Tips to Energize Your Donor Newsletter

Writing a good headline
Ahern suggested these three tips:

1. Write down the key points of the story.
2. Figure out why a donor would care. What's the WIIFM (What's In It For Me)?
3. Summarize the gist and the donor angle in 25 to 40 words and two sentences, using plain English and small words that are clear and simple. That's your headline. Ahern said the bottom-line goal is to be as clear as possible as fast as possible.

Ahern said most nonprofit newsletter headlines use boring verbs such as establish, list, win, use, write, reach, give back, plan, unify and build, and he suggested alternatives like those he sampled from issues of The Wall Street Journal, including loom, spark, threaten, embrace and sputter.