Here’s something most candidates never learn.
Donors don’t read your letter top to bottom like a novel. They skim. They scan. They jump around.
And one of the first places their eyes land? The P.S.
That’s right. The postscript – that little line at the bottom – gets read more than most of your letter. Which means if you’re wasting it, you’re leaving money on the table.
Fundraising consultant Jeff Brooks recently highlighted a real P.S. pulled from an actual nonprofit letter. It read:
“None of our achievements could have been attained without the sustained and dedicated support of contributors like you.”
Brooks called it out for exactly what it is: broken. It’s stiff. It’s vague. It’s all about the organization. And it has zero call to action. Eighteen words that do absolutely nothing.
Here’s what a good P.S. does: It tells a story. A quick, specific, human one. Then it asks for something. Like this:
“P.S. Right now, a single mom in your district doesn’t know if she’ll have a school choice option for her kid next fall. Your gift today keeps that fight alive. Can you help?”
See the difference? Specific. Personal. Urgent. Closes with an ask.
Your P.S. should do three things: remind the reader why it matters, make it human, and tell them exactly what to do next.
It’s the last thing they read. Make it the thing that opens their wallet. One great P.S. can be worth thousands of dollars. Write it like it is.
Dr. Chuck Muth, PsD
Professor of Psephology*
(homeschooled)
* Psephology (see-follow-gee): The study of campaigns and elections