The title that appears above the salutation in a fundraising letter, known as the overline. Overline have one goal: to convince your lenders about it, To read your letter.
By mail copywriter and author Hershell Gordon Lewis, the best kind of overline to use a direct-to-one piece of communications as a fundraising letter is a handwritten overline, one that looks like a spontaneous outburst of enthusiasm. Handwritten overline, says Lewis, should not look "produced.Â" I agree.
Their goal is, then, if you decide to use an overline, the work will generate more enthusiasm in your readers as your letter may, without the overline. Here are some guidelines must be observed.
DonÂ't give too much away
The goal of your overline, as the destination of your Envelope teaser copy that is to attract attention and arouse curiosity. The quickest way to express excitement in your reader is, they kind of present in the very front Ask your overline. Or to say that you will ask them for a gift, later in this letter. DonÂ't give betrayed too much.
So instead To write this:
Your gift today will help us to stop arms.
Write:
How do you keep a pistol from the hand of a 12 years old?
Make the reader want to continue to read
You want Their intrigue readers, teasing the reader into reading your opening sentence, then your second sentence, right on to the end. So that your overline, if you should choose a, a Situation go out, or have a question, or suggest a paradox, or to force in another creative way to read the donor.
Think about it Signing of the overline
A handwritten overline is a bit like a PS It serves as an afterthought, a spontaneous idea that The writer had just before dropping the letter in the mail. One way to emphasize one-on-one tone of a fundraising letter is addressed to the person who signs the letter also The overline has signed with his initials. Your overline like this (handwritten look natural):
Please be sure to including the important update IÂ've read. AJS
Imagine a 3M Post-note is
Recent advances in print – Franking machines and let put a yellow Post-it notes at the top of your letters. To these notes even more powerful, write it in the same color ink, make you use for your signature, address and to each donor by name.
Wrap your overline in your envelope teaser copy
One possibility is to use overline to answer it you have a question or puzzle that you on your mailing envelope. But be careful here. Your letterhead is truly overline the beginning of your letter and not the result of your outer envelope teaser copy to.
Your overline must be rejected on their work after the envelope is. Your readers as soon as they open and read your outer envelope teaser copy, the envelope and began reading your letter, will probably not be reading your outer Envelope teaser copy. When they read to pick up letters in a week and they will not re-teaser copy in the outer envelope and read it.
For Copy this reason, your outer envelope teaser copy of your letter, and overline to their own than two grammatical thought. If your outer envelope teaser copy ends with ellipses, such as your letterhead overline must begin with a capital letter, although it can complete the overline thought that you started on the outer envelope. Make every letter overline a complete thought on its own, one begins with a capital letter.
About the author
Alan Sharpe is a professional fundraising letter writer, instructor and mentor who helps non-profit organizations raise funds, build relationships and retain loyal donors using creative fundraising letters. Learn more about his services, view free sample fundraising letters, and sign up for free weekly tips like this at http://www.RaiserSharpe.com.
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