1g3KKgE

HARRY S. TRUMAN LIBRARY INSTITUTE FUND RAISING LETTER
Tom Collins is best known as the creative genius behind many commercial direct marketing campaigns.
However, two of his fund-raising letters will probably be long remembered after much of
his great commercial work has passed into history.
Among the choices for the all-time classic direct mail letters in Section II was his memorable letter
for the George McGovern presidential campaign. An equally deserving choice could have been
the letter he created to launch the Harry S. Truman Library Institute. The opening six paragraphs
of this highly productive letter show how effective the "you" approach can be in fund-raising as
well as other types of direct mail letters:
Your name is on a list of a selected group of especially aware people
to whom we are extending an invitation.
By this letter, we are inviting you to become an Honorary Fellow of
the Truman Library Institute.
Please let us know within 14 days, by return of the enclosed card,
whether you wish to accept or decline this designation.
In accepting, you will be joining such distinguished Americans as
Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., I.W. Abel, Arthur Goldberg, David E.
Liiienthal, Hubert Humphrey, Clark Clifford, Georgia Neese Clark
Gray, William H. Hastie, and many others in helping to make the
Truman Library a vital part of America's political heritage.
Your tax-deductible annual dues of twenty-five dollars will make it
possible for students, scholars, and authors from everywhere to
come to Independence, Missouri, and avail themselves of the incredibly
rich resource materials the Library contains.
At this crucial point in our history, when our nation is groping for
rededication to honesty, integrity, and credibility in government, you
will be making a significant contribution to keeping alive the spirit of
Harry Truman.
The letter was signed by W. Averell Harriman and John W. Snyder, and had a very effective
postscript:
P.S. For those whose good fortune or achievement permit them to
contribute $100, we have created a special category, Honorary
Associates. New members in this category will receive, in addition
to all of the privileges of Honorary Fellowship listed above,
(1) an exact replica of the famous sign, "The Buck Stops Here,"
that sat on Mr. Truman's desk in the Oval Office of the White
House, and (2) "The Man From Missouri," a little book of memorable
words, wisdom, and wit of Mr. Truman, culled from his
speeches, letters and remarks.
www.greatestsalesletters.com - 270 -