Why don’t more fundraising letters look like this?
Recently I started reading a stupendous 1984 book called Dear Friend: Mastering the Art of Direct Mail Fundraising (by the great fundraising entrepreneurs Kay Partney Lautman and Hank Goldstein), which, among other things, totally illuminates the process behind the lost art of writing fundraising copy.
And I use the term “lost” very, very consciously.
I donate to a lot of nonprofit organizations and regularly get appeal letters from most of ‘em.
But fortunately for them, my knowledge of the inherent goodness their causes and organizations is strong enough to overpower the fact that their letters, well, how should I put this?....
They stink!
And just about every time I read them, I can’t help but feel I’m on a date with someone who has zero interest in learning anything about me, and just wants to yammer on and on about how great she is and all the great things she’s doing without trying to relate to me at all.
And if you’ve donated any amount of money to any nonprofit, you’ll know exactly what I mean.
A typical fundraising email or direct mail package these days will just go on…and on…and on…and on….about all the wonderful things they’re doing, and about how great they are at doing them.
But as a donor, does this make you want to whip out your credit card, checkbook, or crypto wallet to throw a couple bucks their way?
Hell no!
After all, who wants to donate to an organization that mails you just to tell how great they're doing without your money?
“Well, fine by me,” you might say to yourself in response to a modern letter in the trash or move on to the next email.
Which brings me back to the Dear Friend book.
While I’ve marked up the book with enough black ink to fill up a 747 jet, my favorite part about the book has been the wonderful (and wonderfully effective!) prospecting and renewal letters given…
…Especially this one from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).
Notice that first opening line about the “luxury of worrying”?
It hooks you from the very start!
You are immediately pulled in like an undercurrent and you want to know why the guy is so damn anxious!
And it only gets better.
After a brief paragraph on his typical day, the copywriter very cleverly puts the donor in his exact time and place, almost like you're in the beginning of a thrilling novel or movie!
But what brings the beginning of the letter together is one thing:
The tone.
The tone is one of crippling fear—almost desperation—about the plight of these poor animals.
And the solution, dear reader, is you—the donor!
See what a transformation can happen in marketing effectiveness when you make the donor the hero of the story rather than the letter signer?
And that’s just a taste of what this book has to offer.
If you’d like to read the rest of the letter, and discover all the rest of donation-making secrets, I suggest picking up the book.
You can do so here:
-David
P.S. This is NOT an affiliate link and I’m making zero dollars from your purchase. Just a friend sending something your way that might help you and your organization reach your goals.
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