Pages

Monday, December 21, 2009

How to Write Fundraising Letters: Your Donors Deserve Pity

In 1985, I realize now more than 20 years ago, a homeless man standing on the corner of College and Yonge streets in downtown Toronto, asking for money. This was his cry:

"Quarter! Quarter! Dime! ... Nickel! ... Eeeeeeeeven a penny will do!"

Of all the beggar that I met during those four years that I remember the streets of Hogtown, I am the man alone. He suggests an emotion that will become an unforgettable experience.

The feeling was pity.

Ireciting his word to step in a word, because it is so pathetic. He has not changed one word in four years. He shouted his call all day, every day from the same corner of the indifferent masses. He obviously had a mental disorder and could not work. Seemed drinks. So my heart was moved when I'm in his corner, and I sometimes noticed changes in his outstretched hand and said a good word.

I presented his case for the same reason that your donors can donate yourCause and compassion.

When you sit down to a letter of appeal to raise funds, find the problems in the work, to awaken in you feelings of pity, compassion or pity craft. If something moves your heart, it is likely that moves the heart of the donor.

Look painful emotions or situations that will serve you. Look out for the sympathy which feels for the suffering of another person. Find the range of suffering that you have the feeling that someone (a child an orphan, a mother abused, aPrisoners of conscience) in distress.

Then craft your letter so that the catch and call it bad luck to your donors through the written word. Fundraising Letters, including Ken Burnett, so well observed, are different from sales letters in any substantial way, buyers and sellers have a report the common economic interests, but the donors and fundraisers to enjoy a relationship of common faith.

One way to monitor the common belief that the bags your progress and the esophagus.When you search for a profitable writing about fundraising, ask yourself: "What is it about this issue that makes me cry, or (if I'm a man) is a knot in your throat?" If you describe, to find a donor in a way that moves their feelings, they moved to donate. Twenty years ago, she could not remember what you write today, but you never know.

© 2006 Sharpe Copy Inc. You can order online and printed edition, provided that the links remain live and theThe content remains unaltered (including the "About the Author" message).