What grabs your attention?

Which organization has invitations, flyers, or newsletters that are so good  you just can’t help but pay attention?

I have to admit – I tune right out the second I’m offered “engagement opportunities”. But show me a sense of humor and I’m hooked.

Here are a few favorites:

• Undy 500 5K (Colon Cancer Alliance)
• Bad Dog Ball, the young donor counterpart to the Good Dog Gala (Pennsylvania SPCA)
• Gravediggers’ Ball (Laurel Hill Cemetery)
• Woof-lands Doggie Happy Hour (Woodlands Cemetery, Mansion and Historic Landscape)

These organizations all gave personality to something somber – cancer, cruelty, cemeteries.

Don’t forget to give some personalty to your next invitation – or, gasp, that dreaded end-of-year appeal letter you still haven’t written. Stiff writing, statistics, and nonprofit jargon don’t usually excite real people.

If you’re having trouble, start by writing to someone you know. It could be  your neighbor, a friend from college, or a long-time volunteer. Your writing will be a lot more natural.

What are some organizations that aren’t afraid to show their personality?