Do you want your fundraising letters to raise more money? If so, be sure to ask these 23 questions each time you write a letter:
- Do I have a compelling hook?
- Have I humanized the problem?
- Does my copy inspire action?
- Are my sentences and paragraphs short?
- Did I use headlines & subheads to break up longer blocks of copy?
- Have I used the word “you” enough?
- Did I use jargon?
- Am I using facts & figures sparingly?
- Is my offer compelling, yet solvable?
- Have I used enough action words?
- Am I telling a good story?
- Did I include a strong call to action?
- Is my copy conversational?
- Have I used the reader’s name sufficiently?
- Is my offer clear and concise?
- Did I read it aloud to hear how it sounds?
- Have I written as a person, to a person?
- Did I show the reader how to solve the problem?
- Have I eliminated every unnecessary word?
- Are my words short?
- Have I asked the reader to take a specific action?
- Did I stop, walk away and come back later to edit with fresh eyes?
- Are my ask amounts reflective of the reader’s past giving behavior?
Thank you for your tips. They will be handy for a not-for-profit in Brisbane I do some work for.
Some of them resonate with me as a journalist ie. read out loud and walk away and re-visit. It’s amazing what corrections/improvements can be made from those two points alone.
Thanks again
Julie