Anatomy of a Profitable Fundraising Letter

By Alan Sharpe (February 2005) E-book $9.99

Discover 62 tricks, secrets and tactics used by successful fundraising pros.

One of the best ways to learn the craft of creating, writing and designing successful fundraising letters is to look over the shoulders of professional fundraisers at work.

This handbook features a line-by-line analysis of a successful direct mail fundraising package that Habitat for Humanity mailed to prospective donors (see what it looks like).

The entire package was written by a professional direct mail fundraising writer and designed by a firm that specializes in creating fundraising packages for the world’s top non-profit organizations. Although this is an acquisition letter (mailed to strangers and designed to secure a first-time donation), it contains the elements of all successful fundraising letters. If you use the mail to raise funds, this handbook will help you discover what to do right—and what to avoid.

Anatomy of a Profitable Fundraising Letter is the fourth Handbook in the Hands-On Fundraising Series, published by Andrew Spencer Publishing. Read the letter through. Study the contents of the entire package (every part of the package is illustrated; see what actually went in the mail and generated such a terrific response). Then review Alan’s detailed, annotated comments (seven pages of them). You’ll learn over 60 practical, effective tactics that you can employ with your next direct mail fundraising appeal letter.

Topics covered

Mailing envelope

eight tips for getting it right
logo placement
how to use teaser copy
illustrations on envelopes
addressing
window or no window?
postal indicia

Two-page letter

25 observations, recommendations and criticisms to help you produce winning letters
tips for having a professional letterhead
how to use the headline with the envelope teaser
the value of a powerful opening line
how to build rapport quickly
introducing the need for funds in the right way
introducing the writer
when and how to introduce the organization
the role of facts and evidence in the appeal letter
the human interest angle, and how to use it
formatting tips
features of a winning testimonial
how to sum up
how to ask for funds
the sign off
what color ink to sign the letter with
who should sign the letter?
the P.S. and what to say there

Buckslip, two-sided

six tips about buckslips
what the buckslip should accomplish
what to put on a buckslip
should you ask for funds?
a few words about formatting for success

Freemium (a unique one!)

learn four things to get right with your next freemium
why include a freemium?
why is this one excellent?
how the freemium ties in with the ask and the rest of the package
one thing this freemium got wrong

Reply coupon, two-sided

13 tips on writing and designing an effective reply device
one-time gift or monthly gift—which should you ask for?
how to capture email addresses
a few tips on ask strings

Reply envelope

four guidelines for effective return envelopes
one simple phrase that saves your organization money when receiving gifts
two things that boost response with reply envelopes
an interesting image to put on the back of the envelope to boost response (worth testing)

See the contents of the direct mail package and the first nine pages of this Handbook here.

Download this Handbook now. Start reading it within minutes.

Product Details

Format: E-book in Adobe PDF format for immediate download
Pages: 18
Publisher: Andrew Spencer Publishing
Language: English
ISBN: 978-0-9784051-4-4
Dimensions: 8.5 x 11 inches
SKU: sharpe009