Boost Response Rates and Income with Appealing Fundraising Letter Envelopes.

Writing a terrific fundraising letter is a waste of time

if your donor throws your entire package in the trash

unopened. And that happens more often than any of

us dare to think about. That's why your envelope is

so crucial to your success.



Your envelope serves two functions and two alone. It

must:

• deliver your appeal to your donor



• persuade your donor to open and read your
  
  package

Getting your appeal into the hands of your donor is

not hard if you mail to a good list, either your own

house list or a rented list of quality prospects. But

persuading your donors to actually open your

envelope and read your appeal—and respond to it

with a gift—that's the difficult part.



Your envelope faces a number of challenges.



Your donors are busy

Like you, your donors are busy. They are preoccupied

with meeting their sales quotas, finding a good

paediatrician, fixing the leak in the roof, spoiling their

grandkids, finishing college with an A average, buying

a more reliable vehicle, meeting their deadline,

meeting their life partner, and making ends meet. In

the middle of their busy life, your fundraising appeal

drops through the mailbox. Should they open it, lay it

aside for later, or chuck it? Your envelope will likely

decide which.



Competition from other charities

If your donors are typical, they receive solicitations

from other non-profit organizations each week. Your

envelope will likely be one among many. How will you

stand out? How will you persuade your donor or

prospective donor (or former donor) to open your

envelope first—if at all? Your envelope is your first

chance, maybe your only chance.



Competition from other mail

Your package is also competing with electricity bills,

bank statements, pizza flyers, credit card

statements, personal letters, credit card offers and

junk mail. Your reader will open these pieces of mail in

a particular order, starting with the most pressing.

The size, shape, weight and look of your envelope will

determine if it gets opened or not.



Competition from other media

You are also competing with door-to-door

fundraisers. And telephone canvassers. And telethons

(television fundraisers). Not to mention the evening

news, sitcoms, today's newspaper, CNN.com and a

literal host of radio shows and satellite TV channels.

How can you get your fundraising appeal letter

package to break through this noise and reach your

donor? You need to start with your

envelope.



The benefits of getting your appeal letters

opened and read are tremendous:

• you will likely immediately boost your response
  
  rate, since more donors will read your appeal and
  
  respond with a gift, all other things being equal



• you will increase your gift income, since higher
  
  response rates mean more gifts



• you will reduce your cost to raise a gift, because
  
  the increase in revenue will offset your mailing
  
  costs



• you will improve your renewal rates, since more of
  
  your first-time donors will open, read and respond to
  
  your subsequent appeals



• you will reduce your attrition rates, because you
  
  will keep more donors engaged and interested in your
  
  cause

None of these benefits will be yours unless your

donors open your envelopes. That's where the battle

for your donor's head and heart begins. Don't lose the

battle there. Create envelopes that are simply

irresistible. Here are some tips.



Oversize Window

If you are mailing a premium, have it appear through

an oversize window.



Unusual or Unexpected Dimensions

Switch from a #10 window to something larger or

smaller.



Unique Addressing

Address the letter by hand.



Use Every Inch Available

Put a dramatic photo on your envelope that

stretches from one side right across to the

other.



Tease the Donor Inside

Ask a question or pose a riddle that is answered

inside.



Multiple Windows

Put another window on the envelope and have

something interesting show through from the

inside.



Don't Use an Envelope

Mail your letter in a box, a cylinder or something else

that stands out.



Postage

Use a commemorative stamp.



Lumpy Mail

Put something three-dimensional, like a wrist band,

in the envelope.



Put the Donor on the Envelope

Put a message to the donor on the front or back,

using their first name.



Add a Personal Touch

Hand-write a note.



The possibilities for creative and compelling envelopes

are limited only by your imagination (and your budget,

of course!). Strive to create the most irresistible

envelopes you can, with every package you mail, and

you will be rewarded with higher response rates and

higher income.



© 2006 Sharpe Copy Inc. You may reprint this article online and in print provided the links remain live and the content remains unaltered (including the "About the Author" message).



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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alan Sharpe is a professional fundraising letter writer, instructor, coach, author and newsletter publisher who helps non-profit organizations to raise funds, build relationships and retain loyal donors using cost-effective, compelling, creative fundraising letters. Sign up for free weekly tips like this at http://www.RaiserSharpe.com