Preface to the Third Edition ix About the Author xiii Introduction: Why You Should Read This Book 1 Part One Motivating Your Audience 1 Why People Respond to Fundraising Appeals 9 2 How a Fundraising Appeal Is Like a Personal Visit 21 3 What Donors Really Think about Fundraising Letters 35 4 Characteristics of an Effective Fundraising Appeal 41 5 A Leisurely Tour through One Successful Appeal 47 Part Two Your Plan of Action 6 What to Do Before You Write Any Fundraising Appeal 71 7 Eight Steps toward Successful Fundraising Appeals 85 8 The Cardinal Rules of Fundraising Letters 95 9 You're Writing for Results--Not for a Pulitzer Prize 115 Part Three Customizing Your Appeal 10 Recruiting New Donors: Starting Intimate Conversations with Strangers 127 11 Recruiting New Supporters: Beginning the Cultivation Process Online 133 12 Welcoming New Donors: Treating People Like Part of the Family 141 13 Appealing for Special Gifts: Bringing Your Case Down to Earth 155 14 Asking for Year-End Contributions: Making the Most of the Holiday Spirit 167 15 Recruiting Monthly Sustainers: Offering Small Donors a Chance for Greater Impact 185 16 Soliciting High-Dollar Gifts: Framing the Case for Major Contributions 191 17 Going for Bigger Gifts: Persuading Donors to Make an Extra Commitment 203 18 Seeking Annual Gifts: Building Long-Term Loyalty, One Year at a Time 213 19 Thanking Your Donors: Friend-Raising before Fundraising 219 20 Promoting Legacy Gifts: Seeking the Ultimate Commitment 233 Part Four Reinforcing Your Appeal 21 Rounding Out Your Appeal with Online Media and More 245 22 Writing Online Appeals 261 23 The New Keys to Success in Fundraising Today 297 Part Five The Appeal Writer's Toolbox A Sample Multichannel Campaign Calendar 313 B Twenty Great E-mail Subject Lines 317 C Sixty Successful Outer-Envelope Teasers 319 D Fifty-Four Strong Leads for Fundraising Appeals 329 E Ninety Ways to Use the Word "You" in a Fundraising Appeal 331 F Sixty-Three Ways to Handle Awkward Copywriting Transitions 335 G Forty-One Powerful Ways to End a Fundraising Appeal 339 H Fifty-Eight Ways to Start a P.S. in a Fundraising Appeal 341 I Fifteen Ways How Not to Get Results 345 Index 353.