Here are a few tips for making your annual appeal stand out from all the others in your mailbox today.

Keep The Flame Burning by Humanizing Your Appeal
Standardized annual appeals often focus on “the ask” through lengthy text and dollar amounts which quickly become uninspiring. Keep the flame burning for your organization by humanizing your annual appeal. Give them the opportunity to see contributions at work through personal stories about your most effective programs. Perspectives from your scientists, alumni and even other donors can offer the personal connection that donors need to understand the significance of your research.

Get Out of the Annual Appeal Box
Time to get out of the annual appeal box and tell your story in a more compelling format beyond a form letter. Traditional appeals are limiting in color and imagination. If your appeal is going out in the last three months of the year that’s reason enough to do something different.

Make It Beautiful
Compelling visuals go a long way towards helping donors understand the effectiveness of your programs, and how your organization is advancing science and impacting our health. Incorporate visuals that draw viewers in. Dynamic scientific illustrations can help donors understand complex details about your research. And well-designed graphics can explain progress comparisons much quicker and easier than lengthy text.

Is Your Ask Inspirational?
While many organizations have a financial goal for their annual appeal, sharing that with donors as your primary message is a maintenance way of promoting your organization and its significance. It limits their thinking about your work and restricts giving at your needs rather than where people can give. The primary focus should be about helping donors become inspired by your work and how you are making a difference.

Should There Be Specific Levels of Giving/Check Boxes?
While the direct ask of an annual appeal is an important piece of fundraising, why limit the specific value? Research shows that people do not give to budgets. The motivation for people is not to fund the budget it’s to make a difference. If you’re institution has made significant strides towards improving human health and you’ve worked hard at cultivating your donors partners throughout the year, perhaps it’s smarter to let them determine their own level of giving. They could be much higher than your predetermined and suggested levels.

Mailing Choices Can Help Yours Stand Out
Going first class with a carefully chosen stamp can make a difference in helping your piece stand out from all the other appeals and bulk mail. And studies show that hand-addressed envelopes outperform printed. For me seeing my name correctly spelled (Karan) and hand-written makes an envelope certainly worthy of opening. If your mailing is under 1,000 it’s not that hard to accomplish this goal. Reach out to your board and/or enlist a group of volunteers to help.

Personalization
If you have an active board that is well connected consider having them include hand-written notes with some solicitations. Personalize your ask as much as possible and in doing so perhaps it makes sense to ask for a slight increase from last year. But most importantly, focus on the single most important thing you want to tell them. What will inspire their support?

To wrap up this series, an annual appeal is much bigger than a one time ask. Fundraising is a relationship that grows year round. Every interaction you have with your donors should ignite their passion for your work. It’s about putting great projects in front of them regularly and challenging them to make a difference. When your annual appeal comes around they will embrace the challenge to support your continued research.