Here’s a tip our writers use as they work on donor communications:
Use verb tense to help take your donors on a journey.
And here’s what that looks like:
- When Asking for support (appeals, e-appeals, events) use the future simple tense to describe what the donor’s gift will do: “Your gift will help…”
- When Thanking for a gift (receipt letters, thank you notes) use the present continuous tense: “Your gift is helping…”
- When Reporting back to donors (newsletters, e-news) use the past simple tense: “Your gift helped…”
It’s a subtle – but powerful – way of communicating to a donor that their gift matters and that it made a difference.
This post is excerpted from the Better Fundraising e-book “Storytelling for Action.” Download it for free, here.
