Who are we talking to?
What is our story?
Why should they care?
What can they do?
The best fundraising letter campaigns are targeted to smaller groups of people who have some sort of interest or affiliation with your organization or the types of charitable services you provide. A fundraising letter sent to a general category of people will fail to yield meaningful results.
paper size
logo
personal hello
interesting opening line
develop readers' interest
choose format/font carefully; indent paragraphs, double-space between them
emphasize positive
include date for timely response
state specific amount of request
explain how readers should make out the checks
thank readers for being willing to help
end letter politely and sign it
don't forget the P.S.!
include return envelope
An effective fundraising letter:
is personal
is conversational
is addressed to a person by name
describes the case for support in human terms
is donor-centered (say “you” more than “we”)
asks for the gift
educates donors
appeals to the heart
An effective fundraising letter:
is an appeal from one person to another
describes an opportunity for the recipient to meet personal needs by supporting a worthy charitable aim
invites recipient to take specific and immediate action
Make sure you know precisely to whom you're writing and why – and be certain your letter makes that point just as clear to them as it is to you. This “marketing concept”:
embodies the purpose for which you're writing (to secure a gift of $200 or more)
identifies the person to whom you're writing (a donor who has previously given the org. a gift of $100, for example)
incorporates the benefits the person you're writing will receive as a result of responding: for example, great satisfation from knowing how much your organization can accomplish with $200, plus special recognition for giving such a generous gift.
It is important to understand your target audience. Not all letters are meant for all recipients. Examples:
acquisiton/prospect (never before supported us)
welcome package (new members/donors, welcoming them)
special appeal (previous donors appealing for additional gifts)
year-end appeal (to proven donors at year end)
high-dollar (to most generous donors, seeking large gifts)
upgrade appeal (inducing previous donors to increase support)
renewal (new/regular supporters to ask to renew annual gift)
others include:
Best qualitites:
clarity
cohesiveness
authenticity
ease of response
appropriateness
engaging copy
People do not all respond the same way. Consider your letter carefully. Imagine that four different people, of four very different personality types, are reading your letter. The “four sets of ears” are these:
amiable
expressive (show 'em something they don't already know)
skeptical
bottom-liner
“One size fits all” is definitely not a good idea for solicitation letters. Instead, write specific letters for specific purposes. Examples include:
children's Earn-a-Computer scholarship program
donations of computer equipment
recruiting new volunteers
children's Earn-a-Bicycle program
adult computer literacy program