How To Write an Effective Fundraising Letter: 6 Essential Tips
There’s a reason nonprofits have been using direct mail to raise money for nearly a century: It’s cost-effective, low-risk, and can deliver excellent results – if you play your cards right.
Anyone with good grammar and syntax can write a letter. But crafting a successful fundraising letter isn’t as intuitive as it seems. I learned this the hard way when I first attempted to write a fundraising letter. I felt confident when I submitted my first draft to the no-nonsense fundraising copywriter who assigned it to me. And, well, he returned it to me an hour later, covered in red ink.
That experience taught me that writing persuasive fundraising copy starts with science and ends with art. There are rules you must follow if you want your appeal to garner meaningful results.
That said, here are six fundamental rules all professional direct mail copywriters use to write successful fundraising letters. Master these fundamentals. Then, use your creative license to enhance your message.
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6 Fundamental Rules for Writing a Successful Fundraising Letter
The first thing you should do when writing your fundraising letter is to think about your copy from the perspective of your readers. Most people probably won’t read your nonprofit’s entire fundraising letter. Many will throw it out without ever opening the envelope, and some will throw it away after skimming the first few sentences. Almost no one will read it word by word.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t invest in direct mail fundraising. In fact, even in the digital age, direct mail remains one of the most effective fundraising channels for nonprofits. But an understanding of the reader’s journey will help you produce compelling donor-centric fundraising copy that hooks the reader and persuades them to give in as few glances as possible.
Rule #1: Open Your Fundraising Letter With an Emotional Hook
The opening lines of your fundraising letter are your first – and often your only – chance to make an impression. Grab the reader’s attention immediately, or you risk losing them.
To craft a compelling lead, reflect on your target reader’s values and how they intersect with your mission.
For instance, if your mission is to eliminate cervical cancer by providing preventative and curative treatment to at-risk women and girls, your target reader will be sensitive to the suffering of others and might have a history of supporting vulnerable women and children.
Use those insights to open your fundraising letter with a line that resonates with your audience:
Don’t open with a generic statement like, “Our organization is committed to treating cervical cancer in underserved communities.”
Do spark your reader’s curiosity with a strong emotional hook that paints a vivid picture of the need: “A completely preventable disease took the lives of 350,000 mothers and daughters last year.”
If applicable, as in my example, clarify what disease we’re referring to: “Cervical cancer is the only cancer that is 100% preventable. If detected early, it’s also relatively easy to treat.” Finally, make a direct appeal: “Will you help us save the lives of women and girls with cervical cancer?”
By now, your reader can visualize and feel your need for their support. You’ve also piqued their interest and raised enough questions to keep their eyes on your fundraising letter.
Rule #2: If You Don’t Ask for Money, You’re Not Fundraising
It seems obvious, but I often see “fundraising” letters that don’t explicitly ask for donations. Simply put: If you don’t include an explicit request for money in your appeal, you’re not fundraising.
Every fundraising letter you write should include multiple clear and direct calls to action (CTAs) to create a sense of urgency that motivates an immediate response from your reader.
Ask early. Make your first request early, ideally within the first few paragraphs of your fundraising letter. Show the reader how their gift will make an impact: “Will you donate $50 today and help provide life-saving medical treatment to women and girls at risk of developing cervical cancer?”
Ask often. Repeat your request for money multiple times throughout your letter. You won’t come across as pushy or aggressive if your CTAs feel natural and revolve around the reader’s potential impact: “I know we can eradicate cervical cancer with the support of friends like you. Will you donate $50 today and help save the lives of future victims?”
How I can help you drive donations and support:
Clear and compelling CTAs
Persuasive emotional hooks
Powerful fundraising copy
Increased donor responses
Rule #3: A Fundraising Letter Without Specifics is Like a Recipe Without Instructions
Just as a well-structured recipe guides a cook to create a delicious dish, a well-crafted fundraising letter should clearly outline the purpose, goals, and needs of your campaign, guiding your supporters to confidently contribute.
State your specific, measurable needs and expectations to create a sense of urgency and illustrate to the reader that their gift will make a tangible difference.
Be specific about your intended impact.
How many lives can your reader help save? How many families can they help feed? Be specific and realistic about the impact you expect to make with their donation. This shows the reader that their gift will make a significant difference.
Use emotional and tangible examples to illustrate what their donation will achieve, and tailor your impact statement to resonate with your target reader: “As an animal lover, I hope you agree every dog and cat deserves to be cared for. A gift of $100 from you today will ensure that 5 rescued pets receive vital medical care.”
State the specific expenses the donation will help cover.
What will your organization buy with the donation? Provide a brief itemized list of expenses their gift will help cover. Make sure these items have a clear and direct connection to your mission: “Your donation of $100 will help cover the cost of life-saving antibiotics, vaccinations, and surgeries our rescued animals need before they can be adopted.”
Ask for a specific amount of money.
How much money do you want the reader to give you? Offering suggested donation amounts (SDAs) based on your donors’ past giving behavior can help guide your readers as they decide how much to contribute.
In prospect-facing solicitations, ask for whatever amount typically given by first-time donors. For existing and repeat donors, make your SDA equal to the donor’s previous gift: “Last year, your generous gift of $200 provided critical medical support to 10 dogs and cats in need. Will you renew your support today and give 10 more animals a new lease on life?”
Include specific metrics.
If your appeal is part of a planned campaign, how much money does your organization need to raise? What’s your deadline? How much have you raised so far? This information conveys a sense of urgency and community involvement: “We need your help to raise $50,000 by December 31st to provide shelter to more stray pets. So far, we’ve raised $42,000 – will you help us through the finish line?”
Rule #4: Personalize Your Fundraising Letters
Messages that feel personally relevant to your reader motivate initial support in the short term and pave the way for fruitful, long-term donor relationships.
One renewal campaign I worked on saw a 62% increase in response rates when we used the reader’s first name and recognized the hours or dollars they’d volunteered or donated to the organization in the past.
The more you know about your donors, the more effectively you can target them. A well-maintained, accurately segmented database allows you to reference your donors’ personal information and tailor your messages for various donor segments (e.g., prospects, major donors, lapsed donors).
While letter personalization can increase your response rate, failing to personalize it can be detrimental. Your high-dollar, long-term donors will notice if you send them the same generic letter you sent some guy who donated $5 last year.
Rule #5: Engage to Persuade in Every Fundraising Appeal
If your fundraising copy isn’t engaging enough to keep the reader focused, how will you motivate your reader to donate? Always include engaging elements that keep your reader reading.
Use a conversational tone: Professional copywriters write in the first-person singular tense to make our letters feel like one-on-one conversations between two friends. Personal anecdotes can help the copy flow if the story relates to the letter’s content, and posing questions to the reader can provoke thought and engagement (e.g., “If you had to choose between a nutritious meal and a safe place to sleep, what would you pick?”).
Craft clear and compelling narratives: Establishing a themed narrative helps make your letter engaging, memorable, and cohesive. While outlining your letter, brainstorm relevant themes and metaphors you can use to craft a compelling narrative (here’s an example from my portfolio).
Include supporting evidence: Insert statistics and other supporting evidence where appropriate. This tactic has been shown to motivate donors to increase their gift size.
Promote ease of reading: Your copy should flow well and be easy for skimmers to digest. For example, short paragraphs and bulleted lists are much easier to read than long blocks of text.
Rule #6: Repeat Your Case in the Postscript and Reply Form
As you know, most people will skim your copy. Certain areas of our letters are more likely to catch the reader’s eye: the first three paragraphs, the postscript (P.S.), and the reply form. Professional copywriters use these sections strategically to repeat our case and urge the reader to action.
The first few paragraphs: Professional copywriters spend a disproportionate amount of time massaging every word of the first few paragraphs because it’s the first thing readers see.
The postscript (P.S.): The P.S. is one of the most-read parts of a letter and often your best chance to drive home your message and highlight the urgency of the appeal. Summarize your case with a clear and emotional call to action to increase the likelihood of a donation.
The reply form: The reply form is another critical spot to reiterate your case and key messages. It serves as a final reminder and helps solidify the donor's decision.
Conclusion
Writing persuasive fundraising copy is both science and art. The tips I’ve shared with you draw on proven strategies and should provide a solid foundation for writing a compelling fundraising letter. But crafting a first-rate fundraising letter requires experience and a nuanced understanding of donor psychology.
I’ve seen first-hand the significant impact that seemingly insignificant details can have on results. That’s why I urge you to delegate your fundraising copy to a professional copywriter with the specialized knowledge and expertise to craft messages that resonate with donors and inspire generosity and loyalty.
Don't leave the success of your campaigns to chance! Contact me today to discuss how I can help transform your fundraising letters into powerful, donor-centric appeals that drive action and foster long-term support.
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