I’ve been seeing a disturbing sample in fundraising appeals this fall. Sensible, well-meaning individuals are making the identical essential errors – and ignoring many years of confirmed knowledge about what truly works.
These effectively which means individuals are good, artistic, resourceful. However their fall fundraising letters are simply incorrect.
The Drawback: Intuition Over Proof
I just lately listened to Michael Bungay Stanier’s podcast Change Sign, the place he interviewed Dave Ulrich about braveness and decision-making. Dave raised an important query for leaders: “When do you belief your instincts versus when do you belief knowledge?”
“When do you belief your instincts versus when do you belief knowledge?”
– Dave Ulrich, on the Change Sign podcast
This query cuts proper to the center of what I’m seeing with these terrible fundraising appeals.
Too many first-time fundraisers, program officers, govt administrators, and board members are trusting their instincts as an alternative of trying on the knowledge.
They’re completely ignoring that knowledge.
And we’ve got mountains of knowledge. We’ve been asking individuals for cash for millennia, and our analysis methodology will get higher yearly. We all know what helps it takes to speak clearly to individuals and encourage them to take motion.
But well-meaning leaders proceed to create appeals based mostly on what appears “logical” or “skilled”—utterly ignoring what truly works. Even organizations who’ve a monitor document of world class fundraising letters are throwing it away based mostly on uninformed, untested “hunches.”
The Three Largest Errors which can be Killing Your Fundraising Letter
Mistake #1: Making an attempt to Educate About Your Group
The appeals I’m seeing try to teach donors in regards to the nonprofit itself. They record all of the completely different packages, describe numerous scholarships, speak about all the numerous outcomes, and element each great factor the group does.
This. Doesn’t. Work.
Schooling is required. However not educating about your nonprofit.
Appeals that elevate funds educate donors about the issue their present will influence. Inform individuals about the issue boldly and clearly, with out suggesting it’s already solved. You’re inviting them to be a part of the answer.
If the issue is already solved, then your nonprofit is now not wanted.
Donors don’t find out about the issue. It’s your job to inform them. Intimately.
Appeals that elevate funds educate donors about the issue not in regards to the nonprofit.
Mistake #2: Thanking Donors
Thanking donors is extremely essential. However not in an attraction to lift cash.
While you thank donors in the identical piece the place you’re asking for cash, you confuse them. They assume, “Oh, you’ve bought this all set. I’m glad my earlier present was useful. (Although I don’t even keep in mind making a earlier present.)” In order that they throw the letter away or delete the e-mail and search for a nonprofit that actually wants their cash.
You have to have the braveness to obviously ask donors to donate and be a part of the answer.
Not as a result of they’re superheroes.
Not as a result of they’ve extra energy.
Not as a result of they’re higher human beings than the individuals their present will assist.
As a result of they are often a part of one thing significant. One thing that’s consistent with their values. And one thing human beings have been doing for millennia—serving to one another.
Mistake #3: Creating Graphically Designed “Brochures”
The third main mistake I’m seeing is that these appeals appear like brochures. They’ve a number of colours, a number of fonts, design offsets, and fancy layouts.
They appear actually fairly. However they don’t work to lift funds.
Fundraising appeals that work are letters. Letters are despatched from one particular person to a different particular person.
When your attraction seems to be like a cultured brochure, it alerts “accomplished factor,” “we’ve bought issues underneath management right here” somewhat than a private request for a one other particular person to take motion. It’s now not one particular person asking one other particular person to assist.
Worse, these graphically produced appeals are additionally extremely exhausting for older eyes to learn. And your greatest responders are typically older donors. Use a serif font at 13 factors or bigger, not tiny sort squeezed right into a designer structure.
5 Fixes for These Deadly Flaws in Your Fundraising Letter
Right here’s what truly works:
1. Write a letter
An actual letter, from one particular person to a different.
- Use their handle on the high.
- Greet them by title.
- Have a transparent P.S. that sums up the issue, the quantity you’re asking them for, and the deadline for them to make that donation.
And have it signed by one particular person, not a committee.
2. Clearly state the issue
Be sincere and inform donors that life will not be okay. Issues aren’t nice. There’s a incorrect that must be addressed.
Be intellectually sincere with out objectifying the individuals or state of affairs. Clearly give donors a cause to take motion.
3. Ask clearly and early
Put the ask up entrance: “Your present of $50 will assist resolve this example.” And ask all through the letter.
4. Make your fundraising letter scannable
Use quick paragraphs, underlining, bolding, and bulleted lists.
Donors aren’t sitting round ready to completely learn your fundraising letter. They’re tremendous busy. Most likely studying your letter over the trash can.
It’s your job to assist busy donors rapidly grasp your message and simply perceive what motion you’d like them to take.
5. Weed your letter
After getting the letter, take away each reference to your nonprofit. As fundraising knowledgeable Steven Display says, “Donors aren’t silly, however they’re busy.”
They know you despatched the letter. They know the donation will likely be to your nonprofit. They’re not silly.
So take away all of the instances you title your nonprofit. Take away each “we,” “our,” and “ours.” In case your preliminary phrase is “your present of $72 to our mission will…” cross out the to our mission to make the phrase: “your present of $72 will…”
Donors know who you might be. Your emblem is on the envelope. As a substitute, weed your letter so the reader can focus. They need to be pondering:
- “Oh, right here’s an issue. Will I assist?”
- Not, “Wow, that nonprofit appears nice.”
Belief the Information, Then Belief Your Instincts
These three adjustments will drastically enhance the outcomes of your fundraising appeals. We’ve got knowledge on this.
Donors have much more causes to be distracted this 12 months. Now will not be the time to belief your intuition with out checking the proof we’ve got on fundraising letters.
When you begin seeing the outcomes from following confirmed greatest practices, then you’ll be able to belief your instincts and tweak based mostly on what you’re studying. However begin with what we all know works—what hundreds of organizations have examined and confirmed over many years of direct response fundraising.
Your mission is just too essential to disregard the proof.
