| If your fundraising letter doesn't tell a great story, | | | | child . . .just a child. We pulled our Covenant House |
| it'snot a fundraising letter. It's a memo. Direct | | | | van up tothe curb and rolled down the window . . . ." |
| mailfundraising is all about storytelling. | | | | Or this opening story from an appeal letter mailed by |
| If you want your direct mail donors to respond to | | | | The Cousteau Society: |
| yourletters in greater numbers and with larger gifts, | | | | "A shipwrecked sailor was struggling in the water. |
| learnthe craft of storytelling. Learn how to | | | | Theshore was near, but his strength was almost |
| writehuman-interest stories that inspire, motivate | | | | spent. |
| andmove your donors--to give. | | | | Then suddenly there was a friendly presence in |
| As a gospel preacher and one-time | | | | thewater, a strong, sleek body that buoyed him |
| universityinstructor, I've learned over the years that | | | | up,escorted him to shallow water, saved his life. |
| thesafest way to make your point stick is to tell | | | | Thisstory, or something akin to it, has been told |
| astory. As UK fundraising consultant Ken | | | | countlesstimes about dolphins and porpoises." |
| Burnettobserves in his book, The Zen of | | | | Or this opening from an appeal letter mailed by the |
| Fundraising,fundraisers should tell stories because "we | | | | YWCA: |
| havesome of the best stories in the world and the | | | | "Shortly after the latest increase in heating oil, a |
| bestreasons of all for telling them." | | | | fuelcompany received an inquiry from the Mother |
| Jesus Christ revealed complicated truths about | | | | Superiorof a Convent: "How much," she asked, "has |
| God'scharacter, God's prophetic plan for the ages, | | | | the priceof oil gone up? Wanting to break the news |
| andmoral absolutes by telling parables. The Prodigal | | | | gently, thesalesperson asked, "Are you sitting down, |
| Son. The Good Samaritan. Turn the other cheek. | | | | Sister?" |
| Gothe extra mile. These phrases are in common | | | | Replied the nun, "I am kneeling." In its struggle |
| usetoday because the person who coined them | | | | tobecome energy efficient and cost conscious, the |
| 2,000years ago told stories. Memorable stories. | | | | YWCA has initiated priorities to be achieved as |
| Stories thatreached the hearts of His hearers. | | | | fundsbecome available." |
| Your fundraising letters need to do the same. And | | | | The secret to crafting great fundraising letters is |
| thequickest way to a donor's heart is through the | | | | tocraft great stories. Whatever you are writing |
| adrenalglands. Consider, for example, this | | | | about,whether endangered whales, land mines, |
| openingparagraph from a fundraising letter mailed by | | | | cancersurvivors or abandoned cats, look for the |
| Covenant House: | | | | humandrama in your work that brings your message |
| "She stood on the curb looking scared and lonely in | | | | alive. |
| askimpy halter top and bright red lipstick. It was two | | | | Then tell your donor a story. One with a |
| inthe morning. A chilly breeze whipped up in the | | | | happyending. |
| streetand seemed to make her shiver. She was a | | | | |