By Alan Sharpe, CFRE
Successful direct mail donation letters contain three things: a compelling case for support, a request for funds (the “ask”), and a response device. The case is the Incentive. The ask is the Imperative. And the response device is the Instrument.
The most popular reply device is the reply coupon, that slip of paper the size of a dollar bill that’s found in most direct mail fundraising packages. But today it could also be a landing page on a website. To make sure your mailing generates the kind of response you want—and the number of donations you want—you must have a reply device that is clear, complete, compelling and convenient.
Clear
- stands out in the package and is easy to find
- gives explicit instructions on what the reader must do to make a donation
- has sufficient space for handwriting
- keeps decisions to a minimum (the fewer checkboxes the better)
Complete
- features an ask ladder, such as $50 $75 $100 Other $___________
- offers the two most popular payment methods, cheque and credit card
- includes the complete address and phone number of your organization
- contains an unobtrusive key code so that you can track response
- tells the donor what to do with the reply device (eg. “Return this completed reply device with your donation in the enclosed postage-paid envelope”)
Compelling
- repeats the case for support and the ask in summary form, usually a sentence
- where possible, shows what the donor’s gift “buys” (eg. $50 Feeds a family for a week $75 Gives a family a goat $100 Provides enough seed to feed 12 families)
- includes other incentives to donating, such as a free premium or membership benefits
Convenient
- features the donor’s name and address pre-printed on the form
- has check-off boxes wherever possible
- is postage-paid or features a toll-free number
- comes with a postage-paid business reply envelope
Learn more . . .
Handbook Number 12
How to Write and Design Effective Direct Mail Fundraising Reply Devices.
Attract the gifts you need by making the donation process quick and painless for your donors (and your organization).
