8 Steps to Writing Successful Fundraising Appeals | npENGAGE

8 Steps to Writing Successful Fundraising Appeals | npENGAGE: No matter how digitally savvy you are, if you want to be successful in fundraising you need to come to grips with the fact that fundraising letters work.

At this point in the year, you should already have all your direct mail appeals at the mail house. (You do, don’t you?) Here are some tips to help you get ready for next year’s fundraising letters. It’s not too early to begin designing the package!

Why Long Fundraising Letters Outpull Shorter Ones

Why Long Fundraising Letters Outpull Shorter Ones: Excerpted from The Fundraiser's Guide to Irresistible Communications: Real-World, Field-Tested Strategies to Raise More Money

Aunt Ruth was smiling. Aglow with happiness. I couldn't figure it out.

My 79-year-old aunt had just brought in the day's mail. There was a lot of it, including several fundraising appeals. She threw one away unopened. The others she set on the small table next to her comfy chair. Smiling. The whole time.

Four Questions to Answer in Every Appeal | Network for Good Learning Center - Learn how to raise money online for your nonprofit

Four Questions to Answer in Every Appeal | Network for Good Learning Center - Learn how to raise money online for your nonprofit: "To grow your donor base and total donations you need to have an appropriate 'Call to Action' in every appeal. The problem is that many nonprofit campaigns lack that. Hence the problem of the 'Call to Inaction.'

It's great to state who you are and what you do, but if you never clearly ask for money and never appeal to potential donors correctly, your results won't amount to much. To do that you need to answer the following four questions every time you ask:"

College's attempt at fundraising gives alumni the blahs - USATODAY.com

College's attempt at fundraising gives alumni the blahs - USATODAY.com: "RAMINGHAM, Mass. (AP) — An attempt to reach younger donors with a breezily written letter that uses the word 'blah' 137 times has some Framingham State College alumni questioning the school's professionalism, judgment and ... blah, blah, blah."

Crafting a First-Time Direct-Mail Appeal - Philanthropy.com

Crafting a First-Time Direct-Mail Appeal - Philanthropy.com: "Crafting a First-Time Direct-Mail Appeal

In August, Prospecting readers offered advice to the executive director of a Charlotte, N.C., ministry group who was attempting to create his organization’s first direct-mail campaign."