April 6, 2006 | Read Time: 1 minute
The Mercifully Brief Real World Guide to Raising More Money With Newsletters Than You Ever Thought Possible
by Tom Ahern
Newsletters are an important, regular mode of communication with an organization’s supporters, but many are written poorly and lack the information donors want most, says Tom Ahern, a communications consultant for nonprofit organizations.
Donors are chiefly interested in reading about a group’s accomplishments, efficiency, plans for the future, and an acknowledgment of donors who have made a difference, he writes. It is therefore critical for newsletters to be designed to emphasize that kind of information.
The most common problems can be boiled down to Mr. Ahern’s “seven fatal flaws,” including an impersonal tone, misleading headlines, and excessive reliance on statistics.
He also urges newsletter writers to do all they can to show why a donor’s gifts make a difference. “Despite all the lip service paid to the importance of thanking donors, surprisingly few charities express much gratitude,” he writes. “Thank your donors conspicuously and you will stand out.”
Publisher: Emerson & Church, P.O. Box 338, Medfield, Mass. 02052; (508) 359-0019; fax (508) 359-2703; http://www.emersonandchurch.com; 128 pages; $24.95; ISBN 1-889102-07-5.
