Do you want to reach more donors? Open your heart

My plea for emotional copywriting

Successful fundraising is about reaching people where they make decisions… and that’s their hearts, not their heads. Emotional copywriting is effective copywriting.

Writing to donors means using emotional copywriting. Yes, there are some “tricks” you can use to improve your appeal. Simple things, like better formatting. I’ve mentioned some ways you can improve your letters. And how you can improve your writing by keeping it simple here.

But there’s one thing you can do that you can’t reduce to a formula or a checklist. And it’s one too many people avoid when they’re trying to write to donors.

You have to wear your heart on your sleeve.

Maybe even on the front of your shirt.

In neon.

To make your writing effective, to make it feel sincere, you’ve got to dig into yourself. You’re going to have to let go a little and allow yourself to feel all the feels.

Emotional copywriting – think of it like acting.

Back in my pre-kids life, I enjoyed performing. I loved to sing, dance, and act. It was such a fun challenge. I had to dig into my character, think about her emotions, and live them – even if just for a little while.

Recently, I was writing an appeal letter. And I realized I was doing something very similar.

No, there wasn’t a character. But there was an idea, a profile, of the person who’d be reading this letter. And of the person the reader would want to hear from.

You’re the writer. And you’re the reader, as well.

As the writer, you want to think about:

• What is it I’ve experienced that will tell the story of my organization?
• What do I feel every day when I see the problems that a donation will help?
• How do the people we serve feel about the work?

Note, I’m not suggesting a list of programs here. You don’t want to include an organizational resume.

Because you’re selling benefits (to the community, the people you help, the donor), not features (all the cool things your organization does). Remember, you’re not going to amaze people into giving.

Then, thinking as the donor, you want to consider:

• How will I feel when I read this?
• Is it about me?
• Why should I care – why should I get emotional about this?
• What can I do to help?

There are other characters to consider, as well. If you’re telling a story about someone your organization has helped, you need to get into their skin.

The bottom line?

Performers have to be willing to be vulnerable. They expose emotions drawn from their imagination and experience to an audience. That can leave you feeling raw, exposed – but also exultant. It’s a very human experience.

So is giving. And your writing needs to be just as vulnerable, exposed, and human.

That’s how you win hearts – and donations.