| Do computer personalized letters really make a difference? | | Close |
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Certainly, donors understand that computers rather than human beings generate the personalized letters they receive. However, they respond more often and more generously when letters contain address blocks and personalized salutations.
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| Shouldn't both the chair and the executive director sign the letter? | | Close |
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Use of more than one signature makes your fundraising letter look like a business letter, not personal correspondence. It's not always possible to avoid the two-signature trap, but do it if you can.
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| Who should sign our letters? | | Close |
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Nonprofit organizations often fret over who should sign fundraising letters, but donors care only about the credibility of the signer. The board chair and executive director have that credibility, certainly, but so do others. Clients of social service agencies can offer powerful testimonials. So can long-term subscribers to a symphony orchestra or students on scholarship at a university.
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| How many pages should a letter be? | | Close |
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As a general rule, two-page letters do better than one-page letters. While busy people aren't likely to read every word of a two-page letter, they usually respond better, and response is what matters. Remember, this is only a general rule.
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| Shouldn't we talk about our success stories? | | Close |
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It's PR's job to bolster an organization's image. The goal of fundraising is to get people to write checks. Therefore, the question of continuing need is paramount. Stay focused on the work your organization still needs to do.
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| Do our letters really need to be so emotional? | | Close |
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Decisions about charitable gifts are made in the heart, not the head. While the intellect must come into agreement with the heart before the pen hits the checkbook, the initial decision is emotional and, often, spiritual as well.
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| Why don't we talk more about our organization? | | Close |
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"People give to people, not to institutions." When people give to your organization, they're supporting what it does for people. They're not giving to the institutional structure. Therefore, it's best to stay focused on how you will use the donor's gift to make life better for others.
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| Should we include our brochure? | | Close |
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Unless you have research showing that brochure enclosures work for your organization, leave the darn things out of the envelopes. In direct mail, brochures almost always depress response rates.
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| People get nothing in return for a charitable gift, do they? | | Close |
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A transaction occurs when you ask for and receive a charitable gift. The donor seeks to do something good for others and hopes to achieve that good through your organization. Keep this "philanthropic transaction" in mind and you stay focused on what's important to donors.
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| Do we have to be so blunt about asking for a gift? | | Close |
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As your letters initiate the philanthropic transaction, it's important to stay on track. The objective is to "close the transaction." In short, don't forget to ask the donor for money.
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| Do we really have to go to the expense of designing a letter with a picture in it? | | Close |
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Market research shows that a picture really is "worth a thousand words." Photos generally demonstrate greater power than drawings. While pictures should evoke emotion, they must also convey meaning. They should portray the need as powerfully as possible. But avoid the temptation to dress up your direct mail piece to the point that it no longer looks like a personal letter.
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| Good golly, do we really have to tell people how much we want them to give? | | Close |
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Sometimes donors complain about suggested gift amounts, but testing shows that these suggestions consistently bring in donors at acceptable gift levels and encourage them to upgrade their gifts.
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| Why do we have to talk about how much the donor gave in the past? | | Close |
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Testing by nonprofit organizations of all types shows that mention of the donor's gift history works, whether it's a reference to the most recent gift or to total cumulative giving.
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| Aren't gift clubs just a little corny? | | Close |
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Wide use of gift clubs demonstrates their power in upgrading donors to higher levels of giving. They offer charities the ability to successively raise the bar, continually challenging donors to stretch just a little more in their support.
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| Shouldn't we quantify what will happen when people give certain amounts? | | Close |
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Habitat for Humanity has the unique ability to equate a gift of a specific size with anything from a box of nails to a completely constructed home. Few organizations enjoy Habitat's ability to graphically quantify the impact of specific gift amounts. But hey, if you got it, flaunt it!
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