Simple Simon

Years ago I gave a substantial (for me, at least) gift to a charity that I had a long-standing personal relationship with. I was happy and proud to give, and really wasn't expecting anything other than a nice "thank you."

Sure enough, a letter came about six weeks later. I suppose the letter contained nice regards from the organization, but I never really found out. I struggled to read through five lengthy paragraphs (must've been 10 pt. font) that covered everything from the origins of the organization, to its activities and how it makes the world a better place. The large blocks of text, spanning subjects that were (almost) superfluous, made this "thank you" letter burdensome and unreadable.

What would have rekindled that warm, fuzzy feeling I had when I first gave the check? Something much, much more simple. Something like: "Dear Yosef, I can't thank you enough for your gift. I so appreciate your friendship and support." That would've about sold me.

I received a solicitation letter that was similarly difficult to read  from a prominent and well-funded aquarium where we had a family membership. Tons of text. Color photos. Big on their past accomplishments and their aspirations, but very short on the message to the donor. The solicitation was not entirely clear, as if they were trying to "polite cough" their way to my money.

The truth is that my family and I enjoyed our membership there very much, and I would have been inclined to give something. But without having created a strong enough arousal for me to get out of my chair and find my checkbook, I put the partially-read letter down (somewhere). As we all know, that is the death-knell of most solicitation letters.  

In both cases, these institutions ignored to cardinal rules of communications: 1) People hate to read; 2) People do not take hints. 

A fundraiser must always value those few precious points of contact with the donor. A call, letter or e-mail of ambiguous intent is, as far as I'm concerned, totally futile. 

And while there is no "one size fits all" solution for communicating with donors, I find the following come darn close:

1. Be direct: If you want to thank a donor, request an appointment, or invite them to an event, say that. Early on, if not first. Then repeat it at the end.

2. Be concise: Many believe that more words equals better communication. The opposite is true. A long, rambling message will not penetrate. A clear, brief statement must. 

3. Be personal: the reader should feel as if he's engaged in conversation, not stuck in a lecture. Speak to the reader about something relevant to the reader. 

When it comes to donor relations, subtlety is our bitter enemy.