With more than 1.4 million nonprofit organizations in operation in the United States and an estimated 100 million fundraising letters mailed out each year, you may find yourself wondering how you can separate yourself from the hordes of nonprofits clamoring for donations. If you employ the techniques provided in The Complete Guide to Writing Successful Fundraising Letters for Nonprofit Organizations, you will ensure that your letter stands out and achieves its goal.
In this new, exhaustively researched book, you will learn everything you need to know about formatting a letter, using the word “you,” structuring a letter, emotional triggers, what works, what does not work, asking for year-end contributions, asking for the right amount, and common pitfalls to avoid. You will learn about follow-up letters, thank you letters, front-end premium letters, back-end premium letters, survey letters, special event letters, petition and protest letters, special appeal letters, renewal series letters, major donor letters, sustainer letters, and lapsed donor letters, as well as letters for recruiting new donors.
Additionally, you will learn how to generate the best response, how to phrase your appeals, how to address your letter, how to write strong leads, how to open and close your letters, how to structure your letter, how to use compelling stories to your advantage, how to be personal, how to write with a sense of urgency, and hundreds of other writing tips. The Complete Guide to Writing Successful Fundraising Letters for Nonprofit Organizations provides you with a wealth of sample letters, examples, writing exercises, and forms – all of which are included on the companion CD-ROM – as well as detailed advice and instructive case studies.
By reading this book, you will come to understand your donor and his attitudes. You will ultimately create a successful fundraising campaign and achieve your organization’s goals. Whether you are a nonprofit focused on the arts, charities, wildlife protection, religion, health, science, literature, or any other field, you will find valuable information in this book.
Whether assisting charities as a volunteer, or on a professional level, The Complete Guide to Writing Successful Fundraising Letters for Your Nonprofit Organization provides detailed information and advice, regarding the formatting, structure, phrasing of appeals, emotional triggers, and common pitfalls associated with creating a variety of different types of successful fundraising letter for direct mail, email or other media.
The numerous case studies, annotated examples, and writing exercises presented by freelance journalist, Charlotte Rains Dixon, serve as well-organized models for generating the best fundraising letter responses for everything from whole campaigns, follow-up letters, surveys, year-end contributions etc.
Dixon’s useful step-by-step directions and in-depth analysis provide practical advice for defining fundable themes and understanding donors and donor attitudes. Whether used to develop the fundraising strategies and goals of health, science, literature, or any other nonprofit field, The Complete Guide to Writing Successful Fundraising Letters for Your Nonprofit Organization will help to deliver results.
Comment by J. Alpha — March 12, 2009 @ 12:18 pm
The Complete Guide to Writing Successful Fundraising Letters For Your Nonprofit Organization guarantees that money will be made if the reader follows the steps and advice within the text. The book makes this claim with good reason—it is a well thought out text that guides the reader not only through the ins and outs of fundraising writing, but also through the critical thinking process that will make the content of the fundraising material effective.
Once the reader gets past the introduction (which is admittedly ridiculously long and probably not even necessary considering that half of it simply previews content), they are exposed to initial chapters that clearly explain the importance of understanding the fundraising organization’s objectives, needs, and niche. Having this information in the text is crucial because it defines for the fundraiser what the content of their fundraising materials really needs to be. Without this, the rest of the book (the example letters) would be pretty pointless. Additionally, the text presents a straightforward look at who donates, why they donate, and how to find them; this is an excellent part of the text because, even if the writing and content is good, a fundraiser will have little luck selling their organization to donors if they do not understand the type of donor to find or why the donor would be willing to contribute.
The key of this book as a whole is that it is formatted in a way that is stimulating yet easy to follow. Bullet points and highlighted key questions/points provide an at a glance outline of important facts or considerations. It provides definitions or guides to the components of fundraising content in the same way, so there is little chance of missing a crucial step when putting the content on paper. Even if the step-by-step bullet guides are not enough, the text includes examples of sample letters that the reader can use as a model for their own fundraising writing and materials. Additionally, although the book is geared toward nonprofit organizations, the content is equally applicable to any business that is seeking funding, since the book really is a text about effective marketing content, considerations, and techniques. Virtually anyone who has a business scheme could use the book to help their endeavor succeed.
Comment by takingdictation — March 30, 2009 @ 4:01 pm
In this book by Charlotte Rains Dixon, the ever-growing need for money by nonprofit organizations is revealed. Dixon showcases how your nonprofit will have to stick out and can’t just blend in with the rest of the organixations. In a world where money is needed more than ever, Dixon gives you tips on how to get it.
Reasons for nonprofits and goals they all strive to accomplish are set first in the book, followed by an in-depth review and analysis of where to set your fundraising goals and how to go about them. Charlotte Dixon takes great care in ensuring your nonprofit will be on the right track with her book.
Donors and how to not hassle them are covered after that, followed by marketing and, finally, writing your letters. She goes into great detail, answering questions such as “Why write this letter now?” and “What benefits should I give to the donors?” She also explores items such as freebies and premiums.
Everything from text used to grammar to your envelope’s design is covered in The Complete Guide To Writing Successful Fundraising Letters for Your Nonprofit Organization by Charlotte Dixon. Your organization will never be the same after reading this book!
Comment by Kyle McDaniel — March 31, 2009 @ 3:57 pm
Even in today’s trying, difficult, and uncertain economic environment, people are still willing to, wanting to, and prepared to give to charities, foundations, and causes. If you don’t ask, you will not recieve. However, there is a right way and a wrong way to approach donors, supporters, and sponsors. That is exactly where this book comes into play.
The book is a thorough, concise, and cleanly written book that covers all of the basics about fundraising letters, securing donors, and obtaining donors. This book shows you how to get started, the needed steps along the way, and most importantly, how to succeed in capturing your donors. Included is so much more information than simply writing an appealing letter. The book covers strategy, goals, targets, plans, marketing, service, satifaction, what you need to know, how to secure donors, how to keep donors, how to win back donors, using email and more. Tips such as making your letter stand out, getting your letter opened, and then getting a donation are also included. Also covered is knowing when, how, and where to put in poignant pleas and moving accounts. Basic writing guidlines are instructive and will be useful in other situations.
No matter what your situation is, if you are planning to write a fundraising letter this book will help you succeed. Its contents will help you make your appeal look popfessional, polished, and appealing. They say it is better to give than to receive, so give this book a try.
Comment by Diane Alter — May 22, 2009 @ 5:12 pm