The Letter

Write a letter that works!

Here are tips, based on the advice of experts in the field of direct mail fundraising, to help you produce more responses and higher donations. You don’t have to use all of these ideas, but if you don’t use many or most, at least ask yourself what you’ll lose by ignoring them. Research shows that design and typography choices can reduce readership and comprehension of your letter by up to 90 percent (see the bibliography for the references).

When you’ve read these tips and finished your first draft, see our checklist for effective appeal letters.

What recipients notice first: Capture the reader’s eye.

Research shows that a direct mail letter is read in the following order:

1. The letter heading and the recipient’s name
2. Paragraph headings, bold text, and photo captions
3. The signature and postscript
4. And then, maybe, the body text.

Who is writing to me and do they know who I am?

• Use a personal salutation when writing to donors or members. If you don’t have a salutation field in your data, Mailrite can create one
  

  HSV's personalized appeal letter.

  from your mailing list.

• Acquisition mailings, those designed to acquire new donors or members, are often generic due to cost. The reply device, however, should be personalized.

The signature: Make it real.

• Multiple signatures reduce the personal nature of the letter; one signature is recommended.
• The signature should look as clean as possible when printed. This starts with a good scan. Here’s how to do it:
  • Ask the signer to write his or her signature in large letters on a white page with a fine black felt tip pen.
  • Mail the page to us and we’ll scan and reduce the signature to the appropriate size. We’ll keep that signature on file for future use. (If you choose to scan the signature, we prefer you to send it to us in a lossless format, such as a .tif or a .bmp).
• Mailrite can print the signature in blue for a more authentic look.

The postscript: Use it!

• Always include a postscript on the letter. Research shows that 90 percent of all direct mail recipients read the postscript before the body text.
• The postscript should be a call to donate, but make it interesting—don’t just repeat the letter text. Add a new benefit or an additional
  

  Note customized language.

  intriguing fact, or explain why it is urgent to send now. It also helps to bold the P. S. content. Here’s an example:

  P. S. Your gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar, but only if we receive your check by December 15. It’s going to be a long winter; please help us outfit 30 more children in need with warm coats, hats, mittens, and scarves.

Use a picture and caption to draw your reader in.

• Research indicates less than 50 percent of those who open letters read the body text.  Readers often scan and skip unless something special draws them in.  Most readers WILL look at a picture and read the caption.
• Using pictures in appeal letters:
  • Show people rather than things. The subject should be looking towards the reader.  Research shows that the most attractive thing to the human eye is other human eyes and faces generally.
  • Mailrite can insert your black and white photos when printing the letter text at no extra cost.
  • Color captures more attention than black and white. If Mailrite digitally prints your color letterhead when printing the letter text, color pictures can be included on the front side of the letter at no additional cost.

Formatting rules: Write a letter that will be read and understood.

• Follow these formatting rules for optimum readability and comprehension.
• Use our handy check list to evaluate your letter design: checklist for effective appeal letters.
• Always take one last look and ask yourself: Have I made this letter as easy to read as possible?

The body text: Win their hearts—tell a story.

• Explain how the donation will help a person. Recent research has shown that fundraising copywriters are less likely to use story-based language to compel action than writers in other professions. This just doesn’t make sense!
• Don’t wedge your story in between financial reports, news of staff changes, assurances of cost cutting, or other management issues. That information is important and you need to communicate it—but at another time.

Vary the message based on donor or prospect segmentation.

• Craft the ask based on the donor’s past giving (e.g., LYBUNT, SYBUNT, NEVER).
• Mine your database for ways to personalize your letter. For example: size and/or date of last gift, frequency of giving, largest gift, date of first gift, number of years of consecutive giving or membership, date of birth, giving club membership, class year, indicated interests or designated gifts history, what the donor’s last gift accomplished based on its size or designation, donor’s location.
• Personalize as much as possible. Use the recipient’s first name in the body text, the P. S., and the reply card. You’re already using it in the salutation; why not make use of it in other places to make the whole communication more personal?

The Annual Plan
The Ask
The Response Card
The Envelope
The Postcard