Part 1 Making the Case

(1)

Making a Best Case

in Your Year-End

Appeal

~

T o m A h e r n ~

Part 1

Making the Case

Why do you want my

money?

“Because

without

your

money, some worthy

good can’t happen.”

Do you want me as well

as my money?

“Absolutely. Your trust

and confidence are

important, NOT the size

of your gift.”

(2)

“Friend-raisers” raise

more money than

fundraisers.

7

Donor-NEGLIGENT:

“We did this. We did

that. We were amazing.

Oh, by the way, thanks.”

Donor-CENTRIC:

“With your help, all

these amazing things

happened. And without

your help, they won’t.”

All best cases, 3 things:

Make a

promise

.

Prove

you have results.

Acknowledge

the donor.

Promise

Proof

Donor

Proof

Promise

(3)

A case is not a description

of what you

do.

(Though a BRIEF reminder

is welcome.)

“Donors are staggeringly

ignorant of the causes

they support.”

-- Richard Radcliffe, dean of UK donor researchers

Just as good…

A case is a description of

what you

promise

.

(4)

Promise

19

Your case talks about why

you

matter

(i.e., what the

donor will achieve by

supporting you)

The “ Why we matter”

page

from a case in

progress

21

Problem

Solution

Not sure why you matter?

Pretend you’ve gone away.

A campaign case talks

about where you’re

headed

.

(5)

You’re at A.

People are living longer in America all the

time. And for 3 out of 5, it’s a very bitter

ending … for themselves and their families.

Why? Because 3 out of 5 Americans over

the age of 85 today get Alzheimer’s.

What’s your B?

But that grim outlook could soon improve.

Our research could help shrink the number

afflicted with Alzheimer’s significantly,

maybe down to 1 in 5 -- within a decade.

We’re ready. But we can’t do it without your

help.

A

B

In a nutshell:

We researched.

And we discovered weaknesses

that this $3 billion campaign will

fix. It’ s just a matter of money.

Yale College is thriving,

perhaps as never before.

Recognizing that

excellence is no excuse

for complacency…

…recommended

substantial improvements

in the curriculum…

Promise: “science-rich”

Promise: arts expansion

Promise: building

multinational graduates

Promise: bringing a Yale

education within reach of

anyone good enough to be

admitted

Promise: perpetual glory. These

are mostly named endowments.

Blah, blah, blah, problem, blah,

blah, blah, evil…

(6)

This has 2 B’ s: the “ fork in the road” story.

A case answers common

questions and doubts.

Talking right.

You’re not talking to other

specialists.

Zero jargon

is the goal.

The Shelter for Women, Inc. helps

at-risk

teen girls from CT towards

recovery from

abuse and neglect

by

supporting

them to

make

sustainable

gains towards

independence

. We provide these

fragile

young women with

therapeutic treatment

,

residential

and

educational support

, and

(7)

You love your

“multidisciplinary.”

They’re left unmoved.

All fundraising copy should

sound like someone talking.

-- George Smith, Tiny Essentials of Writing for Fundraising

XYZ University's strategic plan is designed to amplify the unive rsity's

academic excellence. The result of a 13-month planning effort, the plan

identifies strategies to enhance the university ’s work for students on

three fronts:

• Reinterpreting the liberal arts skills of communication and

critical thinking to take into account 21st-century challenges and

opportunities

• Multiplying connections between students and faculty members

by building on the faculty ’s record of original research and

creativity

• Building on XYZ University ’s strong sense of community,

locally and globally

What’ s wrong? Too much insider jargon. No worthy

emotional goal. No donor in sight.

Within a decade, if all goes according to

plan, XYZ University will emerge as the top

school in its class, leaving behind our ‘peer

schools ’ of today. Admittedly, the plan is

ambitious. And it won’t be cheap:

excellence in education at this level never is.

But we will get there, thanks to your vision,

your commitment, and your help.

Emotionally worthy goals

The donor is the hero

Plain

talk

“Is 22 pages

enough?”

If someone reads 150

words, you’re lucky.

(8)

$50 million raised

Part 2

Direct Mail,

Practically Speaking

Your case for support is

your arrow.

Direct mail is your bow.

Direct mail appeal essentials

• You have to be out there and vulnerable.

Don’t be uptight and inhibited.

• Sew your heart to your sleeve. This is an

emotional conversation with a friend.

• Keep it simple. Tell a relevant story and

make your ask at least three times.

• Stay focused. It’s about the donor. It’s not

about you. Talk about how much good the

donor can do by making a gift.

Dear Tom,

I am writing today -- on behalf of a select group of charities -- to ask your help.

More than a few of your neighbors in Dutchess County need you.

Desperatelyneed you, to be perfectly honest. Neighbors like Shiobahn.

Pretty name,you might be thinking. It's Irish for Joan. But Shiobahn was trapped in an ugly, terrifying, secret life.

Make a gift to this special

"Help Your Neighbors" appeal -- and you'll

earn the community's profound thanks

throughout 2010.

(9)

Dear Tom,

You came to Sharp as a patient, in need of help. Thank you for that profound act of trust. Now I come to you, humbly, to ask for your help in turn. The cause of community health care here in San Diego needs you. Will you consider becoming its champion ... by making a gift to the Sharp HealthCare Foundation this holiday season?

As a patient, you've experienced firsthand Sharp's award-winning health care. I sincerely hope you were satisfied with your outco me.

What patients perhaps don't realize is just how much these good outcomes depend on the generosity of people like you and other San Diego residents.

Philanthropy makes a huge contribution here at Sharp.

Dear Tom,

It was a typical warm, bright morning in "sun-sational" San Diego, one of 300 such days you and I enjoy each year.

Mr. Russ Moore, age 74, felt grand.

Then an unsuspected clot drifted into a narrow artery and stopped the blood flow to his brain.

Suddenly a warm, bright morning turned dark as death for Russ Moore. He fought for his life, impaled by a stroke.

I am writing today to thank you deeply for all your support of Sharp -- and especially to thank you on behalf of people like Russ Moore.

Russ had you by his side.

The truth is this: name a n ytop hospital in America, and you'll discover that behind its continued success stand thousands of se lf -sacrificing benefactors like you.

Great community health care is no accident. It depends in critic al ways on the generous hearts of you and other donors.

What is the purpose of direct

mail?

To get inside a person’s home

and carry on a brief, persuasive

conversation, hoping it will earn

your cause a gift.

The special purpose of direct

mail for smaller nonprofits?

To build your base, in

onesies-twosies, a few dozen at a time.

Who is most likely to

give to you?

The Society for Nice,

Middle-Class, Older

People (SONMOP)

needs your help to feel

good about themselves

Source: Mark Phillips, Bluefrog, via Jeff Brooks

(10)

Which means your letter

is NOT about you.

Your letter is about the

donor’s emotions and

interests.

How we read direct mail

Step #1: The open or trash decision

XYZ Organization 123 Sweeping Street Your town, CT 01234 Ms. Jane Smith 567 Main Street Your town, CT 01234

Me?

Who?

What?

How we read direct mail

Step #2: Do I really care?

L o g o

Who?

What?

[ Optional important message ]

Me?

Dear Ms. Smith,

If you’re like me, the sight of kids running around on stage in silly costumes makes you giggle with delight.

Sincerely, Ms. Sincerity Champion, ED PS: ytuytggygkigkygkygigikgy

Who?

How we read direct mail

Step #3: What do you want me to do?

What?

Yes!

I want to support children ’s community theatre in my town. Here’s my tax -deductible gift of...

Email address

Kinds of letters

Ask yourself 1

st

_:

“What am I going to

write today?”

(11)

Two distinct types of letter...

1. Acquisition

(no gift yet)

2. Renewal

(made a prior gift)

1. Acquisition

(reader is a stranger)

2. Renewal

(an acquaintance)

Acquisition letter ?s...

1. Who are you (your promise)?

2. What do you want?

3. Why should I trust you?

4. Why do you matter?

5. How do you relate to me?

6. What’s the rush?

½ of 1%

Reality check:

Most people throw

away most of their

non-personal

mail most of the time.

Keep your expectations low. And

personalize

as much as you can.

• The person’s name

• The pronouns “you” and “I”

• An audience attribute: “As a parent,

you know....”

• Geography: “As a resident of...”

• Hand-written touches

(12)

67

Renewal letter ?s...

1. What did you do with my prior gift?

2. Are you grateful?

3. What do you want now?

4. Do you have proof?

5. Again: Who are you?

6. What’s the rush?

40-70%

1 st

_{hurdle: Open}

2 nd

_{hurdle: Read enough}

3 rd

_{hurdle: Act}

“The outer/carrier envelope:

the purpose is to get it ripped

open with as much anticipation as

possible. Nothing else.”

-- Jerry Huntsinger

71

(13)

“The letter:

the purpose is to get

the reader involved long enough

and interested enough to make a

positive decision. Nothing else.”

-- Jerry Huntsinger

73

Dear Jane Doe,

Welcome ... I hope.

I’ m writing today to request the pleasure of your

acquaintance.

There’ s a place reserved for you on The Rhode Island

Foundation ’s mailing list ... but

only

if you agree and check,

“ Yes, I’ m interested ” on the enclosed reply card.

You’ ll be in good company, that I can promise.

[etc.]

“The reply device:

the purpose

is to provide a practical way for

the donor to post the gift.

Nothing else.”

-- Jerry Huntsinger

75

Direct mail should be “fun.”

“Fun” can mean

enjoying

a story

you tell,

feeling

empathy,

doing

something to help.

77

(14)

What intriguing thing can I do

on my envelope that might

cause more people to open it?

Inside, just for you: No address labels, no refrigerator

magnets ...

just the profound thanks

of the Dutchess

County neighbors you will help.

(And a website in your very own name.)

81

83

(15)

85

Inside ... one of Salt Lake

City

’

s darkest secrets.

If you have board members, you

have the essential tools for

hand-addressing. “It’s the only

occasion when bad handwriting

is a plus,” says Rick Schwartz.

Your letter is NOT about you. It

is about HOW WONDERFUL

THE DONOR IS for joining your

merry band.

89

(16)

Your salutation is either...

...personalized (“Dear Ms. Smith”)

...impersonal but friendly (“Dear

Friend,” “Dear Neighbor”)

...impersonal but shares values (“Dear

Fellow School Mom,” “Dear Voter in

Alfalfa County”)

Your opening paragraph is 10

words (or preferably much less),

to engage them quickly.

Dear Jane Sample,

Our doctors call it "Day Zero.”

It’s the day you come back from the dead.

Dear Mr. Sample,

Soon it will be tax time again.

Perhaps not the happiest thought, but there could be a

silver lining ... if you make a gift to Bryant now.

I am writing today and sending you this teddy

bear because we really need your help in our

2009 Mothers Against Drunk Driving Irving

Area Annual Fund Campaign.

Source: Mal Warwick newsletter

Your 2

nd

_{paragraph is also short}

and gets to the point.

“I’m writing today to ask your

help with one of our community’s

biggest problems....”

Then pause. Take a breath.

(17)

Now comes the proof you’re

worthy of a gift.

Spin a story.

Good letter attributes

• Always indent your paragraphs.

• Use emphases like boldface and

underlining – but use them sparingly.

• Use a common serif typeface like Times.

• Make it easy to skim: use short paragraphs,

sentence fragments, bullet lists.

• The letter, the envelope, and the reply

device work as a unit. They should echo

each other.

Direct mail doesn’t work in

isolation.

It works in conjunction with

reporting. That’s what your

newsletter is for: accomplishment

reporting.

99

Annual appeals are not “once

a year” mailings.

Your goal: 4 appeals annually.

“Do I make it

super-duper easy to

make a

gift

?”

(18)

“Is my stuff rich with

emotional triggers

?”

(Direct mail industry trade secret!)

Seven emotional triggers cause

people to respond to direct mail:

-- Anger

-- Exclusivity

-- Fear

-- Flattery

-- Greed

-- Guilt

-- Salvation

(19)

109

Are you inviting

your donors to a

fight?

111

My

free

how-to

e-newsletter…

www.aherncomm.co

m