4 Solid Direct Response Copywriting Takeaways from a Fundraising Event
For sure you’ve already received at least one email that has the subject line “Save a Child’s Life NOW,” or another one that showcases pictures of sad and sickly dogs with emotive eyes. These are appeal letters asking you to donate or take part of their fundraiser, and lo and behold – they get a lot of funds from thousands of individual donors
Guess what: fundraising appeal letters are actually specially crafted by no less than direct response copywriting experts! How else could these groups raise the most funds if they don’t have a wise and witty copywriter on board, right?
You can learn a lot about direct response copywriting by studying such appeal letters, mainly because they incorporate the different forms of persuasion harmoniously in one write-up. Among the things to look at are:
- Making your reader the centre of attraction.
In the world of fundraising, organisations tend to work on the sidelines and allow their stakeholders to be the star of the show. They make their donors the main reason for making their event possible, and without their supporters, there won’t be any fundraising taking place.
You can use this as a tactic when appealing to your audience. Make them-not your product or brand-as the hero of your sales pitch. By making your audience feel that their small payment results to a bigger, more meaningful outcome, the more they are inclined to convert into becoming your customer.
- Craft a story that touches hearts.
People, by nature, don’t read an entire story –they just look for the parts that appeal to them the most. So, your story may be peppered with facts and data, if they don’t catch your readers’ attention, they still won’t be of value.
However, people are easily swayed by narratives that touch their hearts. You may thus want to craft a story that speaks to their emotions, as this allows you to introduce your sales pitch faster and better. You also open their minds because your tale appeals to them.
- Keep your sales pitch readable.
As much as possible, it is important that you keep your story readable and simple, not too wordy or complicated. Your readers have a very short attention span, not to mention the patience to go through your written adventures.
Use words that are easy to understand, not technical jargon. The more familiar they are, the faster they are picked up by your reader, and the better your offer is accepted. A simple tale also shows that you are offering a deal that comes with no-nonsense, and allows your readers to build more trust in you.
- Repeat.
Readers are not only selective when it comes to the things they read; they are forgetful as well. Hence, you may want to use a repetition technique on your sales copy. It is recommended that you insert your key messages in each paragraph or each section of your pitch. This way, even if your copy is cut midway, your readers still get what you are saying and remember what you are asking them to do.