4 easy ways to improve your fundraising copy

Main Financial Strategies and Business Trends:

• Donor-Centric Messaging: Emphasizing the importance of making fundraising copy about the donor rather than the organization. This includes using the word "you" frequently to create a personal connection.
• Simplicity in Communication: Advocating for a grade 4 to 6 reading level to ensure that all donors, regardless of their educational background, can easily understand the messaging.
• Emotional Engagement: Highlighting that donations are driven by emotional responses rather than purely logical reasoning, thus encouraging fundraisers to speak from the heart in their messaging.
• Specificity in Asks: Encouraging fundraisers to be specific about what donations will achieve, rather than using vague language that can lead to donor disengagement.

Methodology/Step-by-Step Guide:

• Make it About the Donor:
  • Use "you" frequently in copy.
  • Highlight the donor's role and impact.
• Make it Easy to Read:
  • Write at a grade 4 to 6 reading level.
  • Use a conversational tone to engage readers.
• Speak from the Heart:
  • Incorporate emotional language and stories that resonate with donors.
  • Avoid guilt-tripping; instead, celebrate the donor's contributions.
• Be Specific:
  • Provide clear examples of what donations will accomplish.
  • Use concrete details to paint a vivid picture of the impact.

Bonus Tips:

• Level Up Donor Engagement:
  • Use moral adjectives to highlight the donor's positive traits.
  • Enhance design elements to make copy more visually accessible.
  • Create curiosity in subject lines and headlines to capture attention.

Presenters/Sources:

• Mike Durksen (Host)
• Hannah Mir (In-house fundraising copywriter at Build Good)