Archive for December, 2009

Just so everyone is clear, we’re talking here about a “reminder letter” or “follow-up” letter that a non-profit mails a few weeks after sending out a major appeal. The reminder letter is mailed only to donors who have not responded to the first appeal, and “reminds” them about the need discussed in the earlier mailing, and asks them to respond with a donation. We are not talking about the typical renewal series that member-based organizations mail to members to renew their membership. (“This is your final notice: Renew today!”)

Here are my observations about reminder letters:

  1. In all of my years writing fundraising letters for non-profits, I have written reminder letters for only one client.
  2. Mal Warwick (How to Write Successful Fundraising Letters, Revolution in the Mailbox), Stephen Hitchcock (Open Immediately!), Benjamin Hart (Fund your Cause with Direct Mail), Roland Kuniholm (Maximum Gifts by Return Mail) and other direct mail fundraising experts have little or nothing to say on the topic.
  3. Reminder letters are usually mailed by non-profit organizations that mail only once or twice a year. Any organization that mails six, eight or more times in any 12-month period could not send reminder letters because the reminders would arrive in mailboxes days before the next appeal.
  4. Reminder letters are most effective when the donor has a plausible deadline to meet, such as year-end or the conclusion of a capital or special campaign. Continue reading ‘Direct Mail Fundraising Letters – Should You Mail a Reminder Or Follow-Up Letter?’ »

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Posted by Morgan on December 13, 2009 at 4:46 pm under Fundraising.
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Most nonprofit organizations that are planning a charity auction event find a way to get the centerpieces for the tables donated, or at a reduced cost. Professional charity auctioneers and event organizers sometimes differ on their opinion of whether to sell the centerpieces or not. Some believe that it is too much to ask of the guests who are already paying to be there, but some see it as another opportunity to raise money for the cause. Whichever way that you decide is right for your organization; here is a fun way to sell centerpieces without overdoing it. It is used as an icebreaker to get everyone in the crowd involved and it raises some quick money in the process.

When your auctioneer takes the stage to start the auction, have him select a volunteer at each table and ask them to stand. They will be the “auctioneer” for their table. The real auctioneer will give them 30 seconds to sell the centerpiece of the table for as much money as possible. They can only take bids from people sitting at their table and are encouraged to use an auctioneer chant. After the 30 seconds is over, determine which “auctioneer” raised the most money for their centerpiece. If possible, have a simple award for the “Champion Auctioneer”. If this is an annual tradition, there may even be a past “Champion Auctioneer” in the crowd that can be recognized. Continue reading ‘Charity Auction Centerpieces – A Fun Selling Idea’ »

Posted by Morgan on December 9, 2009 at 4:16 pm under Fundraising.
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