. If you wander, they’re gone. You need to be bold, clear, and fast.

These folks are organized and thoughtful. They care about the story and the structure. Think of the alum who replies with a thoughtful email after every annual report – who joins the volunteer committee and follows up on the agenda.
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They want a beginning, a middle, and an end. They respond when you connect emotionally but still give them a path to act.

Picture the alum who tears up thinking about the choir trip to Italy in 1983. They’re not interested in bullet points. They’re here for the moment – the meaning.
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They want to feel something. And if your message is too structured or too clinical, they’ll check out. But if you pull them in with a meaningful quote or a powerful scene, they’ll stay – and they’ll give.

In major gifts, you can tailor every ask. You’re sitting across from one person, learning what moves them, and crafting your pitch accordingly.

But in annual giving? You’re writing to the whole list. That means your appeal has to layer styles – something for each persuasion type.

• Stats and logic for the Data Scientists
• Clear action steps for the Closers
• Warm structure for the Directors
• Emotional storytelling for the Storytellers

Don’t write the appeal that would convince you. Write the one that can meet your donors where they are – all of them.

When you're working on your next appeal, ask yourself:

• Does it have a story?
• Is there data to back it up?
• Is it structured clearly?
• Is there a moment of emotion?
• Is there a clear ask?

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Fundraising is communication. And great communication connects.

This is one of my favorite things to teach. Reach out – I’ve got frameworks, real-world examples, and plenty of lessons learned the hard way.

Cheers!
​
Jessica

P.S. Like this kind of insight? Subscribe to Real Deal Fundraising and get my best articles, tools, and curated resources every week – including webinars, videos, and free downloads.

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I had a long conversation a few days ago with a brand-new college grad who’s hoping to land her first job in fundraising. We covered a lot of ground. Some of what I shared was the usual advice. Some of it was the stuff you only hear when someone’s willing to tell you the truth.
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So here’s my actual advice for those who want to break into fundraising but feel stuck because they don’t have the experience yet.  

To paraphrase the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland: “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.”

If your long-term goal is Executive Director, Chief Development Officer, or Major Gifts Officer, don’t apply for back-office roles like gift processing. Those positions matter (I’m on record as saying that partnership with these important roles is paramount to fundraising success) but they rarely lead to donor-facing roles, no matter how good you are. The leap from behind-the-scenes to front-line is a hard one, even if you’re in the same department.

If your dream job is out front with donors, start out front with donors – even if it’s entry-level. A Leadership Annual Giving or Donor Relations role might not sound flashy, but it will get you in the room with donors and decision-makers.
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Think long. Think strategically. Your first job should point in the same direction as your dream job.

Front-line fundraising roles have a personal element that doesn’t always come across on a resume. You’re selling your communication skills, your presence, your ability to connect. To put it bluntly, great fundraisers are at least in part personality hires. But, as with many things, if you have to say that you are a personality hire, you probably aren’t one.

The best way around that? Don’t rely only on paper. Talk to people.
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Tell everyone you know that you want to work in nonprofit fundraising. Your neighbor might be on the board of a food bank. Your friend’s aunt might chair the development committee at a local theater.
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Ask for informational interviews (which is exactly how this new grad got to talk with me for an hour). Join your local AFP chapter. Volunteer at events. These conversations open doors. Sometimes wide.

Research shows that women tend to apply for jobs only when they meet all the required and preferred qualifications. Men? They'll throw their hat in the ring even if they don’t check all the boxes.

Stop waiting until you’re 100% qualified. There is no one keeping score for jobs you don’t get a callback on (except maybe you). As they say, you can’t win it, if you ain’t in it.

Read the job description. If you’re even halfway there, and it aligns with your long-term goals? Apply. Don’t self-select out.
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You can learn the rest.

That’s what I told her. And if I were talking to you, I’d tell you the same.

Your career in fundraising won’t be built in a day. But if you start with intention, talk to the right people, and stop waiting for perfect – you’re already ahead of the game.

Cheers!
​
Jessica

P.S. Like this kind of insight? Subscribe to Real Deal Fundraising and get my best articles, tools, and curated resources every week – including webinars, videos, and free downloads.

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