WRITING FOR FUN AND FUNDRAISING

Guest post by: Billy Sharma
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WHEN ARE YOUR CUSTOMERS OR DONORS MOST RECEPTIVE? - By Billy Sharma

The first technique you really need to learn in copywriting for fundraising is freedom from technique. My old boss, David Ogilvy, once said, "Rules are for the obedience of fools, and the guidance of the wise. "

Next, write as you speak. If someone complains about a sentence ending with a preposition, about a split infinitive, or about a sentence beginning with 'And', tell them that countless sentences in the King James Bible start with 'And'.

Many new words are constantly being added to the English lexicon. My advice: skip the ones that are hard to pronounce. Use the ones of Anglo-Saxon origin.

A litmus test is to try using them when you swear. Do they roll off your tongue easily? If not, don't use them.

I have said this before and I will say it again. Use short sentences, but vary the length of your paragraphs. You can create a powerful start with one arresting sentence.

If you are writing a fundraising letter, don't beat around the bush. You want money so ask for money. Don't be a politician and substitute the M word with 'resources' or 'support'.

The next time I read that a charity is looking for 'support', I may be tempted to send them my old underwear.

Tautology. An increasing number of words we use are redundant and often contradictory but sometime they become part of our vocabulary by sheer repetition. Here are a few:

"It was a tall skyscraper." Have you ever seen a short skyscraper?

"It could be a major nuclear disaster." What exactly would constitute a minor nuclear disaster?

"We have come to a mutual agreement." Can an agreement be other than mutual?

Incidentally, look up the word ‘tautology’; I think the dictionary describes it better than I have done.

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WHEN ARE YOUR CUSTOMERS OR DONORS MOST RECEPTIVE? - By Billy Sharma

About the Author: Billy Sharma

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BILLY SHARMA Billy holds a Bachelor of Science degree and is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of J.J. School of Art (Bombay) and the Hochshüle für Gestaltung (Bauhaus School of Design, Germany). After many years of working for other companies, Billy founded Designers Inc. In 1999 he became Managing Director and Creative Director of Brann Worldwide in Toronto. Under his stewardship the agency grew three-fold in two years when Brann Worldwide was elected the number one direct marketing agency in the world in 2000. Billy has extensive advertising and direct marketing experience gained in many national and international advertising agencies in Europe, U.S. and Canada. This has honed his creative skills to help provide breakthrough creative ideas for his clients.
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