Two appeal outlines -- one failure and one success

Here are two outlines for fundraising appeals from the Better Fundraising Blog, at The Simple Outline for Appeals That Raise Money.

The appeal outline that seldom works

• Thank you for helping in the past.
• Let me tell you a story about someone we already helped.
• Please help us continue this good work.

The appeal outline that almost always works

• There's a problem right now.
• You are needed to solve it.
• Here's how your gift will solve it.

Funny thing is, the one that seldom works is probably the most commonly used approach. I estimate that two out of three appeals I see use that approach or something very like it.

Because it seems right to us insiders.

We know our orgs are effective. So why not show people that we're effective?

It doesn't work because it's not really fundraising.

Fundraising is about donors putting their values to work solving problems and making the world a better place.

Not climbing onto a great bandwagon.

Some donors, sometimes, will climb onto your bandwagon to be part of your awesomeness.

But a lot more will say Yes, I want to solve that problem!

All you have to do to raise more money is abandon that first outline and start using the second one.

from Future Fundraising Now https://ift.tt/2ZhnjMC