Make It Easy on the Donor to Understand Your Next Appeal

Appeal letters work better when the donor is asked to help one person rather than many people. You probably already knew that, but it’s one thing to know it and quite another to put that knowledge into practice when it’s time to write your appeal.

Here’s an example of what I’m talking about from a hospital foundation:

Your gift today will help cancer patients.” But, with just one simple change you will raise quite a bit more: “Your gift today will help a cancer patient.”

If you’re saying to yourself, what’s the big deal, let me explain. When a donor is asked to help just one person, it’s easier for that person to say “yes” than it is when he or she is asked to help an unknown, more difficult to wrap your brain around, larger number of beneficiaries.

Do you agree with me that it’s more believable?

Another example: if I’m a $500 donor to an organization that helps children, would you really believe that organization when they say, “Your gift will help all the children we serve.”  After all, the hospital foundation helps many hundreds, even thousands of children. Are you naïve enough to believe that your $500 gift is going to help that many? I didn’t think so.

Think of it this way- when creating your fundraising appeals you need to convince your donors to help one individual before they will ever be interested in helping more than one.

Try this strategy in your next appeal. I guarantee you’ll be happy with the results.

And if you’re looking for some help with your next appeal, please reach out at 708-974-2600. We’re here for you.