Practical Strategies for Writing the Annual Appeal

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Practical Strategies for Writing the Annual Appeal

Ron and Sue Rescigno

October 15, 2013

Use Twitter Hashtag #4Glearn

Part

Of:

Sponsored by:


Ron and Sue Rescigno

October 15, 2013

Use Twitter Hashtag #4Glearn

Part

Of:

Sponsored by:

Protecting and Preserving the

Institutional Memories of

Nonprofits Since 1993

www.cjwconsulting.com

(866) 598-0430

[email protected]

Part

Of:

Sponsored by: Part

Of:

Coming Soon

Sponsored by:

Today’s Speakers

Hosting:

Cheri J Weissman, CJW Consulting & Services, Inc. Assisting with chat questions: Jamie Maloney, 4Good

Part

Of:

Sue and Ron Rescigno Vice President & President

Rescigno's Marketing Connections


708.974.2600

RESCIGNO’S MARKETING CONNECTIONS

Ron & Sue Rescigno

What you will learn:

•Why people respond to appeals

•How an appeal letter should be like a

personal visit

•What donors really think about the appeals

they receive

•The characteristics of effective appeals


The Basics

A direct mail fundraising appeal should have:

1. An envelope (outer)

2. A reply device

3. A return envelope

1

2

3


Donor Motivation, Donor Response

A. Why people respond

B. Appeal should be like a personal visit

C. What donors really think about the appeal

D. The characteristics of effective appeals


Why Do Donors Give?

Donors give because…

•you ASKED

•they have disposable income

•giving is a habit

•they believe in your mission

•they want to make a difference

•they seek public recognition

•your mission offers HOPE

•they feel a sense of belonging


Why Do Donors Give? (continued)

Donors give because…

•the organization listens to its donors needs

•they are receiving insider information

•your mission validates their beliefs and values

•giving eases fears and guilt

•for the tax benefits

•giving is their duty

•they feel it is better to give than to receive

•you gave your donor options


Personal Visit

Your appeal should be just like a PERSONAL VISIT

Think of your letter as a SILENT DIALOGUE


NOW

LATER

TRASH


Silent Questions

Silent Questions are basic questions that

donors or prospective donors might ask

Be sure your letter ANSWERS those questions

You should be able to anticipate and answer

questions of readers

Engaging in a dialogue is the straightest path

to a gift

?


Rejection

Two ways your appeal can end up

REJECTED:

•You have a very small window to

engage with your reader

•The text in your appeal doesn't

speak to the reader

Question to ask yourself: does the appeal I’ve written

spell out the benefits the reader will receive as a result

of giving a gift? Always answer this in your appeals


The Clock is Ticking

Your objective is getting the reader to READ the

text

How do you get them to open the envelope?

How do you create a first impression?

Are the benefits obvious in the first few

seconds?

This can be done easily through pictures,

headlines, and underlined words and phrases


If you’re not giving them answers, you

will get inaction

Donors are skeptical

Human interest stories go over well –

play to emotions

Format and design affect how and what

your donor will understand

Lessons We’ve Learned…


1. It is a solicitation from one person to another

2. It is an opportunity for the reader to meet personal

needs or achieve personal desires by supporting a

worthy charitable aim

3. It invites the reader to take action that is specific

and immediate

Talk about the impact individual gifts have on

the organization’s ability to better the lives of

those they serve

3 Attributes of an Effective Appeal Letter


What YOU Need to Answer BEFORE You Write:

1. What is the purpose of the appeal?

2. What do the people you’re writing to have in common?

3. What facts may be true about the majority of your prospective

donors?

4. What is the mood of the people you are writing to?

5. What is the relationship of these people to your organization?

6. Does your reader have a personal connection to your mission?


What YOU Need to Answer BEFORE You Write: (continued)

7. What are you going to ask people to do?

8. What is the minimum gift you are asking for?

9. What else do you want your reader to do?

10. Why are you sending this appeal?

11. Who will be signing the appeal?

12. What is the connection between the need you are expressing and

the person who is signing the letter?


What YOU Need to Answer BEFORE You Write: (continued)

13. Is there a connection between the signer and those who will read

the letter?

14. What are the signer’s feelings and thoughts about the mission?

15. What are the tangible and intangible benefits of giving?

16. Why do readers of your appeal need to respond right now?

17. Is there a deadline for responses?

18. What’s going to happen if responses ARE NOT received before the

deadline?


Ask these questions:

WHO? who will sign the letter?

who will get the letter?

WHAT? what do you want the reader to do?

what will the reader get back in return?

WHEN? when do you want the reader to respond?

WHERE? where will the proposed action take place?

WHY? why should the reader respond to the request?

HOW? how will the proposed action make a difference?


The FUNDRAISING CONCEPT

The first step to developing a successful Appeal Letter is developing the

Fundraising Concept

•Now answer these questions in

one paragraph as specifically as

possible

•Write in first person singular

•Address it to that one individual

who will be receiving your letter

This one paragraph is the concept for your appeal


Fundraising Concept: to DONOR

Because you’ve been so generous to the Center in the past, you’ve heard from

me from time to time about exciting new developments here. I’ve told you

before how far we stretch your contributions to serve the underserved in the

Community. Now, a renewal gift from you of as little as $25 will go twice as

far as before! Your $25 will help house the homeless children of the

Community by enabling the Center to buy $50 or more worth of lumber and

tools-because your gift will be matched, dollar for dollar, by an anonymous donor

through the Center’s new Matching Gift Program. That way, you’ll get double

the

satisfaction from your act of generosity-and bring new hope to twice as many

of your neighbors in the Community.


Fundraising Concept: to PROSPECTS

You may not know me, but I’m sure you’re familiar with the Museum, which has

been the centerpiece of my life during the past 20 years of my tenure as the

director. I’m writing to you, a fellow resident of the City, because I want you to

be among the first to know about t he Museum’s unique new Charter

Membership Program. As a person who appreciates the finer things in life, you’ll

cherish for many years to come each magnificent issue of our new bi-monthly

magazine on the visual arts. You’ll receive the magazine absolutely free of

charge as a Charter Member of the Museum. And you’ll have the satisfaction of

knowing that your Charter Membership contribution of $45, $75, $150, or more

will help us to showcase the exciting work of emerging new artists in our

program.


Contents of The Package

Basics of the Appeal:

•Outer envelope

•Letter/Card/Size

•Reply device

•Return envelope

Things you should also consider…

•Email

•Images that connect your Appeal’s goals

to your website and social media sites


P.S.

The P.S. in a letter is read first 90% of the time

Think of the P.S. as the final drive to action

Use the P.S. as an opportunity to convey:

•the deadline

•the dollar-for-dollar match

•the families who will benefit

Remember: the function of the P.S. is to involve and motivate the

reader to turn to the lead of the letter


The Body of Your Appeal

Go ahead and TELL THE STORY

SHOW the benefits the reader is going to receive


Visuals

Decide which points you want to visually point out

Highlight things that appeal directly to your reader

•This can be through:

images

underlined words or phrases\

bolded statements

This is an easy way to:

•accent the benefits offered in

your appeal

•answer readers’ questions

•make your letter easier to read

WARNING: use this sparingly. If everything is highlighted as

important, it loses its importance.


Reply Device

Personalize your reply device

Your reply device should:

•affirm the donor’s decision to take the action requested

•restate the fundraising concept

•detail the benefits to the donor

•guide gift processing


What About A Teaser?

Entice your reader to open the mail

Your teaser BETTER:

•Challenge

•Question

•Intrigue


Now you have a successful Appeal

Any Questions??

708.974.2600


Thank you!!


708.974.2600

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Practical Strategies for Writing the Annual Appeal