Putting together a good appeal needs planning - and awareness of what will make your donors give. Some fundraisers will argue the creative is the most important, whilst others will tell you it's all about the data. In reality, they work in synergy:
Data - consider who you should mail. Sounds simple, right? But are you planning to send your appeal to active donors only, or using it to reactivate lapsed supporters. And will you try to convert prospects to give a first gift? Make a list of who you could target, and why.
The power of a good story - what (or who) are you asking your donors to give to? A good story will engage donors better than a list of statistics. What story can you tell - and how can you show the donor's gift will have a positive impact on someone (or something).
Images - images can make or break an appeal. As a rule of thumb, eye contact is key, be it a person or an animal. You want your donor to feel an emotional connection to the cause they're supporting.
Make it easy to give - does your mail pack contain a donation form and reply envelope? Does your email click through to a donation page that offers a range of payment methods? Make it as easy as possible to support your appeal.
Keep it focused - is it easy to understand what you're asking money for, and what it will achieve if the donor gives.
Thank you! And don't forget to acknowledge current or previous support. Signpost the donor's last appeal gift, or their regular gift. This is a really simple merge field during print production if the data contains the right information.
I hope you've found this post useful. My next post will go into more detail around how to improve your appeal proposition, so feel free to leave me a comment or email me at info@inspiredfundraising.co.uk if you have any questions.