Your fundraising appeal needs a strong case You must have a compelling, urgent problem the donor can help solve. You need an emotional story People make giving decisions with their emotions. Stories are the best way to ignite those emotions. Tell a story. Go ahead and use some statistics – they can help support the […]
7 words and phrases that should die
You know what happens when someone tells you not to think about a pink elephant? Suddenly you can’t get that creature out of your mind, right? Something similar seems to be happening to me as I think and write about writing. My jargon-o-meter is on high alert these days. So, for a little fun, here […]
Writing for someone else’s voice
If you write fundraising appeals, chances are someone else will sign what you write. So how do you write in a way that’s both compelling and believable? The most important thing is not that the letter sounds like the person signing it. The most important thing is that the letter is effective. So resist complaints […]
Don’t fall in love
Sometimes you can choose when to fall in love It feels wonderful to be in love. Colors are brighter, sounds are sweeter. You know, all that pop song stuff. But it’s a dangerous thing to fall in love with your own writing. Or with your own organization. Don’t get me wrong – you want to […]
An endearing appeal from a novice
Sometimes we work so hard at getting it all right. We read everything we can find. We learn all the rules. We labor over each appeal, sure it will be “the one”. And sometimes a complete novice gets an awful lot right. By being sincere. By staying focused on a single message. By working toward […]