10 reasons your newsletter could raise more money

10 reasons your newsletter could raise more money

How well does your newsletter work?

Many organizations now use newsletters to communicate about their work. That’s good!

Yet I see so many organizations produce fancy pieces that aren’t doing their job. Do newsletters right, and they can be a serious source of income by delighting your donors. Miss the mark and you’re throwing money away.

So, inspired by my mailbox, here are some questions you should ask:

1. Is your newsletter a self-mailer?

Are you trying to save money by making your newsletter a self-mailer? You may be losing money. If you’re hoping people will respond with a gift, make it easy for them. Mail it in an envelope. Include a response form and return envelope. Consider that putting this in an envelope means you can pour more appreciation into the package. That brings results.

2. Is there a letter from your CEO or board chair?

Unless your boss is a celebrity, your readers are not going to find the letter compelling. Remember, donors are reading for themselves. “Where am I in here?” will be their unconscious thought. You can’t bore donors into submission.

Have you ever read a letter from the CEO or board chair that was captivating? Me either. Keep the spotlight on your donors. That’s who this newsletter is for and about.

3. Are your headlines headlines?

As Tom Ahern points out in his terrific articles on newsletters (and his book, newly updated), many newsletter headlines are not headlines at all. He suggests this test. Cover the story and leave the headline. Then ask someone not familiar with the organization what the article is about.

Remember, your readers skim. They may only read your headlines. So headlines do heavy lifting. And use strong, active verbs. Grab attention. Make your headlines work.

Try this: next supermarket trip, read the cover of the tabloids. Yes, I know they’re odious. But their writers know how to write a headline that gets attention.

4. Is the newsletter all about your organization?

Does that sound like a trick question? It’s not.

Just as the CEO’s thoughts are not that scintillating, neither is a newsletter that’s all about how great you are. Make the newsletter about your donors and what they’ve made happen. Focus obsessively on that. Don’t be pulled off toward organizational horn-tooting. This piece is not about your organization! Your newsletter is all about your donors. Seriously.

Unless you’re not interested in raising money, of course.

5. Do you address your donors?

Look for the word “you” throughout the piece, particularly in those headlines. You should see it often – even always. This isn’t a one-to-many communication, or shouldn’t be to each reader. It should feel like it’s directed to them alone. Besides, being conscious of using that wonderful word helps you write in a way that will delight your donors.

6. Are you listing accomplishments?

I love a good to-do list – especially when I can check off a whole bunch of items. But you wouldn’t find my list interesting.

Same with your donors. Instead of telling them what you’ve done, use stories to show them what they’ve done. Remember, it’s about them, not you. You don’t need the credit. You need the support.

7. Are the pictures in your newsletter boring?

Here’s one rule of mine: if you include a big check picture, you automatically lose.

But even if you don’t, what images are you using? Along with your headlines, those images will carry the weight of your newsletter. They grab the eye – so make them grab-worthy. That means each image tells a story. What story do your donors want to see?

Look for images that show action. And eyes focused on the camera. Most importantly, you want images that tell a story all by themselves.

8. Did you skip the captions?

If you have wonderful images but haven’t captioned them, you’ve missed another great chance to engage people. Captions are the headlines to the story your photos tell. They explain where explanation is needed. They pull people into the image. And skimmers will read captions. Make all those skimmable parts shine!

9. Did you forget to ask for help?

Celebrate your donors’ accomplishments. But don’t forget to remind them how important their support is. It’s probably the oldest saying in fundraising, but if you don’t ask, you won’t receive. And if donors don’t know they’re needed, most won’t raise their hands.

Include your ask throughout the newsletter. Remind donors that there’s more work to be done. Ask them to stay with you. Ask them to give.

10. Is your marketing department in charge of the donor newsletter?

Your newsletter is for donors. So your fundraising staff needs to be in charge of this publication.

This isn’t an exercise in promoting your organization. Need to make that case? Here is it: don’t let the funding opportunity be squandered! Make sure you’re working toward that one goal – building donor relationships. Thanking donors, encouraging their interest, and asking for more help.

Newsletters can be great for your organization.

There’s a tested formula that works. (See also Jeff Brooks’ memories from the Domain formula’s creation.) Use it, and your newsletter should both please your donors and help your bottom line.

Put the resources into it, because it could become very important!

Years ago, I introduced a very “homemade” newsletter to the organization I worked for. Our donors loved it. How did I know? It was soon bringing in more gifts than our appeals had. And it was generating second and third gifts from our donors, including monthly donors!

If you haven’t added a print newsletter to your mix, you should think about it. You can do it – even with a small organization and sparse resources. Try it and let me know how it goes!