| Fundraising letter templates are a mistake. Theyinsult | | | | morning and count the number of seniorcitizens waiting |
| donors. They mislead fundraisers. And theydon't work. | | | | in line for a teller. They choose thehuman being over |
| You cannot generate sustainable income,build | | | | the machine because seniorcitizens are often lonely. |
| relationships and retain loyal donors by | | | | They crave human contact. |
| mailingfill-in-the-blanks letters. Here are some | | | | When you approach donors with generic, |
| soundreasons for avoiding boilerplate appeals. | | | | impersonal,copy-and-paste fundraising letter templates, |
| 1. They are, by definition, too generic | | | | youtreat them as automated banking machines |
| On the website of one fundraising coach is a | | | | whoshould simply do as they are told and cough up |
| "verygeneral donation request letter" that you | | | | thecash without delay. And who likes being treated |
| areencouraged to customize by filling in "the details | | | | thatway? Not [pick one] me/you/us. |
| thatare specific to your organization." The problem | | | | 4. They mislead sincere fundraisers |
| withthis approach is that non-profit organizations | | | | The biggest problem that I have with fundraisingletter |
| areradically different. | | | | templates is that they fool some fundraisingstaff into |
| What, for example, does Mothers Against Drunk | | | | thinking that raising funds by mail is easy. |
| Driving have in common with the Boy Scouts of | | | | All you need to do is "copy and paste the followingtext |
| America? What common goals does the Sydney | | | | into your word processing program," "fill in thedetails |
| Opera House share with The National Rifle | | | | that are specific to your organization," "printout the |
| Association? Could you take one "very | | | | letters on your organization's letterhead,"and conclude |
| generaldonation request letter" and customize it to | | | | your letter thus: "Today, you can makean immediate |
| meet theunique needs, case for support, brand image, | | | | difference in the life of |
| voiceand personality of each of these organizations? | | | | [homeless/orphans/etc.] Each [$ amount] you |
| Ithink that idea is [fill in the blank] | | | | sendprovides [specific goods/services] to [number |
| ___________________. | | | | ofpeople]." Then you recline your office chair and |
| 2. They miss the main goal of fundraisingletters | | | | waitfor the mailbags of donations to arrive from |
| The goal of every appeal letter you mail is not toraise | | | | yourfervent donors. |
| a gift but to retain a giver. You are after thedonor first, | | | | Conclusion |
| their donation second. The mostimportant gift in | | | | Direct mail fundraising, like all fundraising, is |
| fundraising is not the first, but thesecond. You can twist | | | | aboutrelationships, not revenue. And you can't |
| a gift out of just aboutanyone, once. But getting | | | | developrelationships built on trust and mutual respect if |
| subsequent gifts is whereyour challenge lies. And | | | | yourfundraising methods are standard, impersonal |
| where you demonstrate yourexpertise. The big failing | | | | anddisrespectful. There are no short-cuts to |
| with fundraising lettertemplates is that they are after | | | | long-termdonor loyalty, despite what some publishers |
| money only. Donorssense that attitude when they | | | | offundraising letter templates imply. |
| read the letter | | | | New Handbook shows you a better way |
| (assuming they do). | | | | The best way I know of to learn the craft ofcreating, |
| 3. They treat donors as purses, not people | | | | writing and designing successful fundraisingletters is not |
| The only way I know of to get money without | | | | to fill in the blanks but to fill your headwith examples of |
| humancontact is to use an automated banking | | | | excellent letters that worked. Studysuccessful direct |
| machine. | | | | mail appeals. Analyze why theyworked. Put what you |
| Bank tellers are personal. Automated bankingmachines | | | | learn into practice. |
| are impersonal. Just walk into your localbank any | | | | |