9 Fading Fundraising Fundamentals
Things are starting to slip. Bad habits are creeping in. Common knowledge is not being passed on. Things that supposedly go without saying are going unsaid. The next generation of fundraising copywriters is being cheated out of institutional memory.
More and more I receive letters and emails that ignore basic tenets of good fundraising copywriting. Usually they're little things. Too many gerunds, for example, or talking at, instead of to, your reader.
Willis Turner believes great writing has the power to change minds, save lives, and make people want to dance and sing. Willis is the creative director at Huntsinger & Jeffer. He worked as a lead writer and creative director in the traditional advertising world for more than 15 years before making the switch to fundraising 20 years ago. In his work with nonprofit organizations and associations, he has written thousands of appeals, renewals and acquisition communications for every medium. He creates direct-response campaigns, and collateral communications materials that get attention, tell powerful stories and persuade people to take action or make a donation.
