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We’d like to share with you our thoughts and advice on how to get the most out of what can be your most important communication tool – Newsletters. All too often newsletters fail to deliver on the appropriate messages and the reinforcement your donors are looking for, which is why we strongly recommend that your newsletter be donor focussed.

Many an acquisition campaign instigated towards the end of 2006 pulled at the heart strings of their recipients, outlining what the need was and how the donors’ support was going to make a difference.By now you will have received donations (and hopefully lots of them!) in response to your request from new and existing supporters who have conscientiously chosen to support your charity as opposed to others. It’s now time to reaffirm with your new and existing donors, that they made the right decision to support your cause!

A donor focussed newsletter can be more valuable to your organisation than what you might believe it to be. Your newsletter can have a real impact on how your new and existing donors think about your organisation, and whether they choose to continue to support you. If done well, your newsletter is the corner stone to forming a very loyal and sound relationship with your donor. It should focus on the donor and their needs, reporting back on how their donation has been used, re-affirming in their minds that YES they did make the correct decision in supporting your cause.

So what is it that you should be doing?

1. For a start, put yourself in the shoes of the donor

OK – so let’s do that. It’s coming up to Christmas, your letter box is flooded with requests from various charities seeking your support for a particular need. Each charity is deserving of your support, but you have a dilemma. You can’t give to them all, so which one do you support? Finally, you make the decision, you complete the donation form and you send it off in the mail. You feel good about yourself. You are comforted in the knowledge that you’re helping someone who needs your support, and importantly that your donation will make a difference. At least that’s what you read in the charities appeal pack.

2. What have they done with my money?

A few weeks go past and you receive a newsletter from the organisation which received your donation. Great. You will have the opportunity to find out what they’ve done with your money – right? Well unfortunately this isn’t always the case, which is why at this point, you can lose that valuable supporter without even trying.

Donors want to know where their money went. You need to report back to the supporter on the particular appeal they gave to. Let them know what you’ve done with their money, that by supporting your appeal, they have made a difference. Demonstrate to them that the donation they gave has been used as you promised them it would. This can be achieved best through stories about people, remembering that people give to people, not to causes.

3. Reaffirm constantly that the donor made the right decision to support your cause

Repetition, repetition. Through the various articles contained within the newsletter you need to constantly let your donors know that they have played an important role in making a difference: “You have helped to make this possible – thank you for caring”. By doing this you are re-affirming in their mind that they made the right decision to support you. That their involvement in your organisation is of paramount importance and it matters. Your supporters play an integral role in making your achievements possible – never lose sight of that.

4. People give to People – not to organisations

I touched on this briefly, but it’s too important not to mention it in more detail. People give to people – it’s true. And the best way of asking for money through a newsletter is to personalise the need by telling a story. The more dramatic and well written the better. Like any story you need a beginning, middle and end. The stories we remember most, are those which are told the best, filled with emotion and drama. It’s the emotional triggers that motivate the donors to give a donation, these include fear, hope, love, caring etc. Also stress the urgency and why should the donor should give now?

5. Newsletters – Easy reading

Many supporters tend to scan newsletters. I know, you’ve spent weeks preparing the newsletter, crafting the copy and getting the balance right etc. We live in a busy world, and our donors are the same, they will scan the newsletter, which is why your headings are so important. Headings need to have impact and subheadings need to summarise the story.

A good headline has enticing words, good action verbs, the best possible summary of what the content is about and if possible a surprise hook. The most appealing headlines to donors are those which reveal accomplishments, need, vision or mission. For instance 1) explain the gist of the story 2) reveal why the story matters and 3) have a hook eg. Cuts in Federal Government Slash Medical School Applications. Will You Have a Doctor When You Need One?

6. The “You” Test

Using the word “You” throughout the newsletter brings a greater level of personal one-on-one communication with your supporter. It encourages them to read your newsletter.

By Megan McQuitty