Tom Ahern 11-09 Direct Mail

19 Pages·2009·0.7 MB·English

Making a Best Case
Part 1
in Your Year-End
Appeal Making the Case
~
T o m A h e r n ~
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“Because without your
Why do you want my
money, some worthy
money?
good can’t happen.”
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“Absolutely. Your trust
Do you want me as well and confidence are
as my money? important, NOT the size
of your gift.”
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Donor-NEGLIGENT:
“Friend-raisers” raise
“We did this. We did
more money than
that. We were amazing.
fundraisers.
Oh, by the way, thanks.”
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Donor-CENTRIC:
All best cases, 3 things:
“With your help, all
these amazing things
Make a promise.
happened. And without
Prove you have results.
your help, they won’t.”
Acknowledge the donor.
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Promise
Proof
Promise
Donor
Proof
Donor
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“Donors are staggeringly
A case is not a description
ignorant of the causes
of what you do.
they support.”
(Though a BRIEF reminder
is welcome.)
--Richard Radcliffe, dean of UK donor researchers
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A case is a description of
what you promise.
Just as good…
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Promise
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Promise
Your case talks about why
you matter (i.e., what the
donor will achieve by
supporting you)
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The “Why we matter” Problem
page from a case in
progress Solution
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Not sure why you matter?
A campaign case talks
about where you’re headed.
Pretend you’ve gone away.
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People are living longer in America all the
time. And for 3 out of 5, it’s a very bitter
You’re at A.
ending …for themselves and their families.
Why? Because 3 out of 5 Americans over
the age of 85 today get Alzheimer’s.
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But that grim outlook could soon improve.
Our research could help shrink the number
What’s your B?
afflicted with Alzheimer’s significantly,
maybe down to 1 in 5 --within a decade.
We’re ready. But we can’t do it without your
help.
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Yale College is thriving, Promise: building
perhaps as never before. multinational graduates
Blah, blah, blah, problem, blah,
Recognizing that
excellence is no excuse Promise: bringing a Yale
A for complacency… B education within reach of blah, blah, evil…
anyone good enough to be
admitted
…recommended
substantial improvements
in the curriculum… Promise: perpetual glory. These But it doesn’t have to be that way.
are mostly named endowments.
Promise: “science-rich”
B In a nutshell:We researched.
And we discovered weaknesses
Promise: arts expansion that this $3 billion campaign will
fix. It’s just a matter of money.
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A case answers common
questions and doubts.
This has 2 B’s: the “fork in the road”story.
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Talking right.
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The Shelter for Women, Inc. helps at-risk
You’re not talking to other teen girls from CT towards recovery from
abuse and neglectby supporting them to
specialists.
make sustainable gains towards
independence. We provide these fragile
young women with therapeutic treatment,
Zero jargonis the goal.
residentialand educational support, and
accessto community resources….
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You love your All fundraising copy should
“multidisciplinary.” sound like someone talking.
--George Smith, Tiny Essentials of Writing for Fundraising
They’re left unmoved.
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Emotionally worthy goals
XYZ University's strategic plan is designed to amplify the university's
academic excellence. The result of a 13-month planning effort, the plan
identifies strategies to enhance the university’s work for students on Within a decade, if all goes according to
three fronts:
plan, XYZ University will emerge as the top
• Reinterpreting the liberal arts skills of communication and school in its class, leaving behind our ‘peer
critical thinking to take into account 21st-century challenges and
opportunities schools’of today. Admittedly, the plan is
• Multiplying connections between students and faculty members
by building on the faculty’s record of original research and ambitious. And it won’t be cheap:
creativity excellence in education at this level never iPs.la in
• Building on XYZ University’s strong sense of community, talk
locally and globally But we will get there, thanks to your vision,
your commitment, and your help.
What’s wrong? Too much insider jargon. No worthy
emotional goal. No donor in sight.
The donor is the hero
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“Is 22 pages
If someone reads 150
enough?” words, you’re lucky.
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$50 million raised
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Part 2 Your case for support is
your arrow.
Direct Mail,
Practically Speaking
Direct mail is your bow.
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Direct mail appeal essentials
Make a gift to this special
"Help Your Neighbors" appeal --and you'll
• You have to be out there and vulnerable.
earn the community's profound thanks
Don’t be uptight and inhibited. throughout 2010.
• Sew your heart to your sleeve. This is an
Dear Tom,
emotional conversation with a friend.
I am writing today --on behalf of a select group of charities --to ask your
• Keep it simple. Tell a relevant story and help.
make your ask at least three times. More than a few of your neighbors in DutchessCounty need you.
Desperatelyneed you, to be perfectly honest.
• Stay focused. It’s about the donor. It’s not
Neighbors like Shiobahn.
about you. Talk about how much good the
Pretty name,you might be thinking. It's Irish for Joan. But Shiobahnwas
donor can do by making a gift. trapped in an ugly, terrifying, secret life.
Direct Mail | ©2009 Tom Ahern | WWW.AHERNCOMM.COM 48
Dear Tom, Dear Tom,
You came to Sharp as a patient, in need of help. one of I3t 0w0a ssu ac hty dpaicyasl y woaur amn,d b Ir iegnhjto my oerancihn yg eianr ".sun-sational" San Diego,
Thank you for that profound act of trust. Mr. Russ Moore, age 74, felt grand.
Now I come to you, humbly, to ask for your help in turn. Then an unsuspected clot drifted into a narrow artery and stopped
The cause of community health care here in San Diego needs you. the blood flow to his brain.
Sharp HealthWCailrle yFoouu ncodnatsiiodne rt hbiesc hoomliidnagy i stse acshoanm?pion ... by making a gift to the MooreS. uHded feonulgyh at wfoarr hmi,s blirfieg,h itm mpoarlnedin bgy t uar snterodk dea.rk as death for Russ
health care. IA sisn ac epraetliyen hto, pyeo uy'ovue wexepree rsiaetniscfeide dfi wrsitthha ynodu Srh oaurtpc'os amwe.ard-winning --and Ie sapme cwiarliltyin tgo ttohdaanyk tyoo tuh oannk b yehoaul df eoefp pleyo fpolre a llilk yeo Ruur sssu Mppooorrt eo.f Sharp
What patients perhaps don't realize is just how much these good Russ had you by his side.
oreusticdoemntess. depend on the generosity of people like you and other San Diego discovTerh eth tartu bthe hisi nthdi ist:s n caomneti nauneydt soupc hcoessps isttaaln idn tAhmouesraicnad,s a onfd s yeolfu-'ll
Philanthropy makes a huge contribution here at Sharp. sacrificing benefactors like you.
Great community health care is no accident. It depends in critical
ways on the generous hearts of you and other donors.
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What is the purpose of direct
mail? The special purpose of direct
mail for smaller nonprofits?
To get inside a person’s home
and carry on a brief, persuasive To build your base, in onesies-
conversation, hoping it will earn twosies, a few dozen at a time.
your cause a gift.
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The Society for Nice,
Middle-Class, Older
Who is most likely to
People (SONMOP)
give to you?
needs your help to feel
good about themselves
Source: Mark Phillips, Bluefrog, via Jeff Brooks
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How we read direct mail
Which means your letter Step #1: The open or trash decision
is NOT about you. Who? X1Y2oY3uZ rS twOowergenpa,ni CnizgTa St0it1or2ene3t4
Me?
Ms. Jane Smith
Your letter is about the 567 Main Street
Your town, CT 01234
donor’s emotions and
interests. What?
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How we read direct mail How we read direct mail
Step #2: Do I really care? Step #3: What do you want me to do?
Who?
Logo
What? [ Optional important message ]
Me? DkiedaIsfr r yuMonusn’.ir nSeg ml iakirteho ,umned, othne sstiagghet ionf silly What? Yes!I want to support children’s community theatre in
cdoelsitguhmt.es makes you giggle with my town. Here’s my tax-deductible gift of...
Email address
SMins.c Serinelcye,rity Champion, ED Who?
PS: ytuytggygkigkygkygigikgy
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Ask yourself 1st:
Kinds of letters
“What am I going to
write today?”
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