1. Build suspense and anticipation

2. Use enough variety

3. Repeat the promotion often

4. Give the listener an immediate way to respond

If you’re airing promos, sending e-blasts, or using social media that simply announce when your fundraiser is

going start and tell listeners they will have an opportunity to "partner" with your ministry ... STOP immediately!

Don't do any of this kind of promotion if you can't deliver the goods when your fundraiser hits the air. Building

up unrealistic expectations and failing to deliver on the day of, will do irreparable damage.

Audience testing reveals that listeners ignore lots of your promotions because there is no attention getting,

emotionally connecting, relevant content.

Try this approach instead:

Point to the things they want to hear when your fundraiser arrives. Tease them by sharing only part of what will

take place with stories, contests, fun, inspiration, unpredictability and compelling listener stories that

emotionally connects with them.

Ever see a 30 or even a 15 second preview for your favorite TV show that builds such anticipation you actually

set your DVR so you won't miss it? How about movie trailers? Didn't you plan to see the movie because the

trailer hooked you with great action or dramatic scenes?

A half dozen "great" spots are far more effective than dozens of mediocre ones. Create compelling listener

spots that resonate with Kathy, Becky or Jennifer.

It can take as many as eight impressions before your listener actually "hears" or "sees" the message in your

promotion. So use standard rotation frequency formulas when airing them. Also repeat, with slight variety, your

written promotions via emails, web copy and video, direct mail and social media messaging.

Rotating the promotion enough times still won't generate a response if you don't provide a reason for listeners

to respond with an easy, immediate way to do so.

Train them to be interactive with you, even when running promotions. You’re already doing it on Facebook

when you post or on-air with your question of the day. Where applicable, do something similar with your prefundraiser

promotions. And if you're tying in a contest or drawing send them to the familiar places they can

most easily register.