Make Your Newsletter An Effective Fundraising Tool
In these challenging fundraising times your organization needs all the help it can get in raising needed philanthropic income. Your newsletter can be an effective fundraising tool, if you design it to encourage additional gifts.
Over the past few years I've surveyed my students about the effectiveness of their newsletters. Remarkably, over fifty percent said their organization didn't even publish one. Forty percent said their newsletters were somewhat effective in raising money. The remaining ten percent were pleased with the fundraising effectiveness of their organizational newsletters. Every non-profit organization should have some type of publication to communicate to donors. It doesn't have to be slick format, multi-color and professionally designed to be effective. What it does have to be is informative and readable. Think of a newsletter as a non-stressful, non-intrusive way of asking for a gift.
Your newsletter should tell your donors how important their past, present and future gifts are to your charitable efforts. It should be made very clear that your growth and longevity depends on the additional revenue generated through philanthropy. In addition to timely stories of successful fundraising activities, your newsletter should also present profiles of generous supporters and volunteers.
If your organization doesn't have a newsletter, or your present one needs some revamping, the following components are nearly always found in successful publications:
1. Short, informative stories about organizational successes brought about by contributions. Nothing sells like success. Tell your donors and friends their support has helped implement a comprehensive new program or bought a piece of life-saving equipment. These should be uplifting and inspirational stories. Remember, this is your chance to showcase your success over the past month or quarter. Photographs are appropriate and desirable for these types of stories. However, if your budget doesn't allow for photographs, don't worry about it. The important thing is to tell the story.
2. Introduce new goals, programs or projects. New fundraising programs should be heralded on the first page of your newsletter. How is the new program going to benefit the organization? Who can take part? What benefits can a donor expect? Don't bury this important information in the newsletter. Think of your newsletter as a daily newspaper. The headlines catch the reader's attention. New programs, designed to add revenue to your organization, should be headline news.
3. Volunteer, staff and board member stories and profiles. Your organization is a big family. Everyone is working together to achieve success. Donors want to know about the people running the organization, it gives them a sense of belonging to a larger family. Again, photographs are desirable, but if financial restrictions apply, construct the story to describe the individual being profiled.
4. A list of donors. It doesn't really matter how this is done, as long as it's done. Generally on a monthly or quarterly basis it's important to list those individuals and corporations who have supported the cause. Not only does this recognize generosity, but it also tells others your organization accepts and is grateful for gifts. Some organizations have specific groupings of donors such as: Patrons, Supporters, Angels, etc. Others list by specific dollar amounts with the highest amounts listed first. Many organizations have Memorial Giving Programs that list: In Honor of:, In Appreciation of:, In Remembrance of:, etc. All of these listing methods are acceptable and appreciated by donors.
5. A return envelope. No newsletter should leave your organization without a return envelope. The return envelope is an inexpensive and convenient way of placing another giving opportunity into the hands of your donors. Most envelopes include blanks for name, address, amount given, whether the gift is for a memorial and so forth.
6. A Wish List. A wish list of in-kind equipment and services needed by the organization is a smart addition to your newsletter. Individuals and corporations who are unable to make monetary gifts might be able to pick items from your wish list.
7. Additional items to consider. Many successful fundraising newsletters add the following items: A List of current board members, auxiliary officers and staff. A Calendar of Events, office hours and days of the week, phone numbers, mailing address and fax numbers.
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