| Next time you write a letter to a donor but | | | | Or let's say you're writing to the same donor |
| can'tthink of the best way to express yourself, | | | | aboutthe same homeless shelter, but instead |
| letsomeone else do it for you. | | | | you'restruggling to communicate how the streets |
| Someone like Mother Theresa. Mark Twain. Rosa | | | | areespecially hard on homeless children. You don't |
| Parks. Ernest Hemmingway. | | | | wantto simply say, "The streets are especially hard |
| Quotations are one of the most effective ways | | | | onhomeless children," because you're afraid that |
| toinspire and motivate donors. Think of all the | | | | you'llbe stating the obvious, or sound like |
| topicsyou could possibly want to write about in | | | | you'repreaching. |
| afundraising letter, such as apathy, challenge, | | | | So you search under the topic of Children, and |
| faith,freedom, generosity, injustice, love, | | | | findthis nugget from Pulitzer Prize winning journalist |
| optimism,persistence, poverty and war. Chances | | | | Hodding Carter: "There are only two lasting |
| are,someone, somewhere, at some moment in | | | | bequestswe can hope to give our children. One is |
| history,has said something quotable on your topic. | | | | roots; theother, wings." There you have a |
| So when you are stuck for the best way to | | | | memorable way tostate your case. You could even |
| saysomething, reach for a book of quotations and | | | | turn this quotationinto a theme that runs throughout |
| turnto the table of contents. Look up the topic you | | | | your fundraisingletter package, starting with the |
| arestruggling with. Turn to that page and hunt for | | | | outer envelopeteaser. |
| aquotation that conveys your thought in a | | | | Quotations are an effective way to up the octane |
| memorableor wise or pithy or funny or epigrammatic | | | | inyour fundraising letters for a number ofreasons: |
| way. Thentake that quotation and incorporate it into | | | | |
| yourappeal letter. | | | | 1. They help you communicate truths about sensitive |
| For example, let's say you're requesting funds for | | | | topics by letting someone else speak for you |
| ashelter for homeless people. You want to convey | | | | 2. They add colour to your writing, the same way |
| toyour donors the plight of people who end up living | | | | sound bites do in a TV documentary |
| onthe streets. You pick up your book of | | | | 3. They help you express the funny side of a |
| quotations,look under the topic Injustice, and find | | | | situation (by quoting Bill Cosby, for example) when |
| that Pearl S. | | | | doing so directly might sound crass or insensitive |
| Buck, human rights activist and Nobel Prize | | | | When you quote people word for word, be sure |
| winner,once remarked: "Hunger makes a thief of any | | | | tomention who you are quoting. Imitation, as Charles |
| man." | | | | Caleb Colton said, is the sincerest form of flatter, |
| There's a zinger that you can incorporate | | | | butquoting people without citing your source |
| somewhereinto your letter. | | | | isn'timitation. It's plagiarism. |