10 Steps to Write a Super Successful Fundraising Appeal Letter
It seems that everyone struggles with appeal letters. Everyone – from the largest institutions to the smallest organizations.
Our clients often ask us to review their appeal letters to help them sharpen up their language and focus on a clear ask. It’s important to realize that a good fundraising letter is both art and science.
Here’s what we recommend:
1.Write a simple, emotional letter.
The objective of your letter is to touch your donor’s heart, not their brain.
The decision to give is made in an emotional place, not a logical one. Long words, jargon, and technical language are like speed bumps along the way to a gift.
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Our advice: Remove the speed bumps. Take out the grandiose, lofty wording. Use simple action verbs.
Don’t be afraid to wear your heart on your sleeve. It’s ok to bring up issues and challenges that make the donor feel something. The letter has to have emotion and passion.
Takeaway: Does your letter evoke passion and emotion?
2. Use a short, attention-grabbing first sentence.
Takeaway: Is the word “You” in the first sentence?
3. Ask your donor to fund something specific.
What’s your Donor Offer? That’s what you are clearly asking donors to fund.
Help your donors feel like they are making a difference by helping with something specific.
Offer them the chance to fund something interesting, urgent and exciting. If you are writing an appeal letter for unrestricted gifts, you can shape the message about a success story or a sample program.
Or, you can ask for funding to help “run” all your programs. That’s an unrestricted ask.
Find out how we can help you achieve your fundraising goals with world-class consulting and custom training.
Takeaway: What are you asking the donor to underwrite?
4. A longer fundraising appeal letter will do better than a shorter letter.
Remember – you are not your donor. You may be tired of saying the same thing over and over, but it still may be resonating with your donors.
Yes, we fundraisers hate long letters, but our donors love them.
The direct mail researchers have tested and tested long vs. short letters. And long letters win.
Why? If you can keep the reader reading, you engage them longer and longer in the problem you are asking them to help solve. You have more time to “sell” them on the idea of giving.
Takeaway: Is your letter long enough to include an ask several times?
5. Be sure to include a specific call to action.
Such as: “Click the link and give today!”
You need to explicitly tell your donor – in the letter – what you want them to do. Be absolutely directive. Don’t beat around the bush.
It’s ok to tell your donors to please “send in a generous contribution quickly.” This creates a sense of urgency which is so important in any fundraising ask.
Takeaway: Are you asking the donor to do something right now?
6. Make your appeal letter donor-centered.
How do you pull it off? Use the word “you” whenever possible. AND . . . reduce your use of the words “we” and “us.”
Donor-centered writing makes the donor feel like they are the ones making a huge difference. When you help them feel the impact of their gift, they feel more attached and engaged to your cause. Be sure to literally give the donor credit for the change they are making in the world.
Such as, “when you make this gift, you’ll be able to help a kid in Africa have new hope for a healthy life.”
Not, “When you make this gift, we will be able to help a kid . . . “
See the difference? It’s subtle but so important.
Takeaway: Use the word “you” as many times as possible.
7. Use a deadline to create urgency.
Having a deadline will promote a faster and more likely response from your donor.
You have to give them a reason to give and to give NOW.
Tell them time is running out to help the kids or people you help, or that your matching challenge gift only is in effect for another 2 weeks.
Takeaway: Add a deadline for urgency.
8. Make your fundraising appeal letter all about the ask.
That’s the point of the letter, isn’t it?
The letter’s purpose is to say why someone should make a gift. There is no other purpose to the letter.
Your appeal letter is not a newsletter or an update; above all, it is an appeal. Don’t muddy the water with extraneous content.
Can you “ask” and give a good reason for the donor give? And can you do it several times in your letter?
That’s the most important thing your letter needs to accomplish.
Takeaway: How many times are you making an ask in your letter?
9. Add a heartfelt PS (Post Script).
Your PS is prime real estate. Most donors will open your letter and read the PS first.
So, make the PS work for you. It could:
- Restate your offer – (the kids will get help now)
- Remind about the deadline
- Make a bonus offer (your gift will be matched)
Create a PS that reinforces the ask and its urgency.
Takeaway: Are you using a PS to reinforce your ask?
10. Consider using our AI appeal letter template to improve your letter.
We created an AI template that contains all of the above pointers. You can feed your letter draft into our AI template and see if you think it improves your letter.
Takeaway: The AI appeal letter template can help you create a more perfect letter!
BOTTOM LINE: How to nail your fundraising appeal letter.
Use this terrific template to lay out your own fundraising appeal letters. And let us know it works.
Other articles on appeal letters we recommend:
2024