How to Write Fundraising Materials That Raise More Money: The Art, the Science, the Secrets - Softcover

Ahern, Tom

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1889102318 ISBN 13: 9781889102313

Publisher: Emerson & Church, 2007

Synopsis

You already know the most valuable trait for a successful fundraiser. That would be integrity. But what ranks second? It would have to be persuasiveness. Whether in writing, in person, or on the phone, you are CONSTANTLY making the case for your project or organization. And helping you hone your persuasive skills is at the heart of Tom Ahern's book. Ask him why he wrote it and he'll tell you this. Too many fundraisers both verbally and in writing fall flat when asked the question: Why should I support you? They stammer, equivocate, lapse into jargon they do everything but make a convincing case to the would-be donor. If that describes you, then your capital campaign, annual drive, planned giving program, even your website is raising far less than it could if you adopted Tom's field-tested advice for selling your mission and vision.

About this title

From the Publisher

As journalist Gene Fowler put it, "Writing is easy. All you do is stare at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead."

Certainly, many of us in fundraising feel that way.

Whenever we're called upon to draft a solicitation letter, or write copy for the website, or produce a few passages for the annual report, or, heaven forbid, long stretches of a proposal or case statement, we sit there ... and if we're lucky crank out serviceable prose. Few would call it sparkling.

And too few are moved to write a check in response.

Each year, bland writing costs organizations mountains of revenue.

A) There's the expense of producing the materials - the printing, production, and processing, to say nothing of the postage costs.

B) But much more consequential is the lost revenue - the money not raised when these homogenized materials fail to connect with the very people who would donate if they were motivated by what they read.

It needn't be this way, and it won't be this way any longer for those who invest a few hours in Tom Ahern's new book, How to Write Fundraising Materials that Raise More Money.

But here's a twist: Even if you don't write much, you should read this book. Why? Because it's about more than writing - much more.

In truth, the publisher might have called the book: Getting inside the mind of donors and communicating in a way that inspires their loyalty and generosity.

What Ahern does ¬- while showing you how to craft your materials - is to plumb the psychology of donors, uncovering what stimulates interest and instills confidence. His advice applies to all forms communications, written and verbal.

The short odds are that How to Write Fundraising Materials that Raise More Money will secure a spot in the pantheon of the best fundraising books ever written. Communicating with donors is the bedrock of all fundraising. And no book addresses this topic with such virtuosity.

About the Author

Tom Ahern, author of Raising More Money with Newsletters than You Ever Thought Possible, is recognized as one of North America's top authorities on nonprofit communications. He began presenting his top-rated Love Thy Reader workshops at fundraising conferences in 1999. Since then he has introduced thousands of fundraisers in the U.S., Canada and Europe to the principles of reader psychology, writing, and graphic design that make donor communications highly engaging and successful.

He founded his consulting practice in 1990. His firm specializes in capital campaign case statements, nonprofit communications audits, direct mail, and donor newsletters. His efforts have won three prestigious IABC Gold Quill awards, given each year to the best communications work worldwide. Ahern is also an award-winning magazine journalist, for articles on health and social justice issues. He has his MA and BA in English from Brown University, and a Certificate in Advertising Art from the RI School of Design. His offices are in Rhode Island and France.

Edition details

• Publisher: Emerson & Church
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 1889102318
• ISBN 13: 9781889102313
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 187