After reading the many diaries here on dailykos about the
Parents Television Council. I went to the site and used it to submit a letter to the FTC about the TV show CSI. They have had many
complaints about the show and I do not remember which complaint in particular I responded to, but I told the FTC that I liked the show.
Imagine my surprise when, several weeks later, I received mail from the PTC.
The mailing demonstrates what the right understands about mailings. I am a member of the NRDC and the SPLC, and I get high quality news and information from them, but nobody does fundraising as well as Dobson.
The key was mentioned in a diary by Kos a year ago, a diary I keep referring to because it is so important.
In that diary, Kos says that while the Kerry campaign devoted the majority of its mailings to asking for money, the Bush campaign devoted its mailings to disseminating its version of reality.
Every fundraising mailing has a detachable part in which you say how much money your going to give. The NRDC, for example, recently sent me an expensive mailing asking for $1,000 to join the "Council of 1000". The mailing offers a bewildering variety of payment options, but I've given them everything I'm giving them this year.
The PTC mailing included a 2005 PARENTS TELEVISION COUNCIL Membership Card.
The mailing specifically says:
You are the best judge of the value of your efforts to make television programming decent and wholesome again. And you are the only judge of what is fair and affordable to give to the PTC. If you would find it fair, and can afford to send a tax-deductible personal or corporate Membership Contribution of $15, $20, $25, $50, $100 or more, please send it today.
But that's not all that the PTC does right.
On the membership contribution coupon, they have two check boxes, one for a contribution, and a second one for if you're not contributing. Most other outfits seem to say they don't want to hear from you if you're not giving money, but not the PTC.
Instead of, "no I am not contributing today," the PTC check box for no contribution says:
THANK YOU, Brent. I'm proud to have my PTC Membership Card. I will sign it and keep it as a symbol of my continued commitment to our campaign to CLEAN UP TV!
How hard is that?
What's brilliant is that it leaves an opening for the PTC to send more mail. Of course, there would be no more solicitations. Instead, the PTC would probably send "action updates" about problem TV shows, mobilizing thousands of people to write to the FCC -- people who just might feel bad about having been unable to donate to the PTC.
I think it's cynical, but very smart, and we can learn from it.
Let's treat those who contribute time instead of money with respect.