“How do I most effectively integrate a participant story into an annual campaign ask letter? What effective ways do you see participant stories being told in a letter? Could a story/profile be attached separately after the letter? I really believe that the stories of the participants who are served by my agency should be highlighted front and centre in our annual direct mail campaign. They are stories of life change, personal courage, and perseverance. At a recent fundraising conference, I heard how donors build their most lasting commitments with agencies when their hearts/spirits are touched by the cause of the organization. Speaking to hearts wins over speaking to “heads” almost every time. In my mind, there is no better way to speak to hearts than to present a participant success story.” Brian

Well, Brian, there are four ways to include what you call “participant stories” into your direct mail fundraising appeals. I call these stories “client testimonials.” A client testimonial is either a statement made by someone, or a story told by someone, who has benefitted from the services your charity delivers. Here’s how to use testimonials in your direct mail appeals.

1. As a short quote, incorporated into a paragraph. Used for quotes that take up no more than two lines. Example: “Alison and Edgar Whalin are grateful to you for your support of Habitat for Humanity. ‘Since moving into our home two years ago, our quality of life has improved by leaps and bounds,’ they say.”

2. As a block quote. Used for quotes that take up somewhere between three and eight lines. Example:

“Since moving into our home two years ago, our quality of life has improved by leaps and bounds. We are now planning things that only seemed like wishes before, and our faith in all things possible has been restored . . . . We’ve gained a new respect for our neighbourhood, we take pride in ownership and best of all we can extend an invitation to “come to our house.” These things might seem foolish to some people but we are bursting with pride and joy at what we like to call our “Little piece of Paradise.” ― Alison and Edgar Whalin.

3. As a lift note. Used for lengthy testimonials. Usually a sheet of paper, roughly eight-by-five inches in dimension flat, and folding to form a booklet measuring four inches wide and five inches tall.

4. As a letter in itself, where the author of the letter essentially gives one long testimonial, and requests a donation as well. Testimonial letters that are written by the client are particularly powerful when the story is emotional, riveting and told well.

The main drawback of these letters is that the writer, being a client of your charity and not a person in leadership, cannot speak authoritatively on behalf of your organization. The client cannot speak about organizational needs or strategic plans or your case for support, for example, or thank your donor for her last gift.

The easy way to overcome this challenge is to include with the client testimonial a supplementary letter written by your executive director (or the person who usually signs your fundraising letters). This extra letter introduces the client, says something about the client’s relationship with the charity, describes why the charity has sent the donor the client testimonial letter, requests a donation, and says what they donation will be used for.

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Learn More
Read “How to Use Testimonials to Inspire and Persuade Your Direct Mail Donors.” Find, feature and format other people’s words to overcome donor skepticism, prove your point, build trust and attract donations. www.raisersharpe.com/handbooks/H25-Testimonials.htm

Need help?
If you need help crafting effective direct mail letters, give me a call at Harvey McKinnon Associates, at (416) 537-2904 ext. 212

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Today, Serge LeClerc is a member of parliament and a sought-after speaker across North America. His story of how he went from lawbreaker to lawmaker is gripping and moving. People listen to Serge because he’s the real article. He has a moral authority that can’t be duplicated or faked. He commands respect and admiration.

Next time you sit down to craft a fundraising letter for your organization, ask yourself if you have someone like Serge who can write it instead. If you are a homeless shelter, do you have a client who can tell her story in her own words and sign her name at the bottom? If you are a university, do you have an alumnus who left skid row with the help of scholarships and graduated suma cum laude and is now a CEO? If you are a hospital, do you have a cardiac patient whose life was saved by your staff?

If your charity has transformed someone’s life, invite that person to write your donors on your letterhead, describing what life was like before you intervened, how you helped, and what life is like now. That letter is sure to touch hearts and move your donors to give.

The main advantage of fundraising letters written by your clients is that they are authentic and gripping. They don’t sound institutional or NGO-ish. The main disadvantage is that your client cannot speak with any authority or credibility about your case for support. Your client can describe how donations helped her leave the streets, get sober and pursue a career in interior design, but she cannot describe your institutional need or what you will do with a donor’s gift. That has to come from the pen of your executive director or board chair.

Another disadvantage of letters written by clients is that they can’t acknowledge a donor’s giving history. A client cannot write, “Thank you for your last donation of $500, which we receive on May 13th.” That would be a breach of confidentiality. And it would sound affected, because it is.

The secret to using first-person stories recounted by your clients is to supplement them with another letter or note from the person who usually signs your fundraising letters. In this piece, the staffer can introduce the client who penned the letter, thank them for doing so, and describe why the donor’s renewed support is needed. This is the letter that makes the ask.

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A fundraising letter fanatic, of course, is someone who thinks the only thing you can mail a donor is a fundraising letter. But that’s just one of more than 40 things you can mail to make friends and raise funds using paper and postage.

1. Acquisition package: Designed to attract new donors.
2. Welcome kit: An assortment of informational pieces and a cover letter, mailed to first-time donors, welcoming them to your organization and your cause.
3. Thank-you letter: The most important letter in direct mail fundraising, and it should never ask for a gift.
4. Renewal letter: Designed to persuade last year’s donors to renew their support again this year.
5. Member renewal letter: Mailed by member-based organizations to members whose membership is about to expire and must be renewed.
6. Reminder letter: Mailed a few weeks after your appeal letter, encouraging donors who have not responded to give. Popular at year-end.
7. Lapsed donor recovery letter: Mailed to donors who have not given a gift in 12 months or more, inviting them back on the train.
8. Monthly donor conversion letter: Mailed to annual donors (those who respond to your annual appeals), inviting them to join (convert to) your monthly giving program.
9. Special appeal: Mailed during the year to raise funds for a special cause, often an emergency, such as a natural disaster.
10. Year-end appeal: Letter that capitalizes on the year-end tax advantages and “spirit of the season” of Christmas.
11. Upgrade letter: Appeal inviting donors to increase the dollar amount (and sometimes frequency) of their gifts.
12. Donor club invitation: Letter inviting high-dollar donors to join a President’s Circle or other exclusive donor group.
13. Legacy gift prospecting letter: Mailed to a select group in your house file, asking if they are interested in making a planned gift (bequest, charitable remainder trust, and so on).
14. Special event invitation: A card or letter inviting donors and potential donors to a golf tournament, banquet, concert or other fundraising event.
15. Newsletter: Sent to current donors to inform them of how your organization is using their donations to change the world.
16. Annual report: Usually mailed to major donors, loyal donors and donors with influence.
17. Survey: Designed to solicit the opinions of donors and prospective donors.
18. Petition: Mailed by advocacy organizations (Amnesty International and Mother Against Drunk Driving, for example) to members, inviting them to complete and mail the petitions, usually to a decision-maker in federal government.
19. Member-get-a-member letter: Mailed by member-based organizations, inviting members to recruit new members to the organization.
20. Pledge appeal: Usually sent during capital campaigns, these appeals ask recipients to pledge a larger-than-normal gift (for the donor, that is) towards the campaign, a pledge that is usually honored by the donor by making a number of gifts over a period of a year or two.
21. Congratulatory card: Mailed to donors on the occasion of the donors’ wedding anniversary, birthday or other special event.
22. Testimonial: Written endorsements from clients or donors or others affected by the work of your organization, usually accompanying an appeal letter.
23. Plaque: Sent to faithful or particularly generous donors as a sign of your gratitude for their extraordinary support.
24. Gift catalog: Describes through pictures and text the items that donors can buy from your organization to support your work (a goat for a family in India, for example).
25. Resource catalog: Describes the books, DVDs and other educational materials that donors can order to educate themselves and others about your cause and the people you help.
26. Matching gift appeal: Invites donors to give gifts that, collectively, match a large gift made by another donor.
27. Newspaper clipping: Has your charity received favorable press recently? Mail a copy of the article to your donors (with the newspaper’s permission).
28. Quiz: Do you want to stir the imaginations of your donors, particularly if they are under the age of 12? Mail them a quiz that gets them thinking about a vital subject (climate change, poverty, nuclear war, homelessness, for example).
29. Factsheet: Sometimes you need to give your donors statistics and facts and figures, maybe even a history of your organization. Put these into a factsheet.
30. Special report: Dealing with a hot and timely topic that will galvanize your constituents.
31. Calendar: Special calendar that highlights special events of yours and days during the year that are of interest to you and your donors.
32. Special event teaser: Postcards or other short notices that pique the curiosity of your supporters about upcoming events.
33. Photographs: Mailed to donors to show the before-and-after results of their generosity.
34. Premium: Return address labels, notepads and other incentives designed to persuade the recipients to donate.
35. Freemium: Items enclosed with a direct mail appeal that have no intrinsic value, but help you communicate your appeal in a tangible, memorable way. A hospital, for example, might enclose a facsimile of a patient bracelet once worn by a young cancer survivor.
36. Involvement device: Scratch-off cards, checkboxes and other devices that involve the donor in meaningful ways and encourage a donation.
37. Brochure: Shows in pictures and words what you cannot discuss in the body of your letter.
38. Reprint: Has your CEO just given a speech to the United Nations? Transcribe the speech and mail it to your donors (assuming your CEO is a dynamic speaker, of course!).
39. Progress report: Mailed to donors, usually major donors, who have designated their gifts to a particular project, and who need to be kept informed about your progress with their money.
40. Follow-up note: Mailed after you’ve phoned your donor or made a personal visit, usually to thank the donor.
41. Income tax receipt: The more of these you have to mail each year, the better, right?

You might be interested in…

Mail Superiority. Learn the proven, step-by-step process for raising funds and friends cost effectively, year after year.

And don’t pass up…

Handbook Number 10 Six Insider Secrets of Running a Profitable Annual Fundraising Letter Program. Proven techniques from the professionals for building long-term relationships with your donors and members.

Handbook Number 12 How to Write Effective Direct Mail Fundraising Reply Devices. Attract the gifts you need by making the donation process quick and painless for your donors (and you).

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