Handwritten Letters
Handwritten letters … what a concept!
I enjoyed this article by Max Kalehoff writing in — of all places — Online Spin!
Says Max:
"… the growing volume of communications in digital form also drives attention deficit, dehumanization and diminishing returns. It’s a tragedy of the commons when digital innovations, celebrated for their improvement on our interpersonal communications, have the opposite effect. That’s why recently I’ve been highly conscious of handwritten letters."
He goes on to describe some handwritten letters he’s recently received and their impact on him.
None of us would doubt the ability of a handwritten letter to cut through the clutter.
And yes, there are firms that "mass produce" handwritten fundraising and lead generation letters. But short of that, what can the typical nonprofit do to take advantage of this art form?
Fpr more manageable scale (and confidence that you’re not "wasting" effort), I’d suggest starting by using handwritten notes to acknowledge contributions. Start with the biggest gifts and work yourself as far down the list as you possibly can. And use the "highest ranking" personage in the organization you can draft for the purpose, or a program staffer whose work will benefit from the gift … or, if that’s what it takes, write it yourself!
This is the kind of relationship building that leads to recurring and bigger gifts to come.
Max offered a list of characteristics he believes account for the power of handwritten letters:
- Tactile
- Permanent
- Convincing
- Purposeful
- Individualized
- Handmade
- Thoughtful
- Emotional
- Engaging
- Reflective
- Humble
But I’d submit that most of these qualities could be embodied in a well-written message in any medium … even "individualized" if you know how to use your donor/member database. You might keep this list in front of you when you’re preparing direct mail or digital copy.
Tactile and one-to-one (both in style and extraordinarily relevant substance) are the qualities that make a handwritten letter special.
Go ahead, write someone a letter today … and see what happens.
Tom
P.S. If you google "handwritten letters" you’ll find there’s an entire cult out there. For example, at www.handwrittenletters.com you can learn that the stamped letter as we know it originated in the reign of Queen Victoria in 1840.
3 responses to “Handwritten Letters”
Behavioral Science Q & A
Integrating an individual giving appeal with other communications from a charity can have both positive and negative effects, and the outcome largely depends on how it’s executed. Advantages of Integration Brand Consistency: Maintaining a consistent appearance and messaging across all communications can reinforce the org’s brand identity and strengthen brand recognition and trust among your […]
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I’m not aware of any in-market tests specifically comparing recurring vs. gift frequency language. I suspect the answer might not be the same with all gift frequencies, nor with all people. It sounds like a great opportunity for you to test and find out what works for your audience. Based on the literature, here’s a couple […]
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Based on what we know from existing data, those renewal notices can actually be pretty effective in getting people to donate. They tap into our psychology – creating a sense of urgency, reminding us of past support, and using personalization to make the message hit home. They’re playing on our natural tendencies to feel obligated […]
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Interesting question. I had a quick look at the testing done on this topic. On the positive side, in all cases, over half of donors decide to cover the fee. In some cases, it goes as high as 65%. Not a negligible percentage at all. Here’s another test from iRaiser showing consistent results (see point […]
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There’s just one thing to consider when designing a supporter journey: the supporter. More specifically, you need to take into account: Who the supporter is i.e. their identity, which is the reason they support this cause, and their personality, which describes the way they “see” and process the world. These will determine the kind of […]
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I’m not an expert in this but a quick search surfaced this article on the effect of tax reforms on 2019’s charitable giving. The researchers didn’t find a reduction. Actually, they observed an “increase in charitable contributions in 2019, even with the lower tax rates and the dramatically smaller number of taxpayers who itemize their […]
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I work with a modestly sized animal protection organization based in Toronto, Ontario. The organization lacks the capital to fund major prospecting campaigns. Consequently, it has been imperative that as few supporters as possible become “lapsed.”
Over a decade ago, we implemented a policy of thanking every donation with a hand written note. A core of volunteers comes in every day to do just that. They are “paid” with a wonderful, vegan lunch and good companionship. All donations, even the smallest, are thanked, by the volunteers, with hand written notes signed by the volunteers, on the day they come in. They are mailed back, in a hand addressed envelope with a live stamp, to the donor on the same day.
Interestingly, these notes also produce donations. The whole thank you process is a profitable exercise.
Absent any acquisition, the organization has grown, albeit modestly, and has increased bequests. It also has built up a large monthly donor base.
Groups that are not thanking supporters with hand written notes are foregoing one of the most effective donor retention strategies available.
Moreover, on purely personal and human level, donors deserve, at the very least, a truly sincere and thoughtful thank you.
Wonderful post, and I’ll take these tips back to the community foundation on whose board I serve.
I feel so passionately about this topic that I started a Facebook Group called Revive the art of personal note writing! (Yes, the irony of doing this on Facebook did not escape me). I’d love to have you and your readers join us: http://bit.ly/rJq9h
We would like to say thank you to Tom for mentioning our website handwrittenletters.com
With regards to Stephen’s response to the Handwritten Letters article, we were impressed by the way the volunteers of the animal protection organization replied to all their donations with handwritten letters. People always appreciate the personal touch that is synonymous with the care and attention that goes with handwritten letters. Our website gives many examples of people’s positive reaction upon receiving handwritten letters.