Index >> About Us >> Privacy >> Terms & Conditions >> Add Your Link >> Add Your Article

Search:


	Drink & Food
	Hotels & Travel
	Family & Home
	Business & Commerce
	Fashion & Relationships
	Employment & Careers
	Property & Estate
	Education & Reference
	Events & News
	Music & Entertainment
	Sports & Adventure
	Politics & Government
	Shopping & Auction
	Automobile & Automotive
	Society & Communities
	Computers & Software
	Fitness & Health
	Technology & Science
	Self Enhancement
	Children
	Finance & Investment
	Games & Play
	Healthcare & Treatment
	Art & Creative

Index » Business & Commerce » Marketing

How to Write a Direct Mail Fundraising Letter (Four Tips for Fund Raising Success)

< S T R O N G > 1 . A d d r e s s y o u r r e a d e r a s a f r i e n d , n o t a s “ F r i e n d . ” < / S T R O N G > W h e n w a s t h e l a s t t i m e y o u r e c e i v e d a l e t t e r f r o m s o m e o n e d e a r t o y o u , a d d r e s s i n g y o u a s “ D e a r F r i e n d ? ” N e v e r , r i g h t ? T h e d a y s o f t h e D e a r F r i e n d l e t t e r a r e d e a d . I h e a r d r e c e n t l y o f a c h a i r m a n o f t h e b o a r d o f a n a t i o n a l c h a r i t y w h o h a s g i v e n h i s c h a r i t y m i l l i o n s o f d o l l a r s a n d h u n d r e d s o f h o u r s o f h i s t i m e , y e t h e s t i l l r e c e i v e s f u n d r a i s i n g a p p e a l s f r o m t h i s c h a r i t y a d d r e s s i n g h i m a s “ D e a r F r i e n d . ” O u c h . < S T R O N G > 2 . A r r e s t a t t e n t i o n w i t h a n o p e n i n g t h a t r e s o n a t e s w i t h y o u r d o n o r s . < / S T R O N G > A s s u m e y o u r r e a d e r i s s t a n d i n g o v e r a t r a s h c a n w i t h a s t a c k o f t o d a y ’ s m a i l , r e a d i n g t h e o p e n i n g s e n t e n c e o f e a c h l e t t e r b e f o r e d e c i d i n g i t s f a t e . Y o u h a v e o n l y a f e w s e c o n d s t o g r a b t h e r e a d e r ’ s i n t e r e s t . S o m a k e i t a z i n g e r . H e r e a r e t w o o p e n i n g s f o r t h e s a m e n o n - p r o f i t . W h i c h o n e g r a b s y o u r a t t e n t i o n a n d m a k e s y o u w a n t t o r e a d o n ? O p e n i n g 1 : “ I a m w r i t i n g t o y o u t o a s k i f y o u w o u l d l i k e t o s u p p o r t a l o w - i n c o m e h o u s i n g b u i l d i n g p r o j e c t i n y o u r n e i g h b o u r h o o d . ” O p e n i n g 2 : “ I f I i n v i t e d y o u t o w a l k o v e r t o y o u r n e i g h b o u r ’ s h o u s e w i t h a b u n d l e o f r o o f s h i n g l e s u n d e r y o u r a r m a s a g i f t , w h a t w o u l d y o u d o ? ” < S T R O N G > 3 . P u t f l e s h a n d b o n e s o n y o u r n e e d . < / S T R O N G > O n e t r u t h i n f u n d r a i s i n g i s t h a t p e o p l e g i v e t o p e o p l e t o h e l p p e o p l e . S o a l w a y s d e s c r i b e y o u r n e e d i n t e r m s o f p e o p l e , n o t p r o g r a m s , n o t m i n i s t r y , n o t m o n e y . I N S T E A D O F S A Y I N G . . . W e o p e r a t e t h r e e v a n s . S A Y . . . T h e t h r e e v a n s t h a t w e u s e f o r e m e r g e n c y m e d i c a l r e l i e f p l a y a v i t a l r o l e i n s a v i n g l i v e s t h r o u g h o u t t h e y e a r . I N S T E A D O F S A Y I N G . . . E s s e n t i a l m e d i c i n e s i n m a n y c o u n t r i e s a r e n o t a f f o r d a b l e . S A Y . . . P h i l l i p M b a g o i s d y i n g f r o m a t r e a t a b l e d i s e a s e f o r n o o t h e r r e a s o n t h a n t h i s — h e c a n ’ t a f f o r d h i s c u r e . < S T R O N G > 4 . A s k f o r f u n d s b y p a i n t i n g a p i c t u r e . < / S T R O N G > D o n ’ t j u s t a s k f o r a d o n a t i o n . S h o w y o u r r e a d e r s h o w t h e i r d o n a t i o n s w i l l m a k e a d i f f e r e n c e . I n s t e a d o f s a y i n g , “ S e n d a g i f t t o d a y , ” s a y , “ Y o u r g i f t t o H a b i t a t f o r H u m a n i t y t o d a y m e a n s t h a t a n o t h e r f a m i l y w i l l s o o n m o v e i n t o a s i m p l e , d e c e n t , a f f o r d a b l e h o m e — t h a n k s t o y o u . ” © 2 0 0 5 S h a r p e C o p y I n c . Y o u m a y r e p r i n t t h i s a r t i c l e o n l i n e a n d i n p r i n t p r o v i d e d t h e l i n k s r e m a i n l i v e a n d t h e c o n t e n t r e m a i n s u n a l t e r e d ( i n c l u d i n g t h e " A b o u t t h e a u t h o r " m e s s a g e ) .

Author: Alan Sharpe

Author Bio:

Alan Sharpe

Alan Sharpe is a business-to-business direct mail copywriter and lead generation consultant. As President of Sharpe Copy Inc. Alan specializes in helping businesses generate leads, close sales and retain customers using cost-effective, compelling direct mail and email marketing. Alan also uses his direct mail advertising services to help charities raise funds and raise awareness of their causes, using fundraising letters. Sign up for Alan Sharpe's B2B Direct Mail Tactics e-newsletter. Every Monday morning, receive in your inbox a short, helpful article on direct mail lead generation.

This article can be searched using: internet marketing, search engine marketing, online marketing, online marketing business opportunity

Employee Rewards Reap Results

Entrepreneur to Employer

How To Get In Front Of Your Prospects - The Secret To Getting Meetings

How to Use Magnetic Marketing to Massively Multiply the Results of Your Advertising

Marketing Your Small Business Online

Patience is a Virtue: Be Patient with Postcard Mailings

How To Sell Quick Tips

Patient Records - Your Responsibilities

Can Your Business Run Without You?

Beyond Fear And Greed: Emotions That Sell

Index >> Privacy >> Terms & Conditions

How to Write a Direct Mail Fundraising Letter (Four Tips for Fund Raising Success)

Alan Sharpe

Related Articles