How to Create a Nonprofit Appeal

in 20 Minutes January 15, 2015

Host: NonProfit TimesConducted by: Herschell Gordon Lewis

Interlocutor: Paul Clolery

Is it possible?

Oh, yes, it’s not only possible but probable…

when you recognize three unique values to

YOU as fundraiser:

Value number one:If you’re a start-up, you can be competitive with established nonprofits.

(As a business, all nonprofits compete

against all other nonprofits.)

Value number two:You can inspire without specifying how funds

will be used.Invariably, statistics become not only dull but a turnoff to some prospective donors.)

Value number three:You can transmit clearly the clarity of purpose –

the value of your offer to both you and to your

targets – without leaning on validation.

(To some, validation raises the otherwise dormant question of

validity.)

Parenthetical point:References to

validators who aren’t well-known to

prospective mailers may weaken your sales argument rather than

enhance it.(It’s a 20th century pre-

web hangover.)

You have 20 minutes from your decision to create the PowerPoint

to having it on the screen.

Your sole motivation:Think like a

salesperson, not like an analyst

THECLARITY

COMMANDMENT

One element should drive every professional communication you create, from this moment forward:

The Clarity Commandment:

When you choose words and phrases for

force-communication,clarity is paramount.

Don’t let any other component of the

communications mix interfere with it.

RECOGNITIONOF

PURPOSE

A second element should drive every professional direct response messageyou create, from this moment forward:

Recognitionof Purpose:

The purpose of a direct response message is to

convince the recipient of that message to perform a specific

positive act as the direct result of that message.

Typical email subject lineor

carrier envelope copy:

This is whatI want you to do:

(envelope copy -- handwritten preferred)

Thentell them

what to do

Get to the point fast.

You’ll save their time…

and yours…and probably

generate more response

You know the optimum:Letter – no paragraph longer than 7 lines. One paragraph

can be a single word.

Email – limit paragraphs to four lines. Three is better.

For both – active voice, not passive voice.

No time or space wasted. Note the gripping way this

letter seizes

and holds attention… but…

Excellent test

possibility:Would

response be quicker

and stronger

reaction if the

message had been shorter?

Want to knock out your message within 20

minutes?Visualize describing the story as you’re sitting

next to a possible donor on the bus …

then write it that way.

Want to knock out your message within 20

minutes?For snail-mail, tell

yourself your message won’t run beyond one

page. You’ll automatically and quickly condense.

Want to knock out your message within 20

minutes?For email, tell yourself

your message won’t run beyond four

paragraphs. You’ll automatically and quickly condense.

Simple no-brainer techniques for letter or email coming up.

Do you need graphics to augment a shorter

email?No.

In fact, graphics can damage the image of

urgency.

Forget plurals.It’s “Me to you”

not“We to you”

or“… to those of you who…”

Exception to Singular Rule: A generalized announcement

• DEAR WIKIPEDIA READERS:• Advertising is not evil. But it doesn't belong here.

We survive on donations averaging about $15. Now is the time we ask. If everyone reading this right now gave $3, our fundraiser would be done within an hour. Yep, that’s about the price of buying a programmer a coffee.We’re a small non-profit with costs of a top 5 website: servers, staff and programs. Wikipedia is something special. It is like a library or a public park, a temple for the mind where we can all go to think and learn. When we founded Wikipedia, we could have made it a for profit company with advertising banners, but we decided to do something different. To protect our independence, we'll never run ads. If Wikipedia is useful to you, take one minute to keep it online and ad-free another year.

• Thank you.

Do self-mailers work?Possibly: Self-mailers are

worth testing.Obverse (front side) has

name, address, and a “grabber” punchline.

Reverse side has a dramatic picture.Both sides tell the

recipient to participate NOW.

Before you start writing, answer this

question:What benefit might

donors expect?Build your text around that and you’ll write

faster and more powerfully.

Does “Cute” increase or decrease response?

• Sloths are entirely dependent on the health of tropical rain forests. But tropical rain forests are at risk—as deforestation occurs, sloths lose their shelter and food source. WWF works with communities, governments and companies to protect forests around the world, including in Brazil, where an initiative in the Amazon has become the largest conservation project in the world.

During this season of giving, share your commitment to conservation and wildlife. When you make a donation to WWF, you can choose one of these special thank-you gifts to show your friends and family how much you care about safeguarding animals in the wild and threatened habitat.

Motivational or weak? What might you have

written?

What makes this effective?

Decide quickly – what might you have written differently?

In the real world, for this you might have one minute to create

strong envelope copy. What would you say?

In haste, you might write “assumptive” copy with

“in-talk” outsiders misinterpret

A curious bit of marketing philosophy

that’s especially apt for both subject lines and

content:Offering options gives

them options.

Another way of making the same moneymaking

point:“Tell them what to do”

should refer to what appears to be a single course of action, not

multiple choices.

A quick look at some of the

weapons in our arsenal:

Don’t waste “keyboard time” puzzling over

envelope copy. Think, think, as you’re writing

other elements:What can I write…

or not write…on the envelope to

convince someone to open it?

Then write, look, decide.

The carrier envelope has just one purpose

(other than preventing the contents from falling out into the

street):

to get itself opened.

Two questions:1. Which of these is more likely to be

opened?2. What would the comparative attitude be

at the moment of opening?

Both are flawed.1. What wording would you use in rewrite?

2. Would you consider handwriting, or blank?

Two questions:1. Will the typical recipient look at this envelope copy with suspicion?2. Does the “Multiply” line help or

hurt?

An easy theme:Promise an exclusive

benefit –tickets to an event

appointment to the Boardmulti-year membership for

the cost of one yearpublicity

If you use one of these, put it on the envelope.

Saying too muchon the envelope

can damage response.

A quick look at the key selling

element of direct mail – the letter:

Some logicaland ridiculously

simple rulesfor

effective letter-writing

(and much email):

Keep your first sentence

short.

No paragraphslonger than

seven lines. Option: handwritten notations in margins

add emphasis

Single spacethe letter.

Double spacebetween paragraphs.

Don’tsneak up

on the reader.You’re at point-blank

range. So:Fire

your biggest gunfirst.

(Imperative for e-mail.)

Tired of “Dear Friend”?Try one of these:

• Good morning!• Hi.• Dear Colleague,• Dear Tennis Nut,• Dear Fellow Tennis Nut,• This will be a good day, [NAME]!• If you’re like I am, [NAME]…

(When should you useonly the first name?)

Don’t overwrite an email.

If they have to analyze, you’ve

written it wrong.

An absolute rule of online fundraising:

Make responseno-brainer

easy.

Adding the recipient’s name to the “Subject” line usually increases

response.Be sure you or your

production team can do this before assuming

it’s there for you.

An absolute rule:Don’t go backward

Words such as “available” and “among” drag the thrust backward. “What I meant

was” is deadly.You’re in command.

“Backward phraseology” lets the rudder slip out of your

hand. You’ll never make it in 20 minutes.

You have time today to analyze fundraising

messages you’re working on now and waiting for

your fingertips to produce improvement…

and you have a lifetime for your fingertips to use what you’re picking up

today.

Want to discuss a project?

Send an email toHerschell@hglewis.com

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