Fundraising success is key to many nonprofit organizations. Without the assistance of donors, many charities would be unable to keep their doors open. That being the case, there are many things nonprofits can do to increase the effectiveness of fundraising campaigns. For instance, tweaking the language you use in your fundraising communications appeals can improve their success.
Here are just a few ways to improve your fundraising letters:
1. Include a clear call to action in fundraising communications
According to Fundraising IP, many nonprofits have trouble getting to the point in their appeals. When donors receive a communication from a nonprofit they have contributed to in the past, they can probably assume they are being called on once again. However, when the letter fails to make a specific ask, the donor may not follow through. Use a clear CTA in your messages that give readers directions about what to do next.
2. Keep them simple and direct
It may be tempting to use a flashy design to increase engagement with fundraising messages, but this probably won’t help you in the long run, Fundraising IP noted. This also refers to the language you use. Rather than writing some artful prose on the mission of your nonprofit, consider simply using bullet points to list some quick facts. Donors should be able to quickly ascertain the basics after a cursory glance. Resorting to attention-grabbing or overfly flowery techniques could just end up clouding your message.
3. Provide the information donors need
When it comes down to it, recipients usually need some information before they can decide to contribute. An article in Fundraiser Help runs down several common reasons nonprofits are unsuccessful in fundraising. Most commonly, fundraisers are not giving out the data that donors need to feel confident in their decision to contribute. For starters, what does the organization do? Just as importantly, what will they use the donor’s money for? To address these types of questions, it’s a good idea to utilize some data that demonstrates previous successes in the nonprofit’s area of interest. Donation management platforms and business intelligence software can make it easier for nonprofits to collect this information and share it with potential donors.
4. Consistency of communication
When donors receive your message, will they know who you are, or will they wonder where you’ve been for the past year? To keep donors engaged, you need to send out consistent communications, whether these are simply providing updates on the state of the organization or providing thank-you for previous contributions. A solid donation management platform can make it easier to keep track of what messages a specific donor has received and at what point.
In the end, your actually fundraising letters are only as good as the tools you use to construct them. Without the data, you won’t be able to send messages as consistently and the overall quality will be lower. To start on the path to fundraising success, invest in donation management and other tools for process improvement that can help you get there.
