Improve Fundraising Letters By Translating Statistics Into Stories In Donation Request Letters
By Alan Sharpe
The secret to writing compelling fundraising letters is
to tell great stories. Relevant, moving, inspiring
stories, well told. But how do you find these great
stories in the first place?
The keyword here is relevance. Your stories must be
relevant to your mission and case for support. A great
story that’s off topic will entertain your donors but not
your chief financial officer. So make sure you tell
stories that illustrate the difference you make in the
world.
The first place I look for a great story is the statistics
pile. Every organization has one. Hospitals track
patient visits. Animal welfare charities track
endangered species. Social services organizations
track meals served. Behind these cold statistics
...one, try as hard as you can to make the putt, I do mean hard. Make it a game in your head. Line it up as if it means the world to you try very very hard to make this ...
for a warm human-interest story.
Let me give you an example.
The Daily Bread Food Bank in Toronto, Canada,
keeps track of many statistics, including the number of
people who visit its member agencies, the cost to
feed a typical family, and the number of children who
go hungry in the Greater Toronto Area each
month.
When I was retained to write a donor acquisition letter
for this organization, I discovered that the percentage
of income that people using food banks spend on rent
is 73%. I discovered that the number of people the
Daily Bread Food Bank serves monthly is 83,000. And
I discovered that the Daily Bread Food Bank can buy
twice as much food for
...the Virginia Beach Resort Hotel and Conference Center. This hotel has 295 bay view suites with full-featured resort facilities. Also on the grounds is the Virginia Beach Tennis Club, which offers 30 outdoor and six indoor courts for those who ...
your local grocer with that same dollar.
That last fact caught my attention. I was sure there
was a compelling story behind it. So I did more
homework, and crafted a letter that opened like
this:
A mother of twins visited the Daily Bread Food Bank
the other day and did the seemingly impossible. She
left with $40 worth of groceries, but those groceries
only cost $20. Which means she fed her two girls for
the price of feeding one. How did she do it?
Well, she didn’t buy her groceries. One of her
neighbours did. Someone she doesn’t even know.
Someone like you.
The mother I’m telling you about has to visit
...a fine example of Irish hospitality. WATERFORD CASTLE GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB Waterford Castle Golf Club, Ireland's only true Island course, is situated in the estuary of the River Suir, one mile downstream of Waterford City. To gain access to ...
Bread Food Bank every month to feed herself and her
family. Like many others who live in the Greater
Toronto Area, she runs out of money before she runs
out of month. Hunger like hers, unfortunately, is
commonplace in the Greater Toronto Area.
As you can see, behind even the most straightforward
statistics (”we can buy twice as much food with a
dollar as a food bank visitor can buy with the same
dollar”) you can find a story. Your goal with your
fundraising letters is to translate those statistics into
stories, stories that move the hearts of your donors.
So look for the statistics first, and the human drama
behind them second. That way you’re sure to
...estate South Lake Tahoe sits on the border of California and Nevada at the base of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The area is predominantly residential and the city is located on the southern shore of Lake Tahoe, bordering Stateline, Nevada. ...
relevant to your donors. And your chief financial
officer.
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About the author
Alan Sharpe is president of Raiser Sharpe, a full-service direct mail fundraising agency that helps non-profit organizations raise funds, build relationships and retain loyal donors. Sign up for free weekly tips like this, and discover other helpful resources, at www.RaiserSharpe.com.
2007 Sharpe Copy Inc. You may reprint this article online and in print provided the links remain live and the content remains unaltered (including the “About the author” message).
