6 reasons your year-end appeal won’t work

You may be hard at work on your important year-end appeal. You really need to have it work well this year.

Here are some of the most common direct mail fundraising errors out there that can undercut even the most otherwise well-built appeal letter:

1. It’s too short. Somebody believes that “nobody reads long letters any more.” One-page letters are usually a mistake. It’s an uphill battle to make your case (legibly) in one page.
2. It’s actually a thank you letter. It’s normal and helpful to recognize what a donor has already done. But many fundraisers let the thanking part take over, leaving little room to effectively ask. (Let me suggest: Don’t start your message with thank you; end it that way.)
3. It’s not easy to respond. Don’t force donors to fill in a form with their name and address if you already have that information. And make sure your landing page is frictionless.
4. It’s too fancy. If your appeal looks like some kind of high-end piece of commercial marketing — you can expect lower response. Keep it simple.
5. It tells the wrong story. “We’re good at our work and everything is going according to plan” — that’s not a strong call to action. Let donors know they are needed.
6. It’s hard to read. Small type (smaller than 12 point). Difficult fonts. Type in any color other than black. These are serious barriers to comprehension and to response.