As fundraising copywriters, we know that creating a sense of urgency is one of the most powerful tools in our box (or bag) of tricks. However, because it’s human nature for things we do every day to become routine, it is easy to think of urgency as just a writing tactic or technique we use at specific times as part of our copywriting formula.
But think about the people our communications are ultimately meant to serve. For example, an elderly person with chronic arthritis who is in severe pain at this very moment. Or consider a family unable to afford to pay their electric bill and spending long nights in the dark. For them, the sense of urgency is painfully, dangerously very real.
As far as our own lives are concerned, we can get so caught up in composing the perfect letter, meeting deadlines, analyzing results, etc. that we lose sight of how fragile our lives are.
Anything like an accident, an unexpected health emergency, the loss of someone we love, anything really, can turn our lives upside down and put everything on hold.
It’s not comfortable to talk or even think about our own vulnerabilities and mortality. But keeping it “real” when it comes to our lives will help us do so in our writing too. And the result will be more honest, compelling copy that moves and inspires donors to want to make a difference.
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