…You are best to NOT put it in writing.
I’m talking about the “ask” of course. Recently I heard two stories from people who received letters or emails (and I’ve received one too), containing ask amounts of, well, let’s just say, too large to be so cavalier as to just place a big number like that in an envelope (maybe an envelope placed in a chauffeur-driven limo, then I could excuse it).
Both letters, and the email I received, were from highly regarded organizations, with great boards, skilled staff members and solid reputations. All three requests represented, for most development programs, a “major” gift ask – dollar amounts far exceeding a donor’s annual giving history. So why resort to letter or email format? All possible answers fall into the uncouth category – was the organization too busy to call or meet with me? (I must not matter). Is this chump change in their world? (If so, then they won’t miss my money). Do they really think that I’m soooo smitten with what they are doing that I’ll just fill out the form and send it back in? (Ego is terribly unattractive in fundraising).
In all three of these situations I think the main reason has very little to do with the possible explanations listed above. (By the way – all of those explanations were what the recipients of these letters wondered – not the kind of questions you want swirling in your donor’s heads.) Instead, they have everything to do with what we fear most – orally asking someone to part with their money.
But this is essential in fundraising! There are no effective short-cuts. Use this as your guide: if you want to ask someone either to do something for you (serve on a committee, chair an event for instance) or to consider a sacrificial gift (for most of us this is anything over $1000, some would argue lower) you must resist the temptation to put this request in writing! If it makes you uneasy, it doesn’t belong on paper. It’s up to each of us as paid or volunteer fundraisers to get comfortable with the uncomfortable.
The payoff – the financial outcome to the organization; the pride and sense of satisfaction the donor feels when they say yes; and the personal growth felt by you, the solicitor – can never be delivered by mail.
aly's blog 