Fund-Raising Campaigns for Direct Mail/ Email and Phone
Has the amount of time, expense, and effort to recruit volunteers for planning and executing a fundraising activity become an overwhelming task? Are you searching for new creative ideas? Try a direct mail letter, postcard or phone campaign.
Why not simply ask for contributions?
Creating the Campaign
· Divide your donor list into categories by size of donation.
· Focus most effort on top donors
· Create a profile if possible listing donors’ common demographics
· Gender, Age, Reason for donation, Relationship to current student
· Create mailing or calling plan to match demographics
· Create a separate appeal for each major group
· Donors should receive regular correspondence other than donation requests
· Timing is important. Frequent requests for funding are not as successful as requests made with a reasonable amount of time between campaigns.
· Write the letter, postcard or make calls inserting appropriate levels of:
o Emotional appeal –describe the current situation from a first person view point
o Logical appeal –cost vs. reward, spend now to avoid paying more later
· Templates are good for guidance and ideas, but original wording speaks much clearer.
· Include a deadline for the campaign based on some type of urgency to increase response.
· For personal phone calls – do not attempt to ‘wing it’. Make notes of key points to cover. Include time for conversation with donor between points. Do not read or have a flat voice tonality.
· Include a short description (1 sentence) of the last campaign with emphasis on results amount requested, donated, how it was used, and the resulting effect.
· Acknowledge the stress of the current economy and the affect it is having on donors’ ability to contribute. Include how the economy is affecting campaigns.
o A donor who cannot make contributions will appreciate the sensitivity
o A donor who is able to contribute might consider increasing the donation.
· The first sentence is the most important to capture attention and to keep the reader interested and engaged.
· The last sentence is the second most important sentence – finish strong and clear.
· Use of a sentence below the signature beginning with ‘P.S.’ is effective. The call to action.
· Letter should be no more than 2 -3 paragraphs - keep it short as possible and to the point.
· Ask top donors if they are willing to write an endorsement statement to be included in the letter.
· Obtain written permission from donors before their quotations are used in fundraising letters. Otherwise, keep donor names and information confidential.
· In letters to large donors, thank them for the amount of their last donation and remind them of the project to which it went, the benefit children received from their past donation.
· Consider sending a hand written note asking for donations.
· Be specific about the current need and how donations will be used.
Ex: Don’t: “to finance an important project for local citizens”
Do: “to add new park benches along downtown sidewalks for our older residents”
· Describe the project in detail to create a visual picture of the outcome.
o Don’t: "We need to replace the old playground equipment with new equipment"
o Do: "new swing sets provide special seating allowing physically challenged children the enjoyment of playing with children without physical challenges"
· Include a clear call to action – ask for a donation at the end of the letter and include how to make the donation. Including the mailing address.
· Provide an email address and phone number for questions. Consider a website for large projects.
· Test the letter before printing looking for typos, grammar and clarity of the message and appeal.
During the Campaign
· Post large progress charts inside or outside-where ever donors can easily see it
· Other graphic representations - thermometer, bar chart
· If possible, place a sign on the site of the project
· Provide an email address and phone number for questions
· Answer all donor questions immediately
· As donations are made –thank you notes must go out immediately.
o Included the amount- to- date of donations received
o Notes should be hand written for larger donations, if not for all donations
· Consider personal phone calls in addition to thank you letters.
End of the Campaign
For all types of fundraising campaigns, a wrap up meeting is vital. Record all suggestions so that improvements can be incorporated into the next campaign. Don’t rely on memory!
· Schedule a wrap up meeting for all campaign workers to review the running of the campaign
o What was outstanding?
o What should be changed for the next campaign?
o Additional suggestions
o Compare results of current campaign with previous campaigns
o Post results on the website, on signs, or wherever donors find information.
o Capture all suggestions for improvement, even if no other direct mail is planned.
Additional suggestions
· Do not ask for additional contributions or include a return envelope with thank you notes.
· Do not use preprinted, thank you notes with blank lines for donor information.
· If the campaign does not receive the target amount, celebrate what was given and communicate gratitude no matter what the outcome.
· Post cards can be designed with your Excel address list added by using the post office’s direct mail service. www.premiumpostcard.com 866-482-3849. It’s fast and easy.
· Do not include letter samples or pictures of children without specific written permission from parents for each specific campaign. Never disclose first or last names of children. Check pictures to see if first or last names are visible on clothing or backpacks.
· Obtain approval from the principal or headmaster for all content before mailing any campaign letter or making phone calls.
