Stop Wasting Your Fundraising Mailers: Create Customized Pieces That Inspire Giving

This is Part 2 of our Master Your Fundraising Mailer Series. In this blog you'll learn how to craft a message, tone, and design that will work together to capture attention and drive donor action.

Feel like raccoons may be the only ones reading your mailers? This blog will help you craft a letter that your donors will not only read, but respond to.

Weeks of work went into your last fundraising mailer. Your team debated every photo, tweaked every paragraph, and finally you sent it off to the mail house with high hopes.

Then you wait for the results. And… crickets. The donations you do receive are far below expectations. Did the message not land? Was the letter poorly designed? Did they even open it or did it go straight into the trash?!

The truth is: every piece of mail your donor receives is competing for their attention — bills, catalogs, and political flyers. If your fundraising appeal doesn’t spark emotion in the first few seconds, it risks landing in the recycling bin unopened.

But a strategic, well-designed mailer stops readers in their tracks, invites them into the story, and produces tangible results.

That’s why we are writing this series and why we’ve teamed up with Jordan Gembe, Vice President at Graphics Universal, to share practical, insider tips for making sure your message and design work together to capture attention and inspire action.

In Part 1 of this series, we explored how to clarify your goals and create a plan for your mailer before you write a single word. Now we’ll take that foundation and build on it.

If you’re ready to create a direct mail fundraising appeal that inspires action — not the recycling bin — let’s dive in.

Ready to Write? Not Quite Yet!

With your goals nailed down from Part 1, you’re feeling ready to focus on crafting your message! But there are still a few things to think through.

Type of Appeals

Before you jump into writing, you need to decide: How will your message will be packaged and presented? You don’t want to spend hours crafting a strong message, only to realize your multi-page letter should really be a postcard.

Here are the most common types of appeals and how they’re typically presented:

• Annual Reports – Multi-page reports that blend heartfelt stories with solid data and financial transparency. They often include infographics, charts, and photographs to showcase both impact and accountability.

• Simple Fundraising Appeals – One- or two-page letters with a few strong images. They typically have an emotional hook and a compelling ask.

• "About Us" Mailers – These pieces introduce your organization to new audiences. They should highlight your mission, services, and impact to build familiarity and trust.

The format you choose should complement your content and your audience’s preferences. So let’s talk about them next.

Tailor to Your Audience Segments

One-size-fits-all messaging might be easier, but it’s rarely effective. As the saying goes, ‘If you try to appeal to everyone, you’ll end up appealing to no one.’ This is why segmenting your audience is crucial when crafting a fundraising letter.

Donors don’t want to feel like faceless numbers — they want to feel seen and valued. That’s why even a little segmentation goes a long way. Break your list into just a few groups and tweak your story, tone, or ask so each one feels like your message was written just for them.

Take the time to segment your list and write letters for each. You don't want to talk to a friend (or donor) the same way you talk to a stranger.

Here's some easy segments to break your donors into and how you can tailor the message to speak to them:

• Not-Yet Donors – Share a moving story, explain how their gift will make a difference, and make the ask feel achievable.

• Longtime Supporters – Express gratitude, show the results of their past generosity, and invite them to continue the journey with you.

• Major Donors – Lead with an acknowledgement of what their gifts have done, provide big-picture vision and measurable impact, supported by proof of accountability.

• Younger Audiences – Use concise, bold messaging and mobile-friendly response options like QR codes.

• Older Audiences – Keep layouts clear, fonts large enough to read comfortably, and always include a physical reply device.

Start small by segmenting your list into 2 or 3 audiences. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel — keep the core message the same, but adjust the language so each group feels like you’re speaking directly to them.

Pieces of a Mailing

Before you dive into writing or design, decide what pieces your mailing will include. This choice affects both layout and messaging. Each component has a role in guiding the donor from curiosity to action:

• Outer Envelope (or Self-Mailer): Larger envelopes with creative designs can spark curiosity and increase open rates. A self-mailer is a more cost-effective option since it doesn’t require an envelope, but without strong design, it risks being overlooked. Whatever you choose, ensure the other pieces fit inside. Here's the Direct Mail Size Guide that explains all of the options to choose from.

• Letter: Whether short or multi-page, it tells the story, sets the tone, and makes the ask. Decide in advance how many pages you’ll need and what paper size works best.

• Donation Response Card: The bridge between interest and action. Keep it clear, uncluttered, and easy to complete in just a few steps.

• BRE (Business Reply Envelope): A prepaid return envelope that holds your response card and donation. BREs remove friction and send a clear message: “We’ve made it easy for you to respond.” Just confirm your response card fits comfortably inside.

Knowing which pieces you’re including up front helps you write to fit the space and design a layout where every element works together. Skipping this step often leads to crammed copy or last-minute design headaches.

Craft Your Message

Ok, now we can dive into writing the words and stories that will grab attention, spark emotion, and inspire action.

The best fundraising messages strike a balance between heart and proof. Keep reading to learn how to guide your donor from feeling moved to ready to give. 

1. Draw Them In With A Story

You don't want your mailer to read like a fact-based report. You want your readers to feel something. Most people decide with their emotions first, then look for facts to justify that decision.

A strong emotional hook or story invites them into a moment. Maybe it is the relief on a parent’s face when their child receives care, the determination of a student crossing a graduation stage, or the quiet dignity of a senior who no longer has to choose between food and medicine.

Make your letters as story-rich as possible. In the words of Steve Jobs, “The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller.”

By painting a vivid, specific picture and introducing real people (with permission), you allow the donor to see, hear, and feel the impact of their potential gift. The more tangible and human the story, the easier it is for them to connect.

When you bring a donor into a specific, human story, you’re inviting them to be part of your mission.

2. Choose the Right Tone

Tone can make or break your appeal. The same story can inspire action or disappear into the background, depending on how you say it and the emotions you evoke. Here are some tips to make sure you strike the right tone.

• Lead with gratitude and possibility, not desperation. Donors want to feel they’re joining a winning effort, not rescuing a sinking ship.

• Keep the focus on the reader by using “you” instead of “we.” “You helped a family find a safe home” is more powerful than “We housed a family.” This casts the donor as the hero of the story. When they can picture their role in the outcome, they’re far more likely to keep reading and respond.

• Your tone should also shift based on who you’re talking to. (Here's that audience segmentation again!) The following examples show how tailoring your tone for different audiences makes your appeal more personal and persuasive.

• First-Time Donors – Keep it warm and welcoming, focused on showing immediate impact and how achievable their first gift can be. The opening line of their letter may sound something like this:

  • Right now, a child in our community is waiting for a safe place to sleep tonight — and you can make that happen.

• Longtime Supporters – Recognize their past loyalty and invite them to continue the journey with you:

  • Because of you, 142 families had a warm bed and a hot meal last winter — but there’s more work to do. Will you join with us today to help more this winter?

• Major Donors – Make sure that they see the long-term vision and highlight the large-scale change they helped to create. Use a personalized approach:

  • It’s rare to meet someone whose giving transforms an entire program, but you’ve done that twice in the past three years.

• Younger Audiences – Ok, if we're being honest, your younger audiences are used to short form content — so a postcard or email campaign may be a better way to connect with them. But whatever medium you choose, keep it concise with an energetic call to action.

  • This Friday, you could be the reason one more teen graduates on time. Scan our QR code to see how.

• Older Audiences – Keep their communications clear and direct with layouts designed for comfortable reading. Provide physical reply cards, as well as online giving options. Give them tangible reasons that their giving matters, like this:

  • You’ve always been there for your neighbors. Today, they need you more than ever. Every $25 gift you give today will feed a family for a week.

By aligning tone with the donor’s relationship to your cause, you increase the odds that they’ll not only keep reading but take action.

3. Make Your Fundraising Mailer Personal

Jordan says, “Personalize, personalize, personalize.” (Are you sensing a theme?)

When you address someone by name, reference their past gifts, or tailor the content to their interests, you’re no longer sending a generic appeal. You’re starting a conversation.

Include the recipient’s name or giving data in:

• The envelope

• The greeting

• The body of the letter

• The ask (e.g., “Your past gift of $50 made a difference…”)

Small touches, like mentioning a donor’s most recent gift amount, can make a surprising difference in response rates. Your mail house should be able to insert the donors name and past gift amount using merge fields. All you have to do is provide them with the data to insert and they can do the rest. We will talk more about setting up merge fields in part 3 of our series.

“Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.” — Dale Carnegie

4. Back It Up with Proof

A heartfelt story draws donors in, but it’s the credible details that convince them their gift will truly make a difference. After the emotional hook, layer in concrete facts that show the scope of the need and the effectiveness of your organization’s response. This could be:

• Number of people served

• Percentage of program participants who achieve a specific outcome

• Milestones your organization has met

• Quotes and testimonials from program participants, volunteers, or respected community leaders. These voices show that others trust and invest in your work.

And always close the loop by pointing to past successes. When donors see that previous contributions were used effectively, they feel confident their next gift will be well spent.

5. Include a Clear Call to Action (CTA)

Even the most moving story will not result in giving if your reader isn’t sure what to do next.

Your CTA should be:

• Obvious: Place it prominently in your letter and repeat it at least twice.

• Frictionless: Make the response process quick and intuitive, whether mailing a reply card, scanning a QR code, or visiting your website.

• Urgent: Give donors a reason to act now.

• Personal: Make the donor the hero — not your organization.

Jordan notes that nonprofits often lose out on donations by not stating the CTA clearly or by making it too complicated to follow. His advice: “Make your CTA bold, visible, and easy to follow — and be sure to include it more than once.”

When a donor is ready to give, every second counts. Don’t lose the moment — make the donation process simple and seamless.

 Even the CTA should speak to the donor's individuality and make them the hero of the story.

• “Yes, I’ll give one more child a safe place to sleep tonight.”

• “I’m ready to help feed one family before the weekend.”

• “Count me in to protect more green space in our community.”

The CTA is one of the most important — and most overlooked — elements of a successful mailer. The response process should feel great and require as little clicking, typing, or searching as possible. Every extra step you add increases the chance a donor will stop before completing their gift.

The Shine of Good Design

Once your message is in place, your design becomes the vehicle that delivers it. According to Jordan, “A clean, professional design builds credibility. A sloppy or confusing piece gets trashed.”  

Good design also ensures your fundraising mailer won’t get hung up at the printer with small formatting mistakes. This is why we encourage hiring a professional graphic designer to design your campaign.

Collaborate with a Designer

A professional designer does far more than make your mailer “look nice.” They use layout, color, typography, and imagery to strategically guide the reader to your call to action and ensure your message is easily absorbed.

Well-designed mailers have a natural flow from headline to closing line, reducing the amount of mental energy donors need to expend to read them. It takes time and skill, but a good designer will make it look effortless.

They will also create visuals that match your tone and protect your brand by using logos, colors, and fonts that are consistent with your other communications. This consistency builds trust and makes your mailer instantly recognizable in a donor’s mailbox.

A strong message needs a strong design. Partner with a designer who can guide the reader’s eye, elevate your brand, and make your mailer unforgettable.

 

Images & Visuals

Your visuals create the first emotional impression before a single sentence is read — and that first impression often determines whether your piece gets attention or lands in the recycling bin. Plan for visuals early in your process so they work together with your message.

Jordan says, "Always use high-resolution images (300 dpi) for sharp, professional printing," and consult your designer or mail house if you’re unsure about quality. Poor-quality images can make even the most well-crafted appeal look unprofessional.

Choose visuals that fit your goal: artist renderings are powerful for capital campaigns because they help donors envision the finished project, while infographics in an annual report can make complex impact data easy to grasp. Photos should feel authentic and connect directly to the story you’re telling — and they should have enough visual breathing room around them (white space) to not compete with text.

Also, don’t overlook the outside of your mailer! A well-designed envelope with a striking image, quote, or graphic can catch the eye and boost the chances it gets opened. Ask your designer how to make the outer packaging more engaging.

Turning Powerful Stories into Lasting Impact

A well-crafted fundraising mailer isn’t just words on paper — it’s a combination of message and design that works together to capture attention, stir emotion, and make giving easy. When you align your story, tone, visuals, and layout with your goals and your audience’s values and preferences, you create a personal piece that is worth responding to.

In our next post, we’ll cover how to work with a mail house and what to do after your mailer lands — from tracking results to following up with donors and keeping the momentum going. Stay tuned for practical steps to boost responses, build stronger relationships, and set the stage for your next appeal!