From1 the desk of xxx2

December 1, 20133

Dear xxx,4

  I’ve been thinking a lot lately about cultural curiosity, and that brought you to mind5. I believe you’re like me6:

  -interested in experiencing culture in ways that go beyond tourism or acquisition7.

  –committed to creativity as a central part of a full life8.

  -passionate about life in a community with art at its heart9.

  For four years now, I’ve shared with you and others the remarkable work of xxx, as a way to put these personal beliefs into action10. In that short span, with your help, we’ve seen xxx evolve:

  Every year we’ve witnessed the audience for xxx double in size from the previous year11.

  Together we’ve walked the streets of xxx [neighborhood name], delighting in the glorious diversity of our fellow Atlantans12.

  We’ve marveled at art’s ability to transform the urban experience13.

I have (and I hope you have) stood among a throng of people while, for just a moment, something I’ve heard or seen took me deep within myself14.

 

Transformative15.

Diverse16.

Urban17.

Communal.

Transcendent.

 These are the attributes of xxx. When you support xxx, these are the values you’re standing behind.

You’re culturally curious, not easily satisfied with art that’s bland or pre-digested18.

You want the chance to frame things in your own way.

You want to follow a unique path.

You’re unafraid of experiences that confound or puzzle. That might anger you. That resist simple summary19.

This year xxx welcomed artists from across the U.S., and around the world to work in Atlanta. We collaborated with celebrated international curator xxx to field our most diverse team ever. Behind the scenes, we diversified our funding, grew our board, and made great strides on our strategic plan20.

 It’s an exciting time at xxx. You and I will share astonishing experiences in the coming year21. We’ll step out onto the streets of Atlanta and see our city and neighbors in new ways22.

This will only happen when you step up to support our unique mission23.

  For four years, along with an elite circle of donors, I’ve gladly given time and money to xxx. Now is the time for that small circle to expand. Our plans for 2014 are audacious. Brash. Unsettling. Our full vision relies on your generosity.

Have you given to xxx before?

Thank you. This year, please consider a larger gift24.

Are you new to our circle of donors?

Welcome. Among our incredible 2014 experiences will be some just for donors.

  Surprising, high-quality public art is one way Atlanta maintains its role on the world stage25.

  xxx is behind many of those unforgettable moments.

  Become a donor today, at whatever level is meaningful for you.

  Your support lights sparks to burn all year round26.

 

 Warm Regards,

xxx27

ps28- Please use the enclosed envelope to send your gift today. Give before year end to receive the biggest boost on your 2013 taxes!

 

1. i’ve written countless fundraising appeals and along the way had great teachers, who taught me what actually works. like many (all?) everyday  things, there’s an invisible art to it. thanks to the xxx organization and their executive director xxx who kindly allowed to post this redacted letter i wrote at their request, to illustrate some of the principles behind this particular craft . [↩]
2. from word one, build specifics: a particular person, in a real place… [↩]
3. …and a real time. this one is year-end, so includes language about deductions, and a retrospective feel [↩]
4. without a personalized salutation, effectiveness drops by  75% [↩]
5. what is this letter about? the work of the organization? no. the letter is about ‘you’, the reader. any sentence that fails to reference ‘you’, ‘your’, or ‘we’ is a missed opportunity. [↩]
6. thesis statement: we are alike. our values are the same. [↩]
7. out of the mainstream [↩]
8. big picture: considering life in its entirety [↩]
9. passion + heart= compelling [↩]
10. this is, in essence, what fundraising is all about: the opportunity to link wealth to personal values [↩]
11. building on images, painting a picture, staking a claim to success [↩]
12. adding emotion to specific images [↩]
13. incorporating a sense of wonder [↩]
14. making it intensely personal. [↩]
15. power words. staccato rhythm. echoing language already used; foreshadowing parallel vocabulary ahead [↩]
16. formatting with precision. the words in bold address a fundamental paradox: longer letters produce better results. a two page letter produces more donations than a one page letter. yet, people are busy and need guidance through a letter they are likely to scan. it’s not that they read longer appeals, but that they find the fact of them more compelling and substantial. bold the footpath and lead the eye. [↩]
17. these ‘impact-markers’ are tied to this specific donor profile. [↩]
18. again, from the donor profile: phrases we have reason to believe they find deeply resonant [↩]
19. this letter balances specific language with general appeal. what makes this donor different, and how do we capture that difference efficiently and effectively [↩]
20. toggling between left and right brain. to speak in both emotional terms and hard facts [↩]
21. each donor is different, both from every every donor, and from the world of non-donors [↩]
22. predictive and distinctive: specific images, kinship, and experiences ahead [↩]
23. the pitch. all else leads to (and from) this single, bold line at about the two-thirds mark [↩]
24. these two pairs of lines (just above and there below) became, in final edit, add-options. the org’s database and print service was able to distinguish between existing and potential donors and customize these stanzas to each. an ideal solution. don’t make the donor wonder– about anything [↩]
25. these last four stand-alone lines should land ‘bam, bam, bam, bam’ to really seal the deal. [↩]
26. language and syntax are also specific to this organization. i could get away with less-traditional construction because of the modern identity. thematic language (spark, burn, circle, urban, diverse, elite, transformative, heart) all rises from interviews and close observation. [↩]
27. really signed by a real person. my mother is not the only one who runs a wet thumb over signatures to test them. [↩]
28. the most important part of the appeal. people who read nothing else read the ‘ps’. i reserve it for the most direct possible ‘call to action’ in bluntly unmissable terms. [↩]