The document provides strategies for writing an effective annual fundraising appeal, including understanding donor motivations, writing the appeal as a personal visit, and addressing donor questions and benefits. It outlines the components of a direct mail appeal and characteristics of effective appeals, such as a compelling envelope, reply device, return envelope, and telling a story to show donor benefits. Nonprofit organizations are encouraged to consider donor psychology and needs when crafting appeals to increase response rates.

1. Practical Strategies for Writing the
Annual Appeal
Ron and Sue Rescigno
October 15, 2013
Use Twitter Hashtag #4Glearn
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Of:
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2. Practical Strategies for Writing the
Annual Appeal
Ron and Sue Rescigno
October 15, 2013
Use Twitter Hashtag #4Glearn
Part
Of:
Sponsored by:

3. Protecting and Preserving the
Institutional Memories of
Nonprofits Since 1993
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Of:
www.cjwconsulting.com
(866) 598-0430
info@cjwconsulting.com
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4. Coming Soon
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5. Today’s Speakers
Sue and Ron Rescigno
Vice President & President
Rescigno's Marketing Connections
Assisting with chat questions:
Jamie Maloney, 4Good
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Hosting:
Cheri J Weissman, CJW Consulting & Services, Inc.
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6. RESCIGNO’S
MARKETING CONNECTIONS
Practical Strategies for Writing the
Annual Appeal
Ron & Sue Rescigno
708.974.2600

7. RESCIGNO’S
MARKETING CONNECTIONS
What you will learn:
•Why people respond to appeals
•How an appeal letter should be like a
personal visit
•What donors really think about the appeals
they receive
•The characteristics of effective appeals

8. RESCIGNO’S
MARKETING CONNECTIONS
The Basics
A direct mail fundraising appeal should have:
1. An envelope (outer)
2. A reply device
2
3. A return envelope
1
3

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Donor Motivation, Donor Response
A.
Why people respond
B.
Appeal should be like a personal visit
C.
What donors really think about the appeal
D.
The characteristics of effective appeals

10. RESCIGNO’S
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Why Do Donors Give?
Donors give because…
•you ASKED
•they have disposable income
•giving is a habit
•they believe in your mission
•they want to make a difference
•they seek public recognition
•your mission offers HOPE
•they feel a sense of belonging

11. RESCIGNO’S
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Why Do Donors Give? (continued)
Donors give because…
•the organization listens to its donors needs
•they are receiving insider information
•your mission validates their beliefs and values
•giving eases fears and guilt
•for the tax benefits
•giving is their duty
•they feel it is better to give than to receive
•you gave your donor options

12. RESCIGNO’S
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Personal Visit
Your appeal should be just like a PERSONAL VISIT
Think of your letter as a
SILENT DIALOGUE

13. RESCIGNO’S
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LATER
TRASH
NOW

14. RESCIGNO’S
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Silent Questions
Silent Questions are basic questions that
donors or prospective donors might ask
?
Be sure your letter ANSWERS those questions
You should be able to anticipate and answer
questions of readers
Engaging in a dialogue is the straightest path
to a gift

15. RESCIGNO’S
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Rejection
Two ways your appeal can end up
REJECTED:
•You have a very small window to
engage with your reader
•The text in your appeal doesn't
speak to the reader
Question to ask yourself: does the appeal I’ve written
spell out the benefits the reader will receive as a result
of giving a gift? Always answer this in your appeals

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The Clock is Ticking
Your objective is getting the reader to READ the
text



How do you get them to open the envelope?
How do you create a first impression?
Are the benefits obvious in the first few
seconds?
This can be done easily through pictures,
headlines, and underlined words and phrases

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Lessons We’ve Learned…




If you’re not giving them answers, you
will get inaction
Donors are skeptical
Human interest stories go over well –
play to emotions
Format and design affect how and what
your donor will understand

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3 Attributes of an Effective Appeal Letter
1.
2.
3.
It is a solicitation from one person to another
It is an opportunity for the reader to meet personal
needs or achieve personal desires by supporting a
worthy charitable aim
It invites the reader to take action that is specific
and immediate
Talk about the impact individual gifts have on
the organization’s ability to better the lives of
those they serve

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What YOU Need to Answer BEFORE You Write:
1.
What is the purpose of the appeal?
2.
What do the people you’re writing to have in common?
3.
What facts may be true about the majority of your prospective
donors?
4.
What is the mood of the people you are writing to?
5.
What is the relationship of these people to your organization?
6.
Does your reader have a personal connection to your mission?

20. RESCIGNO’S
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What YOU Need to Answer BEFORE You Write: (continued)
7.
What are you going to ask people to do?
8.
What is the minimum gift you are asking for?
9.
What else do you want your reader to do?
10. Why are you sending this appeal?
11. Who will be signing the appeal?
12. What is the connection between the need you are expressing and
the person who is signing the letter?

21. RESCIGNO’S
MARKETING CONNECTIONS
What YOU Need to Answer BEFORE You Write: (continued)
13. Is there a connection between the signer and those who will read
the letter?
14. What are the signer’s feelings and thoughts about the mission?
15. What are the tangible and intangible benefits of giving?
16. Why do readers of your appeal need to respond right now?
17. Is there a deadline for responses?
18. What’s going to happen if responses ARE NOT received before the
deadline?

22. RESCIGNO’S
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Ask these questions:
WHO?
who will sign the letter?
who will get the letter?
WHAT?
what do you want the reader to do?
what will the reader get back in return?
WHEN?
when do you want the reader to respond?
WHERE?
where will the proposed action take place?
WHY?
why should the reader respond to the request?
HOW?
how will the proposed action make a difference?

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The FUNDRAISING CONCEPT
The first step to developing a successful Appeal Letter is developing the
Fundraising Concept
•Now answer these questions in
one paragraph as specifically as
possible
•Write in first person singular
•Address it to that one individual
who will be receiving your letter
This one paragraph is the concept for your appeal

24. RESCIGNO’S
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Fundraising Concept: to DONOR
Because you’ve been so generous to the Center in the past, you’ve heard from
me from time to time about exciting new developments here. I’ve told you
before how far we stretch your contributions to serve the underserved in the
Community. Now, a renewal gift from you of as little as $25 will go twice as
far as before! Your $25 will help house the homeless children of the
Community by enabling the Center to buy $50 or more worth of lumber and
tools-because your gift will be matched, dollar for dollar, by an anonymous donor
through the Center’s new Matching Gift Program. That way, you’ll get double
the
satisfaction from your act of generosity-and bring new hope to twice as many
of your neighbors in the Community.

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Fundraising Concept: to PROSPECTS
You may not know me, but I’m sure you’re familiar with the Museum, which has
been the centerpiece of my life during the past 20 years of my tenure as the
director. I’m writing to you, a fellow resident of the City, because I want you to
be among the first to know about t he Museum’s unique new Charter
Membership Program. As a person who appreciates the finer things in life, you’ll
cherish for many years to come each magnificent issue of our new bi-monthly
magazine on the visual arts. You’ll receive the magazine absolutely free of
charge as a Charter Member of the Museum. And you’ll have the satisfaction of
knowing that your Charter Membership contribution of $45, $75, $150, or more
will help us to showcase the exciting work of emerging new artists in our
program.

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Contents of The Package
Basics of the Appeal:
•Outer envelope
•Letter/Card/Size
•Reply device
•Return envelope
Things you should also consider…
•Email
•Images that connect your Appeal’s goals
to your website and social media sites

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P.S.
The P.S. in a letter is read first 90% of the time
Think of the P.S. as the final drive to action
Use the P.S. as an opportunity to convey:
•the deadline
•the dollar-for-dollar match
•the families who will benefit
Remember: the function of the P.S. is to involve and motivate the
reader to turn to the lead of the letter

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The Body of Your Appeal
Go ahead and TELL THE STORY
SHOW the benefits the reader is going to receive

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Visuals
Decide which points you want to visually point out
Highlight things that appeal directly to your reader
•This can be through:
images
underlined words or phrases
bolded statements
This is an easy way to:
•accent the benefits offered in
your appeal
•answer readers’ questions
•make your letter easier to read
WARNING: use this sparingly. If everything is highlighted as
important, it loses its importance.

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Reply Device
Personalize your reply device
Your reply device should:
•affirm the donor’s decision to take the action requested
•restate the fundraising concept
•detail the benefits to the donor
•guide gift processing

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What About A Teaser?
Entice your reader to open the mail
Your teaser BETTER:
•Challenge
•Question
•Intrigue

32. Now you have a
successful Appeal
Any Questions??
708.974.2600
RESCIGNO’S
MARKETING CONNECTIONS

33. Thank you!!
708.974.2600
RESCIGNO’S
MARKETING CONNECTIONS