Category Archives: copywriting
The 3 kinds of deadlines for fundraising appeals
You see deadlines all the time in fundraising appeals. But are they helping or hurting response? It depends. There are roughly three kinds of fundraising deadlines: Real deadlines, like year end, fiscal year end, Christmas, and others. Reasonable deadlines, like … Continue reading
Is social media fundraising worth it?
With all the controversy about Facebook and selling user data and undermining user trust, it’s a good time to think about how and why we’re using social media for fundraising. It might not seem like it at first, but there’s … Continue reading
Posted in copywriting, fundraising, Online fundraising
Tagged copywriting, Online fundraising
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Donor retention keeps falling – what to do about it
Donor retention was down again last year. It’s part of a steady downward trend that’s been going on for the past decade. What’s going on? There are four possible reasons for donors’ increasing lack of loyalty: Completing the story in … Continue reading
Posted in copywriting, donor psychology, fundraising
Tagged copywriting, donor psychology, fundraising
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5 ways to build rapport with donors
If we want to engage donors, it’s important to reach out to them on their terms and in ways that avoid being seen as too pushy or too salesy. So, we want to build a friendly rapport with donors and … Continue reading
Posted in copywriting, donor psychology, fundraising
Tagged copywriting, donor psychology, fundraising
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When “Donor as Hero” is wrong for fundraising
Lots of charities are telling their donors, “You’re a hero!” It’s become the go-to theme for fundraising of all kinds in a variety of sectors. But simply telling donors that they’re heroes falls way short of the goals of donor-centric … Continue reading
Posted in copywriting, donor psychology, fundraising
Tagged copywriting, fundraising
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How too much collaboration ruins fundraising appeals
There’s this idea that people seem to accept without even thinking about it. It’s the idea that all work is teamwork … that nothing can happen without the involvement of anyone and everyone … that any kind of collaboration is … Continue reading
The blank outside envelope – is it a good idea for your fundraising appeals?
People say that if you want to increase the open rates for direct mail fundraising, use a blank outside envelope. No teaser. No organization logo. Nothing to signal that it’s a fundraising letter or even whom it’s coming from. Or, … Continue reading
