It’s all in the copy - How to write content that will increase donations

Many people struggle with creating a compelling story in order to attract more givers. Fret not! Our content specialists at GIVE.asia have compiled a handy list of tips that you can use for your next campaign!

1. Give the full story – beginning, middle, and end
Having a timeline is an effective way of communicating your journey to givers and informing them of where their money is going. It also creates a compelling story that is emotive and genuine. For example, you can show that Child A was happy and cheerful, but then it was discovered that their health suddenly declined. You can then explain what Child A is currently going through. You can use emotive vocabulary and phrases such as “It’s painful and I’m afraid”. The end of the story is showing people how their donations will help make Child A better by being able to afford the medical treatment needed to save their life.

2. Show, don’t tell
Givers appreciate it when you show them the situation instead of telling them. It creates an emotional connection between the giver and the beneficiary. For example, telling would be saying “Child A’s parents are very sad, and are pleading for your help” and showing would be saying “Tears rolled down the cheeks of Child A’s mother, as she looked at her poor child hooked up to machines with tubes running in and out of her. She sobbed uncontrollably while pleading for help to afford the medical treatment to save her child’s life.”

3. Don’t use jargon
Most medical terms are hard to understand and may not showcase the severity of the situation. It would be more accessible to explain and show what is happening and why their help is needed now. Aside from looking up the meaning of the medical terms, you can also include the risks and consequences if the illness is left untreated for too long.

4. Use less “I” and “we” and more “you”
In order to inspire the giver to get more involved, use more “you” pronouns to make it personal. For example, change this: “We really need your help and donation to save Child A’s life” to this: “You will be helping to save Child A’s life by making a simple donation. We will have no way to repay you, but you will always be in our thoughts and will be eternally grateful to you.”

5. Think about building rapport
It’s important to build a relationship with your potential donors. If you are a single parent, then you could address your campaign towards other single parents. You could mention and use words that would arouse empathy amongst people who have the shared tough experience of being a single parent or even as parents whose children have fallen ill at some point. If you are a frontline healthcare worker who has been working especially hard due to the Covid-19 situation and now need help for your own child, then mention this as well when you sincerely ask for help as a front liner.

You can click here to scroll through campaigns and see how other campaign owners have used this advice. And don’t forget to check back in on our blog regularly as we are always uploading tips and tricks.