How To: PS - Postscripts that work!

Your postscript is one of the most important parts of your fundraising letter. It usually stresses the point of your letter and asks for action. Some donors read it first. Some professional writers write it first. Since the P.S. is one part of your letter that you can be confident your donors will read, you need to write something there that will motivate donors to send you a gift or take your desired action. A donor reading a P.S. is a donor looking for information. And that's your opportunity. So don't treat your postscript as an afterthought. Use these ideas for writing an effective P.S.

1. SHOW WHAT A DONATION "BUYS"
"Remember, your gift of $63.94 provides a wheelchair to someone who desperately needs it. Please give."

2. MENTION YOUR DEADLINE
"Only 2 weeks until the February 1st, 2012 deadline for funds!  Please return any checks (made out to Free Wheelchair Mission) or cash to me so I can submit them, or simply donate online to my page at  http://fwm.kintera.org/run2012/______.

3. DRAW ATTENTION TO AN IMPORTANT ENCLOSURE OR LINK
"I've included with this letter a brochure about Free Wheelchair Mission. Your support right now is critical to their work around the world. Many thanks."... "This 1 minute video will show you why Free Wheelchair Mission's work is so important."

4. STRESS THE URGENCY OF YOUR APPEAL
"A hundred thousand people are in need of mobility. We’ve already lifted over 600,000 people off the ground, but that isn’t enough. We can only do more if we receive more funds. Please help by sending a gift right now."... "Our goal for the Run for Mobility 2012 is to raise $275,00 - or 4,300 wheelchairs. Can you help?"

5. ASK A QUESTION
"Do you know that as of October 2011, Free Wheelchair Mission has given away over 600,000 wheelchairs in 82 countries around the world? Please give to allow more chairs to lift more lives off of the ground and into a chair." More facts about disability around the world.

6. SHARE A RECIPIENT STORY
"A young man dragged himself to and from school every day, carrying his books on his back. He neared graduation, and gave up. We asked him why – he told us “No one will hire a smart mind and a dirty body. What’s the point?” Now that he has received his wheelchair, the same young man is back in school and aspiring to be an electrical engineer. Give hope to other young people like this young man by donating today.” Check out the FWM story archive, full of powerful stories from recipients around the world.


Happy fundraising! 

Lila's Walk 4 Wheels

 Ambassador for Mobility: Lila Lehtola (pictured right, her friend and co-organizer Ally Ryder in the bandana on the left)

Location: Dallas, Texas

Background:  Lila has been an active collegiate Ambassador for Free Wheelchair Mission since September 2009. She discovered the issue of global disability after her mom told her stories from a medical mission trip she went on to Honduras. She told Lila the sad stories about people crawling to the hospital, and women at the clinic with back problems from carrying their children vast distances to the clinic because their child didn’t have the wheelchair they needed. After a friend mentioned Free Wheelchair Mission, Lila and her mom researched Free Wheelchair Mission together. They felt the chairs seemed practical and cost efficient, and they decided to create a project to fund a container for Honduras and to help distribute them.

The Story: Lila is an avid athlete and runner, so she decided to hold a Walk 4 Wheels to benefit FWM. The event was held on September 17^th. Participants paid $10 to register and $15 for a t-shirt to join in the walk. There were about 40 participants, and together they raised $1,800.

Her fundraising activities have included “countless bake sales, garage sales, and what we call dress down days at our school where we pay a small fee to wear non-uniform clothes to school and the donation is then given to FWM”.  In April 2011, Lila and her mother organized a golf tournament, and was highlighted for her work for FWM. The golf tournament raised $11,600.

Lila’s Passion: “My mom told me of people she saw crawling to get to the hospital because they couldn't walk. This utterly broke my heart because, right before I had this talk with my mom, I had gone on a run and I realized that these children could never run, even if they wanted to.”

Lives Transformed to Date: over 325

Bonus: all Walk 4 Wheels donations came in just in time to be included in FWM’s October Matching Gift Challenge! 

How To: Write Letters That Stand Out

Making your fundraising letter stand out and grab the reader's attention is key. Check out this article "Attention Getting Openers for Fundraising Letters" by Sandra Sims from the website Step by Step Fundraising

"Fundraising letters communicate a specific message to potential donors and call them to action. Creating an attention getting opening paragraph is important in making a good first impression and in getting the rest of the letter read.

Here are 5 Attention Getting Strategies for Fundraising Letters:

1. Headlines

Even though a fundraising letter should be in the format of a letter with a salutation, body and closing, a headline at the top of the page can be an attention grabber. Headlines are usually just 1-2 lines and are printed in larger type that the rest of the letter. For added interest, use a different font.

2. Attention Getting Words

Using very specific words as sentence openers grab the readers attention. Notice that many of these sample phrases ask the reader to do something. Here are a few examples:

Just imagine if… Right now… Think about… Why is it that… Without a doubt… For instance,
Please don’t overlook… 

3. Questions

Open ended questions are great ways to begin a letter. Questions are designed to get the reader to think. When asked a question, people automatically try to answer it. Avoid using yes/no questions, because this is too easy an answer and the conversation in the reader’s mind stops.

Here’s an example: “How many people in our city go hungry at Christmastime each year? Statistics say that on average 357 will miss at least one meal between Christmas and New Year’s Day because their cupboards are bare. Many of these are senior citizens. This year let’s keep this statistic from becoming a reality.”

4. Bold Statements & Exclamations

Another way to open the letter is by using a bold statement, often related to shocking situations or statistics. For example, “Every day 7,400 people become infected with the HIV virus

Sentences using exclamation points work well for a letter with a lighthearted tone. For example, “It’s that time of year again – the Clark County Yam Festival is almost here!”

A few well placed exclamation points at the beginning and/or other sections of the letter add energy. Just be sure to use exclamation points sparingly in the overall letter. Having too many of them gives the impression of hype or insincerity.

5. Narratives & True Stories

One of the most successful ways to get your message across is to describe a story of a specific person or situation that your organization has helped. If your group has made some major achievements and successes these can also be of use. Always remember to include stories that will engage the reader, not just show off accomplishments."

Happy fundraising!


Full article link: http://stepbystepfundraising.com/attention-getting-openings-for-fundraising-letters/
Website: http://www.stepbystepfundraising.com 

Team Mobility Athlete Jacqueline at the Long Beach Marathon

Team Mobility Athlete: Jacqueline Anzalone

Event: Long Beach Marathon                  Location: Long Beach, CA

The Story: One of the first official local Team Mobility events, the Long Beach Marathon brought Free Wheelchair Mission in front of thousands of people new to us. The two-day Health & Fitness Expo on Friday and Saturday allowed the 50,000 expo visitors to stop by and learn more about the special wheelchair that has changed the lives of so many. As an official featured race charity, FWM was highlighted throughout the day by the expo announcer, and had a prime location in the heart of the expo.

Jacqueline Anzalone was the top FWM runner-fundraiser for this event. This was her fourth time running and fundraising on FWM’s behalf, previously participating in the annual Run for Mobility event at the Surf City Marathon. She was thrilled to learn that FWM was coming to her hometown of Long Beach, CA. She even personalized her official race bib to say “IRUN4WHEELS”!

Jacqueline’s Fundraising Tip: “The key to fundraising is to ask a lot of people for a little bit of money,” she explained. Spreading out the ask to a lot of people means that no one feels obligated or financially uncomfortable about donating, since it’s just a small amount. Her last donation was received when she reached out to her roommate, who hadn’t donated yet, by explaining that she was only $5 shy of her fundraising goal. When Jacqueline woke up the next morning, a crisp $5 was waiting for her on the counter. “A lot of people working together can have a big impact”, she said, which just shows that together, we can lift lives around the world.

Volunteer Highlights:

• Long time Free Wheelchair Mission supporter, fundraiser, and two-time Olympian Ozzie Zea volunteered at the expo, and was interviewed by a local online community media & news team, Long Beach Voices.

• 15 volunteers from UCI and CSULB worked hard at the FWM water station on mile 7.5, where all 23,000 racers passed by our banners to grab water on the go.

 

 

•  FWM was the official volunteer group for the Wheelchair Division marathon. There were 23 athletes in all, competing in either handcycles or racing chairs. One was also a FWM fundraiser!

 

Lives Transformed by Jacqueline to Date: over 23 (so far!)

Lives Transformed by the event Team Mobility Long Beach 2011: 29

    

Take-Away Tip: A lot of people each giving a little bit of money works. You don't necessarily need large gifts - lots of little ones will add up faster than you'd expect.

How To: The Elevator Speech

The Elevator Speech: A fundraiser's secret weapon


 Have you ever heard of an elevator speech? It’s one of the most basic and effective devices in a fundraiser’s toolkit. The idea behind it’s name is that it is a quick ‘speech’ that one can give in the time it takes an elevator to go from the top floor to the first floor or vice versa. In this article you will find out what, why, where, when, to whom, and how to prepare that “elevator speech.” 

What exactly is an “elevator speech”? The idea behind an elevator speech is this – you run into people all day long. At work, at the store, out in social situations, and yes, in elevators. The idea of an “elevator speech” is to have a prepared presentation that grabs attention and says a lot in a few words. What are you going to be saying? By telling your core message, you will be marketing yourself and your fundraising efforts in a way that will draw people into your cause rather than pushing people away.

Why prepare an “elevator speech”? As fundraisers, we all need to be willing and able to use casual conversations as a springboard for donations. It’s not likely every person will be able to hold a hugely successful fundraising event, but anyone can have an elevator speech to use when the opportunity arises. People can’t donate unless you ask, and you can’t ask for donations until they know what you’re doing and why.


Where and when do I use this “elevator speech”? These come in handy all the time. How often do you find yourself among friends, family, acquaintances, co-workers, etc who inevitably ask how you are doing and what is new with you? Most of the time you mutter “Oh, nothing, same old, same old…” This is where the elevator speech comes in. If you have an answer like “Well, I’m training for my first half marathon, and I’m making my miles matter by raising funds to give away wheelchairs in developing countries.” Right away, that leads into an open, casual, and low-pressure conversation about what you are doing with your race and your fundraising. 


Sounds great! So what does an elevator speech look like? It’s actually very similar to what you’ve already written for your personal website biography. It’s a quick and simple overview of what you’re doing, why you’re doing it, and how they can help. 


Things to remember:

Make your speech quick, easy to understand, and memorable.

Convey that you genuinely care about what your doing and are dedicated to making a difference

Have your personal RunCards on hand and ready to hand out after your speech

Practice – say it a few times to yourself, and try it out on other people. It will soon feel natural.

An elevator speech should be short; three to four short sentences, about 50-100 words and take less then 30 seconds to deliver. A good elevator speech will grab your listener's attention by saying a lot in few words and leave your audience wanting to know more. 

The speech should sound like its conversational and "off the cuff."

Example:

“I’m in the middle of training for my first half marathon. I decided to do it not only because it’s something I’ve always wanted to do, but also because it is allowing me to help make a difference by raising funds for a nonprofit called Free Wheelchair Mission. What they do is provide wheelchairs to disabled people in developing countries, and each wheelchair only costs $63.94 each to manufacture, ship, and deliver! Pretty cool huh? I’ve set my personal goal at $500 – that would be enough to give a chair to 7 people! Here’s my fundraising website if you wanted to learn more. Any donations would be a huge help! (This is where you would hand them a RunCard… one of your handy “Fundraiser Business Cards”, which has information on how to get to your website. Order yours now.)

Happy fundraising!