Having trouble putting together a compelling appeal for your fundraising campaign? This session offers a brainstorming process that will help you answer the four critical questions for any fundraising appeal. Attend this session to: — Understand why donors give — Find out what you must include in your appeals to inspire giving — Learn how to apply the messaging formula for fundraising appeals

1. The 4-Step Messaging Formula for
Raising More Money with Your
Fundraising Appeals
Caryn Stein
Vice President, Communications and Content
Network for Good

2. Our agenda today:
• Year-end fundraising stats
• Why people give
• A formula you can use for better appeals
• Where the formula can “go wrong”
• Applying the formula
• Clinic Q&A

3. The importance of year-end
fundraising.

4. Source: Digital Giving Index, Network for Good

5. Giving Spikes: Disaster and December
Source: Digital Giving Index, Network for Good

6. Reality check.
Why do people give?

7. Source: Hope Consulting/Money for Good, Why People Give

8. #1) Personal Ties: People who give to
organizations when they know the
leadership or when they are asked by a
friend
#2) The Repayers: People who give to
causes or organizations that have directly
affected their lives

9. Your job:
Inspire, then ask.

10. The 4-Step Formula

11. Step 1.
Why me?

12. Source: Purdue University

13. Tips:
• Segment your outreach
• Tap into identity
• Focus on your donor’s impact

14. Step 2.
What for?
Source: Dance Theatre of Harlem

15. Source: International Rescue Committee

16. Tips:
• Tell a story
• Be tangible
• Be prescriptive

17. Source: American Cancer Society
Step 3.
Who Says?

18. Source: Gardens for Health

19. Tips:
• Switch up your messenger
• Make your message personal
• Show your social proof

20. Step 4.
Why now?

21. Source: LIFT

22. Tips:
• Provide a deadline
• Offer an incentive
• Illustrate the consequences

23. What wreaks havoc
with the formula.

24. Don’t:
 Forget to spotlight the donor
 Neglect to tell a story
 Forget to focus on one person, one
problem, one point
 Go crazy with statistics
 Get carried away with your need

25. Applying the formula.

26. Dear SSaamm,,

27. Why Me?
What for?
Why Now?
Who Says?
Who Says?
Dear Sam,

29. Why Me?
What for?
Why Now?
Who Says?

32. Dear Sam,

33. Dear Sam,
Why me?
Why now?
Who says?
Why me?
What for?

35. Last thought:
Work at it until it’s really good.

36. To learn more about online
fundraising and nonprofit marketing,
join us for a free webinar:
www.nonprofit911.org
Thank You!
www.networkforgood.com
@caryn74 | @Network4Good