Don’t Forget to Ask
No matter how much work you put into crafting the perfect appeal, it may fall flat if you forget to ask the donor for what you need.
It seems obvious, right? Think again.
A clear call to action is one of the most common elements missing from the development communications we review, leaving prospective donors unsure of how they can lend their support.
Below are our recommendations for calls to action that compel donors to step up and take your philanthropic efforts to the next level.
Be Direct
Simply saying “Join us” at the end of a case for support isn’t clear or direct enough; you must be specific about how you would like them to join your efforts.
Do you want them to invest in the early success of a project as a lead donor? Act as a high-level volunteer who performs peer-to-peer outreach? Make an annual contribution to a specific designation? Whatever the case, you must explicitly name the action you would like a donor to take rather than leaving it to their imagination.
Share Contact Information
Be sure to include ways for a prospective donor to reach back out to you, preferably by both email and phone.
If you’re drafting a piece that will be general collateral, it’s a good idea to include the information of someone high up, like a VP or CDO, who is the general face of your fundraising efforts. If the piece is for something shorter-term and targeted, include the name and contact information of the gift officer managing the effort.
Customize When Appropriate
If you have the ability to print smaller quantities of an appeal, one-sheet, etc., customize the CTA to each audience.
Tailoring the call to action to your intended group—for example, a specific task force or board committee—enables you to match the language seen by those stakeholders to the best strategy for them, rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all approach. It also demonstrates to them that you understand their value and what they bring to the table, reinforcing positive perceptions of your fundraising operations.
Don’t Overwhelm
It may be tempting to provide a wide range of ways that a supporter might get involved, but please fight this impulse.
If you place a laundry list of pathways for joining your organization’s work at the end of your case for support, your readers will be right where they started: unsure about the best way to help. Instead, do the pre-work for prospective donors and give them two options, max, that are most helpful for your organization and that align with the audience. If it’s too difficult to narrow it down, simply say to reach out to the listed contact, who can make a match between organizational need and donor interest.
