Fundraising letters play an important role in almost every fundraising campaign and this is the main reason why getting them right is to be regarded as a crucial element. The best way to have your fundraising letters written in the right way is to try and carefully target your fundraising requests. You can do this through quality research. First, you will have to find out more about your own potential supporters – you have to find out who they are, where they are working and what contacts they have. For instance, you can use volunteer records that consist of simple question sheets in order for each of your new volunteers to collect and save this precious piece of information for your fundraising organization. Focusing your efforts on smaller companies is also a wise way to do your research before starting a fundraising letter campaign because such companies can be regarded as great prospects when it comes to giving gifts in kind. Find out everything you can about all the companies that might help your fundraising cause. Think about the reason why a particular company could become a good prospect for your organization and find out whether it already supports other groups or not. All you will have to do is to make a phone call o its reception in order to identify the right individual to write and send your fundraising letter to. Keep in mind that getting each of your fundraising letters to the right individual is going to make the difference for your fundraising efforts and you should make sure that you are not skipping this particular step in your research. Using your research is paramount because this will help your organization tailor each of its fundraising requests. For instance, it’s pointless to ask smaller companies for some major cash donations as they are likely to be more fitted to provide your organization with smaller sponsorships for advertising or annual raffle prizes. Keeping a record of your research is the final point and you will have to set up a record book or a simple little database in order to use as soon as you start planning a new fundraising letter campaign. Keep in mind that every efficient fundraising letter must begin with the proper research and you have to end it with a perfect administration in order to organize a successful fundraising letter campaign for your organization. When writing your fundraising letter, you should pay attention to the following: - Its first paragraph must provide the reader with the necessary information about who you are and why you are asking for a donation for your organization. Use catch phrases in order to make your reader want to read even more about you.
- In the second paragraph of your fundraising letter, you must provide your reader with all the necessary information about your fundraising organization and its plans.
- The third paragraph should be all about the current challenges that are faced by your fundraising organization and the reason why you need some outside assistance in order to make your fundraising plans work in the right way.
- The fourth paragraph will have to state why the reader is considered to be the best choice when it comes to assisting your fundraising efforts. Also, you must not forget to thank your reader and potential supporter for his help.
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