Richard Radcliffee counsels you to avoid the "death brochures"

Richard Radcliffe of the UK makes a strong point that Donors in his focus groups have a term for brochures that suffer from the mistake of focusing on "when you are gone".

Donors deride them as "death brochures." And he's quite clear: "They do NOT want your death brochures."

Radcliffe advises nonprofits to focus on how making a charitable gift in your their will is an opportunity to change the world.

"It is NOT -- repeat, NOT -- an opportunity to reflect on your mortality, and your inevitable extinction".

Ever the contrarian, Richard even recommends you trim back the talk of legacy even; it's a bit gloomy, all told.

Radcliffe rightly feels reminding people of their destined death is rude and unwelcome.

Talking about their living values and interests is not.

His mantra: "Bequests are life-driven, death-activated." A bequest is a decision made by a living, breathing person.



Adapted with thanks from a blog post by Tom Ahern