We've been working on a series of posts about the four ingredients you need to make a fundraising effort successful. Remember, the potential donor must believe:
1. In your cause
2. In you
3. There’s a tangible need
4. His/her gift will make a difference
Last week we talked about what it takes to help your donor believe in your cause. But believing in your cause only gets the donor so far.
She hasn't pulled out her checkbook yet or mailed in her credit card information. (In fact, she's still three steps away from that.) Your donor must believe in you, or she just might take her gift to another organization serving the same cause. Chances are, there are plenty of places willing to take her money.
So how do you get someone you don't know (or even someone you do know) to give money to you? Remember the first date rule: first impressions are everything.
Make your mailing, if you're doing a mailing, visually appealing. Add a teaser to the outside envelope -- but make it an honest teaser that tells the donor something about what's inside. Make sure your organization's logo and name are clearly presented. You should have contact information somewhere on every piece of the mailing. Include a reply device and, if possible, a postage-paid reply envelope. (Tell the donor that his stamp can help his gift go further.) Have your letter clearly presented. Underline your key points. If you include pictures, please, please, please be sure they print clearly. (Please!)
If you're doing an event instead of (or in addition to) a mailing, follow some of the same principles. Make sure that your organization's name, logo, and contact information are clearly and boldly presented. Provide plenty of signage in the form of banners and fliers. Be sure that they are properly printed and professionaly designed. A photocopied flier made with standard clipart from Word might work for college parties, but it's not exactly the image you want to portray to your potential donor (at least, I hope not). And please,remember my plea about photos.
There's a fine line between looking good and looking too good. If you look too good, your donor might fear that you're simply going to waste his money. And you don't want that. Keep your look professional, high quality, and simple. Remember another important addage: less is more. This is true for perfume, hair gel, pink ruffles, and fundraising campaigns.
But looking good only takes you so far. Just like in dating, if you don't have something more under all that slick hair and aftershave, you probably won't be very successful. Once you've wowed your donor with how good you look, you need to show that you have a great personality.
This is where the writing comes in. Presenting yourself with clear, concise writing tells your donor that you know your stuff. Convincing organizations that they need to invest in a professional writer is one of the hardest things to do in my business. But there are few fundraising techniques more effective than really good writing. Grammar mistakes, weak sentences, and all-around sloppy writing send the message that your organization is mistake-prone, weak, and all-around sloppy. Those aren't exactly qualities that inspire great gifts.
When you write or hold an event for potential donors who might not be well acquainted with you, be sure to include some brief, solid information about who you are. Direct them to a Web site where they can learn more about your organization. Direct them to third-party organizations that can attest to your credibility. Just like a potential employer wants a letter of reference to verify your credentials, so, too, does the potential donor. Charity Navigator provides non-biased reports on the financial health of thousands of charities throughout the nation. A vote of confidence from them really means something. If you're a Christian charity, then Ministry Watch serves as another wonderful reference for potential donors. Of course, you'll want to verify that you meet the criteria of these references to ensure a positive rating from them.
All of this might seem like a lot to handle for an already over-worked organization since, generally, nonprofits aren't known for their abundance of staff members waiting around, twiddling their thumbs, and desperately hoping that they can find something to do. That's where utilizing a professional fundraiser can really help. Even if your organization has a director of development (or similarly titled position), using an outside company can make you and your staff more effective. You'll raise more money, attract more donors, and, most importantly, be able to reach more people, animals, wildlife habitats, or whatever else it is that you want to change in this world.
Believe (in) Me -- it's worth it if you ever want to get past the first date.
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