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Write letters -- not ads

What letters should contain:

Opening paragraph(s)
- Why are you writing me?
- What do you have to say that is of interest to me?
- What do you want me to do?
Closing paragraph(s)
- Restate your case and ask again
- Tell me why you wrote me
- Tell me how I can make the gift
Letter Signer
- Should be a person who can appropriately, effectively ask for the gift
- One person should sign the letter
Postscript
- Assume the gift will be made
- Add value to the decision
- Give donor another reason to make the gift
- Keep message consistent with main theme
Body
- Show the commitment to case by letter signer
- Explain the case and urgency of making the gift
- Ask for the gift
- Provide information on impact of the gift
- Provide benefits to donor for making the gift
Response card (for direct mail package)
- Summarize the primary reason for making the gift
- Echo the theme from the text of the letter (& brochure)
Envelope
- Spell the name as the donor wishes it to be spelled
- Use teases on institutional mailings or ads, not personal letters
- The envelope's job is the get itself opened.*

*Herschell Gordon Lewis, Direct Marketing, July 1994

Write letters	Roger Gafke, CFRE Fund-raising, public relations & training services for non-profit organizations
Index:	Home page	Return to fund-raising letter index	Writing Exercises
Write letters -- not ads What letters should contain: Opening paragraph(s) Why are you writing me? What do you have to say that is of interest to me? What do you want me to do? Closing paragraph(s) Restate your case and ask again Tell me why you wrote me Tell me how I can make the gift Letter Signer Should be a person who can appropriately, effectively ask for the gift One person should sign the letter Postscript Assume the gift will be made Add value to the decision Give donor another reason to make the gift Keep message consistent with main theme Body Show the commitment to case by letter signer Explain the case and urgency of making the gift Ask for the gift Provide information on impact of the gift Provide benefits to donor for making the gift Response card (for direct mail package) Summarize the primary reason for making the gift Echo the theme from the text of the letter (& brochure) Envelope Spell the name as the donor wishes it to be spelled Use teases on institutional mailings or ads, not personal letters The envelope's job is the get itself opened.* *Herschell Gordon Lewis, Direct Marketing, July 1994
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