Willis Turner

All fundraising copywriters read (or should read!) lots of direct mail packages.

It’s often said that a donor isn’t really a donor until they’ve made a second gift.

There are many ways to encourage people to open your outer envelope.

Because writing is a solitary occupation, copywriters necessarily spend a lot of time inside their own heads.

When a writer struggles to develop an emotional connection with an organization, the problem might not be the mission. 

Stephen King, master of horror, suspense, science-fiction, fantasy and supernatural fiction, has published 61 novels.

The oldest piece of advice in the world of fundraising copy is probably this: “You are not your donor.”

As with most things, the good writers make it look easy. That’s why so many people think they can do it.

According to the Rule of 7, it takes an average of seven exposures to a message before it sinks in enough to engage your target and make him or her a regular supporter.Drip campaigns create those exposures in a tactical way that dovetails with your overall strategic plan. Here are 11 tips to help you get more drip for your buck.

Every so often you just get stuck when you need an idea. All writers know this. And we all know the standard advice for coming up with a creative inspiration: take a walk, sleep on it, put it aside and come back to it later, and all that.

Of course you should craft your appeals to resonate with the majority of your readers. But you should always allow for the possibility that something great could come from the most unexpected donors.

Do fundraising writers get writer's block? Does every writer? All writers talk about it. Some play complicated psychological tricks on themselves to prime the pump when the well goes dry.

Writing fundraising copy should be detailed and painstaking for you. Reading it should be fast and easy for your donor.

Writing fundraising copy takes concentration and focus. There are a lot of elements, strategic and creative, that have to be accounted for as you write. It takes up a lot of your headspace.

The 10 tips below are basic copywriting guidelines that will help you every time you write a fundraising letter, email or blog post.