How to Write Fundraising Materials That Raise More Money: The Art, the Science, the Secrets [Paperback]

Tom Ahern (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 15, 2007 | ISBN-10: 1889102318 | ISBN-13: 978-1889102313

On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the best) how would you rank yourself as a writer? A 5 or 6 perhaps? Maybe a 7? Then you already have a good set of skills. Now, combine your own talent with the field-tested advice of America's top fundraising writer, and you're steps away from boosting your returns by 15, 17, even 20 percent. Just by tweaking the way you already write. Tom Ahern is an authority on donor communications, but he can also teach. In recent years, CASE, the fundraising association for higher education, has named him a "Faculty Star," acknowledging the unusually high ratings his workshops receive. Tom has squeezed virtually everything he knows into this book. Everything you'd learn in his workshop is here and much more. And because Tom has worked with organizations of every kind, his advice is relevant whether yours is an easy sell like a community hospital or a niche cause like an historic house. Complements Ahern's acclaimed book, Seeing Through a Donor's Eyes.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A tasty feast of ideas, secrets, and uncommon concepts. It guarantees your success at writing materials that sizzle and inspire." -- Jerold Panas, Author of Asking and The Fundraising Habits of Supremely Successful Boards

"Get the book and read it! It has bucket loads of common sense practical advice." -- Richard Radcliffe

"Tom Ahern not only writes intelligently about writing, he writes extraordinarily well. His book is a call to action." --Kay Sprinkel Grace, Author of Over Goal!

From the Publisher

As journalist Gene Fowler put it, "Writing is easy. All you do is stare at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead."

Certainly, many of us in fundraising feel that way.

Whenever we're called upon to draft a solicitation letter, or write copy for the website, or produce a few passages for the annual report, or, heaven forbid, long stretches of a proposal or case statement, we sit there ... and if we're lucky crank out serviceable prose. Few would call it sparkling.

And too few are moved to write a check in response.

Each year, bland writing costs organizations mountains of revenue.

A) There's the expense of producing the materials - the printing, production, and processing, to say nothing of the postage costs.

B) But much more consequential is the lost revenue - the money not raised when these homogenized materials fail to connect with the very people who would donate if they were motivated by what they read.

It needn't be this way, and it won't be this way any longer for those who invest a few hours in Tom Ahern's new book, How to Write Fundraising Materials that Raise More Money.

But here's a twist: Even if you don't write much, you should read this book. Why? Because it's about more than writing - much more.

In truth, the publisher might have called the book: Getting inside the mind of donors and communicating in a way that inspires their loyalty and generosity.

What Ahern does ¬- while showing you how to craft your materials - is to plumb the psychology of donors, uncovering what stimulates interest and instills confidence. His advice applies to all forms communications, written and verbal.

The short odds are that How to Write Fundraising Materials that Raise More Money will secure a spot in the pantheon of the best fundraising books ever written. Communicating with donors is the bedrock of all fundraising. And no book addresses this topic with such virtuosity.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 187 pages
• Publisher: Emerson & Church Publishers (February 15, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1889102318
• ISBN-13: 978-1889102313
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #106,865 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #86 in Books > Business & Investing > Skills > Business Writing

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars All Fundraisers Can Benefit From This Book, June 18, 2007

By 

Harvey McKinnon (Vancouver, BC) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: How to Write Fundraising Materials That Raise More Money: The Art, the Science, the Secrets (Paperback)

For research purposes, I have more than 30,000 direct mail samples, countless annual reports, and hundreds of newsletters in my business library. And I'd say probably anywhere from 2 to 3% of them are really good (that means they raise a lot of money). They practice what Tom Ahern teaches you in his new book.

If you've ever had the opportunity to see Tom present - and he presents at many conferences around North America - then you'll know why you need this book. His way of thinking about donors, and what they want, will enable you to improve almost any donor-directed publication that you produce.

I strongly encourage anyone working for a nonprofit to buy this book - almost certainly it will improve the quality of the information you give to your donors, and the amount of money they give to you.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Like being in a candy shop with a pocketful of money, May 20, 2007

By 

Richard E. Schwartz "Rick Schwartz/StraightTalk" (Sharon, MA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: How to Write Fundraising Materials That Raise More Money: The Art, the Science, the Secrets (Paperback)

Two great things about Tom Ahern: 1) he writes in crisp, clear, jargon-free language, and 2) virtually every sentence contains advice or a tip I can actually use. In this straightforward but packed book, he taught me to always put myself in the donor's shoes when I'm writing, to never write anything that doesn't include an offer, to run like hell from "writing by committee", the emotional triggers that get people reaching for their wallets, and how to write great headlines and good copy. I'm not sure what else you can ask from a book that fits in your back pocket, reads deliciously the second and third time, and even apologizes for leaving out a chapter he'd call "Feeling Stupid". Feeling stupid is what you should feel if you don't order this book right after you finish this review.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tom Ahern is the best!, April 21, 2007

By 

Mal Warwick (Berkeley, California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How to Write Fundraising Materials That Raise More Money: The Art, the Science, the Secrets (Paperback)

You can find lots of stuff in print about writing fundraising materials -- but you won't find any book that's more squarely on point or more clearly and compellingly written. Tom Ahern is a master of writing for results. This superb new book is a must for anyone who writes to raise money.