Welcome to Turn your words into money: Writing effective fundraising copy and direct mail Nick Day

We’ll cover Considering your Audience - Segmentation / Targeting / Positioning Getting the message across Writing a letter Design tips

Why do individuals become supporters?

Why do individuals become supporters? Concern Duty Guilt Personal experience Personal Benefit Asked! Peer/family pressure Tax Ultimately… few give without some kind of self based consideration

Why do individuals become supporters? What’s In It For Me? WIIFM

7 basic rules… Identify likely supporters Create the right message Get the message to the audience Ask for their support Enable them to support Keep them informed Maintain good public relations

Consider your Audience: Segmentation, Targeting, Positioning

Consider your Audience Segmentation Targeting Positioning

Segmentation A segment is a group of individuals sharing one or more similar profile characteristics that mean they have similar needs or expectations

Targeting Which segments should you prioritise? Can you reach different segments in different ways? Can you meet their needs?

Positioning Matching specific features, benefits and advantages to the needs of the audience to create a proposition that is relevant to them

Differentiation Criteria What is most important and relevant to majority? What is distinctive? What can be communicated in ways the can be understood?

Over to you… What are your top 3 ‘unique selling points’ that differentiate you? Which target audiences do you think are most interested in these?

Effective Communication The right message to the right audience at the right time

10 Tips on copy writing Get to know your audience Use simple, direct and everyday language - NOT jargon and abbreviations State your proposition boldly and clearly Feature real, identifiable cases and people Communicate the need

General Tips on copy writing State what the reader's support will enable you to achieve State how the reader may benefit Don't try to be too clever! Demonstrate clarity, brevity and clear focus Provide a clear course of action

Getting the message across AIDA

AIDA Attention - good visuals and thought a provoking headline Interest - applying your positioning to focus on the features, benefits and advantages you've identified as important to your audience and make it relevant to them Desire - make them want to act Action - make it clear what you want them to and how they do it

KISS: Keep it simple stupid!

KISS: Keep it simple stupid! Don't try to do too much! Maintain focus and simplicity Make it seem too complicated or like hard work and you'll lose them!

Communicating by direct mail

Direct Mail The Envelope The Letter The Brochure or Leaflet The Call to Action The Response Device 22

Envelope Only 7 seconds to make an impact Provocative message If you deal with them already, let them know who you are! Be creative - size and shape can increase impact! 23

Making Your Letter Interesting Top Of Page – Who’s It From ? Address – Check It’s For Them Skim Letter – Picking out key points to establish why the letter has been sent to them Signature – Eye drawn to signature (Use Of P.S.) Decide To Read In Detail Personalise Use Headlines & Sub-Heads Make Signature Legible & Use P.S. Use Serif Font 24

Making Your Letter Interesting Short Sentences (16 Words or less) Short Paragraphs – Just 1 thought & open with main offer/question Be single-minded Be warm and friendly Write as you would speak – every day words Minimise punctuation Vary the pace Use link words/phrases Use active words “You” v. “Parity” (3:1) Get someone to read your letter out loud 25

Brochure/Leaflet/ Other Enclosures Great opportunity to reflect your brand Adds impact Power of pictures (with testimonials..?) Needs to work with the letter…and not look like it’s just been thrown in because it happened to be available! 26

Response device Don’t hide it! Make it as easy as possible: tick boxes, pre printing information.. Offer multiple response channels Ask some questions 27

Over to you How well does it follow AIDA? Can you skim read and get the gist of it? Does the letter use You more than We/I? Is it clear what you should do next? How likely would you be to give?

Over to you Give each criteria a score out of 5 Total them to get a score out of 25 Let’s see if we can identify a clear winner!

More help with direct mail Royal Mail’s Mail Media Centre Sign up for free and get access to lots of case studies and resources www.mmc.co.uk

We’ve covered Consider your Audience - Segmentation / Targeting / Positioning Getting the message across Creating effective direct mail

Thank you I hope you’ve enjoyed the session Thank you I hope you’ve enjoyed the session! See you at Meet the speakers! Nick Day