Day 1 - AFP Congress, Toronto

After one day on the tradeshow floor at the AFP Congress I can safely say that if there is anyone who is going to keep letter writing alive it is fundraisers!

Prime Data, the direct marketing company who has commissioned me to join them here, sends close to 4 million “ask”, “thank you” or “stewardship” missives annually—and there are at least 10 businesses that do similar work in this room.

The letters I featured in tweets, on Facebook and in my window yesterday ranged from “Ask letters” from the category "Please", to some of my favorite opening lines from “Signaling” and correspondence from “Hope.”

From "Please"

From "Signaling"

From "Signaling"

From "Signaling"

From "Signaling"

So much optimism in one place and no lack of creative thought­—I can often see the cogs turning when I’m doing a reading and am inspired by the conversations I have afterwards. Some want to discuss the finer points of writing a good thank you note others want to explore letters that give insight into medical research, education or world aid. Everyone loves a story.

From "Hope"

Today I’ve decided to mine the category “Firm Ground” because it seems to me whether one is the helper or the helped it all comes down to that.