Ten points to remember when writing
by George Smith
January 15, 1996; Canadian FundRaiser
- Don't forget the AIDA formula, be it ever so whiskered. In its original form it stood for ATTENTION, INTEREST, DESIRE and ACTION. These days I like to insert a C for CONVICTION or P for PROOF. Thus, AIDCA or AIDPA. It also means that you don't get sued by Verdi's estate.
- Use Saxon words and not Latin words. They're shorter.
- Use vivid words and not hackneyed ones. Why talk about the community when you can talk about people?
- Use shorter sentences.....and vary the length.
- Use short paragraphs ..... and vary the length.
- Use active verbs, not passive. AID WILL BE SENT TO BOSNIA is inferior to WE ARE SENDING AID TO BOSNIA.
- Use buckets and chains to link your paragraphs .... ON THE OTHER HAND, .... THAT'S ALL VERY WELL, BUT .... things like that. You see what happens - it begins to sound like someone talking.
- Get to the point. Which for a fundraiser, is usually money. They've clocked your logo, they know what's coming. So why leave it to the eleventh paragraph?
- Relate the story to the reader wherever possible. NINETY PER CENT OF PEOPLE WILL BE AFFECTED BY ARTHRITIS is pretty powerful. But not as powerful as THERE'S A NINETY PER CENT CHANCE THAT YOUR FAMILY WILL BE AFFECTED BY ARTHRITIS.
- Be demotic. Does it sound like someone talking? If not, why not?
From a presentation made to the first National Fundraising Congress, sponsored by the National Society of Fundraising Executives, Greater Toronto Region, November 16-18, 1995.
