Looking
to increase the engagement of your donors or raise a little extra money?
Enhance your efforts by tapping into people’s hearts. Whether you are mailing
postcards or blasting an email, here are three tips for getting the most out of
your appeals.
1. Don’t be afraid to ask. People want to help, so
don’t be scared to put your “ask” front and center. Put the appeal at the top,
center, and bottom of the page. Use brightly colored donation buttons. Even if
money is tight, it’s hard for people to say “no” to a request for emergency
supplies for earthquake victims or fresh drinking water for villagers in
developing countries. Make it easy for them to help.
2. Tell the story of “one.” People identify with
people, not causes. Donors are more likely to give when they can identify with
a single, identifiable beneficiary. You can talk about hunger affecting 15.3
million children in the United States, but people are more likely to donate if
you include a picture of one hungry child staring into the camera. You can
sound the alarm that 2.7 million pets are euthanized every year, but recipients
are more likely to open their wallets if they see the soft brown eyes of a fox
terrier poking its nose through the bars of a metal cage.
3. Peer pressure can be a
good thing. Donors give because it makes them feel good,
and positive peer pressure can encourage them to dig deeper. If donors had
planned on giving $25, if you tell them that their peers are giving an average
of $75 each (make sure it’s true), they are likely to rise to the occasion, or
at least give more than they otherwise would. Another way to use positive peer
pressure is to add checkboxes with predetermined gift levels. When people are
presented with pre-set gift options of $25, $50, $100, or some other defined
amount, they will often select a more substantial gift than when the request is
open-ended.
Whether by direct mail or
email (or a combination of both), fundraising taps into the heart. Use
pictures, get personal and don’t be afraid to ask.Please give us a call at 440-946-0606
Or visit our website here for more information.
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