A brand new box of crayons

Or maybe markers… they’re even more fun.

That’s the image that comes to mind every time I see an otherwise good appeal harmed by the urge to make the design “more modern,” “more fitting our brand,” “more us.”

I received one such appeal recently. From an organization I spent more than a decade with. And to be honest, where I played a big part in developing the individual giving program… including writing the appeals.

One side of one page. Sans Serif. No indents. No story. And all about the organization.

I wanted to cry, truly.

This was much more than me being persnickety. This was me knowing they’d raise less money. Because while they probably didn’t realize it, they’d just made a choice that focuses on the organization and leaves the donor out.

The look of the piece may seem unimportant, but it sends a message to the reader. It doesn’t look like a letter you’d get from a friend. It looks sharp, corporate, mass-produced. So shiny that the readers’ eyes will slide right over it.

Even worse is focusing an appeal on your organization. That puts up a wall between donor and organization. Your donor becomes a passive player in the work, not an essential and welcomed part of it.

You don’t need kudos; you need funding.

Here’s what to do instead

How it looks

I’m going to tiptoe here, because I don’t want to insult anyone. But separate fundraising communications from marketing communications. The two departments should work closely, of course. But fundraising has different needs. (And fundraising brings in the money…)

So use a serif font. It’s warmer, it looks like something more personal. Many of your donors are likely to be older. They’ll remember typewriters! Indent each paragraph. And be sure the type is large enough for older eyes to read.

Don’t worry about slick design. Something that looks homemade can be really effective. A photo “clipped” to the corner of the page. A little handwritten type in a margin. Think about what a letter from a friend might look like, not one from your bank.

How it feels

Your message isn’t “We’re great! Let me count the ways. So you should send us money” Your message is “You’re great! We appreciate your support. Your generosity is what makes our mission possible. Let me show you how <story>” Treat your donors – regardless of gift amount – like they truly matter to you. And they should!

You can still have fun and be creative

Don’t toss those crayons. Use all that creativity to make what you say to donors full of feeling. Aim at closing the distance between donor and mission. Use photos that communicate the feeling immediately. Tell a moving story. But remember that fundraising communications aren’t about your organization. They’re about the kind people who support your mission.

Don’t leave your donors out