With all the marketing channels and methods available to us today; online, offline, social, SEO… sometimes it’s easy to forget what our real marketing goals are. A successful marketing campaign isn’t always about hitting the most recipients on the smallest possible budget, but more about reaching the right audience with the right message, and then compelling them to act.
In the world of fundraising, this especially rings true. So, what makes a fundraising letter that hits the right note with your target audience? What makes it stand out? Most importantly, what are some of things to consider to make people react in the way you want them to? We’ve listed some tips that might help engage your audience and move them to act:
- Engage the right audience: To state the obvious, sending an appeal to the wrong audience is a sure fire way to ensure your campaign flops. It’s important to scrutinise your database carefully and tailor your campaigns accordingly. Give some thought to the people you are trying to reach and perhaps try to identify trends in their donation history that might give you a steer on what will resonate with them. Have certain donor’s donated more generously to a specific campaign or project? If there are identifiable patterns in their interaction history, try to follow up with an update or case study from the projects or initiatives they most related to.
- Convey the right message: Even if you have carefully and strategically identified your target audience, your message needs to be on point or you will simply be wasting time and money. Where possible, provide case studies or examples of how your organisation has had a positive impact on the causes you are campaigning for. Whilst it’s often true people respond to need, they also respond to success. Try to also be inclusive of the recipient by detailing exactly how they are helping and what their donations will do.
- Be clear about what it is that you want: In order to achieve a successful response, you need to have a definitive call to action. If you are raising money for a cause or project, then be specific and let them know what it is you are trying to achieve and how much it will cost to get there. Fundraising appeals in the Charity sector are fundamental to the cause, and they won’t come as a surprise to your donors or prospects. Whilst it’s not advisable to continually badger people for donations, you also needn’t be backwards in coming forwards about your targets when you do send fundraising appeals.
- Context is key: Being able to contextualise a donation is hugely beneficial for potential donors to have a point of reference. £100 a year seems a much bigger financial commitment than say, the equivalent of 1 cup of coffee per week for example. You will be far more likely to deter potential donors from making a donation by just stating an amount without context.
- Make it personal: A generic letter from a faceless organisation is an easy way to disengage your audience. Your campaigns should have a personal tone, perhaps from the Chief Executive of the Charity, a fundraiser or someone who has benefited directly from the Charity’s efforts. Adding a personal element to the letter encourages a more human connection to the sender, and allows the recipient to involve themselves in the story. Making them feel a part of the journey is a hugely important factor in captivating their interest.
Whether you need a simple ‘health check’ on your databases or a more in depth cleanse using the latest data cleansing and enrichment software, we’re on hand to help with all of your data requirements. Equally, if you need a dedicated and experienced mailing partner to manage your direct mail campaigns, from letter enclosing and multi pack collation to response handing, we’d be delighted to help.
Thanks for taking the time to read this blog piece, if you need any further info or have an enquiry , feel free to contact us on the office number: 0118 474 888.
