19 Questions A Writer Should Ask A Client Before Writing a Fundraiser Letter
1 Do you have a summary list describing the BASIC INFORMATION about your organization or company? (Address, web site, e-mail, way to contact? Where and when it was formed? Who owns and runs it? Who are on its Board of Directors and Board of Trustees? The other organizations of which it is a member? Annual gross revenues? Stock symbol (if a public corporation)? Charitable expenditures? Etc.
) 2 Have you sent out any fundraiser packages in the past? 3 What did the "package" include? E.
g.
, Outer envelope, the main letter, "lift note," testimonial, order form, return envelope, a free premium, etc.
4 What was your response rate? (What percentage of your recipients sent a donation in response to your mailing?) 5 Have you used a rented MAILING LIST purchased from an outside vendor? 6 Do you have the DATA CARD of the rented mailing list? 7 Do you have any publications, brochures, fliers, booklets, annual reports, case studies, interviews and magazine articles, or any other promotional material or news items about your organization or company? 8 Have you used an IN-HOUSE MAILING LIST for your fundraiser mailings? 9 Do you have the demographic profile of those in your in-house mailing list? (Mean age, gender break down, modal zipcode, average donation sent in, etc.
) 10 How would you personally describe YOUR TYPICAL DONOR, MEMBER or CUSTOMER, on the basis of your past experiences? (Income, education, age, gender, ethnicity, personal habits, jobs, entertainment or recreational preferences, philosophy and outlook on life, personal values, religion, organizational/club membership, political preference, etc.
) 11 Have you published any display ads for your organization in a print publication? 12 Do you have any POSITIVE TESTIMONIALS from people who have used your products or services? 13 Can you have the testimonial owners sign a RELEASE FORM in order to use their positive feedback in our fundraising packages? 14 Are there any CELEBRITIES and VIPs who can testify on behalf of your organization? 15 Can you have these celebrities sign a RELEASE FORM in order to use their positive feedback in our fundraising packages? 16 Do you have a list of PAST ACCOMPLISHMENTS made possible due to past donations? 17 Do you have a list of FUTURE PLANS about the things you will accomplish with the raised funds? 18 What are the FEATURES of your product or service? WHAT exactly does your organization accomplish? 19 What BENEFITS your organization or company's product or services deliver? Especially important here is the EMOTIONAL needs served by your organization.
- (Copyright May 2006 Ugur Akinci) by Ugur Akinci, Ph.
D.
Creative Copywriter and Technical Communicator writer111@gmail.
com http://www.
writer111.
com
) 2 Have you sent out any fundraiser packages in the past? 3 What did the "package" include? E.
g.
, Outer envelope, the main letter, "lift note," testimonial, order form, return envelope, a free premium, etc.
4 What was your response rate? (What percentage of your recipients sent a donation in response to your mailing?) 5 Have you used a rented MAILING LIST purchased from an outside vendor? 6 Do you have the DATA CARD of the rented mailing list? 7 Do you have any publications, brochures, fliers, booklets, annual reports, case studies, interviews and magazine articles, or any other promotional material or news items about your organization or company? 8 Have you used an IN-HOUSE MAILING LIST for your fundraiser mailings? 9 Do you have the demographic profile of those in your in-house mailing list? (Mean age, gender break down, modal zipcode, average donation sent in, etc.
) 10 How would you personally describe YOUR TYPICAL DONOR, MEMBER or CUSTOMER, on the basis of your past experiences? (Income, education, age, gender, ethnicity, personal habits, jobs, entertainment or recreational preferences, philosophy and outlook on life, personal values, religion, organizational/club membership, political preference, etc.
) 11 Have you published any display ads for your organization in a print publication? 12 Do you have any POSITIVE TESTIMONIALS from people who have used your products or services? 13 Can you have the testimonial owners sign a RELEASE FORM in order to use their positive feedback in our fundraising packages? 14 Are there any CELEBRITIES and VIPs who can testify on behalf of your organization? 15 Can you have these celebrities sign a RELEASE FORM in order to use their positive feedback in our fundraising packages? 16 Do you have a list of PAST ACCOMPLISHMENTS made possible due to past donations? 17 Do you have a list of FUTURE PLANS about the things you will accomplish with the raised funds? 18 What are the FEATURES of your product or service? WHAT exactly does your organization accomplish? 19 What BENEFITS your organization or company's product or services deliver? Especially important here is the EMOTIONAL needs served by your organization.
- (Copyright May 2006 Ugur Akinci) by Ugur Akinci, Ph.
D.
Creative Copywriter and Technical Communicator writer111@gmail.
com http://www.
writer111.
com
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