Saturday, June 20, 2015

Bad fundraising appeals? Send me the worst you've seen.

A really bad fundraising letter is a waste of paper, printing and postage. Worse than that, it may permanently turn you off to the sender and its cause. 

Fundraising can fail in many ways. A piece can be blatantly cringeworthy, or merely boring. Sometimes the organization is so embarrassed about asking for money that they forget to actually ask at all.

For a new course I will teach next fall, I am collecting examples of ineffective fundraising appeals. Can you add to my teaching collection? I need examples in all media, including letters, emails, tweets, Kickstarters, and TV spots. These might be appeals that you've received, or even ones that you or your organization have sent out. (Confidentiality guaranteed!)

Tell me about the worst fundraising appeals you know. Please send me a copy by email to writing.uncorked@gmail.com or mail to David Weinstock, 240 Woodland Park, Middlebury, VT 05753 USA. If you didn't keep a copy of the awful appeal -- and why should you have? --  then just tell me the story as you remember it. For all who contribute examples and information, I'll share copies of my entire collection, and the teaching materials I create.

Thank you!





1 comment:

  1. Not exactly a fundraising appeal.

    I have offered to print or re-edit (but not to change text of) my blog posts, and to sell books, while sending me voluntary royalties.

    This offer has been standing for years.

    Has so far NOT been tried by anyone, that I know of.

    ReplyDelete