You can see much success by handwriting a personal letter, presenting your needs and then making a personal phone call to ask potential sponsors to join your team.
While it would be best to send a handwritten note to each person, it’s not always feasible to handwrite letters to 200 people. By using a computer, you can write and print the same letter to each person, personalize the salutation, and sign it. Printing a letter (as opposed to photocopying it) keeps it looking fresh and original. Sending people photocopied letters would not be best, but it would still work if you don’t have access to a computer. Try your local public library if computer access is a hindrance for you.
When writing a letter for sponsorship, the personal segments in the sample letter that follows must be included. However, the body of the letter should be copied substantially as it appears. The following are items that all letters should include:
- Give your letter a specific date.
- Type your greeting to a person, not “Dear Friend”. If you handwrite the letter, then write your greeting.
- Acknowledge your relationship with the reader. What can you say that will help the person identify with you? Refer to your last visit or letter, business concerns, sports interests, known struggles, hobbies, etc., to help him say, “I know who you are.”
- Bring your reader up to date on what you’re doing.
- Educate your reader. Explain what the Impact conference is, its purpose, why you’ve decided to participate, and what you hope to accomplish by going.
- Explain your need. The purpose of your letter is to give your reader an opportunity to help. Make sure you explain exactly what you need.
- Involve the reader by asking him for specific action, based on the needs you have shared. This can include challenging him to cover part or all of the cost of the conference. Be sure to state the deadline by which you need the money, and share the benefits to you and to the reader as the need is met. Specific action includes not only your request, but also your commitment to follow up by telephone if they do not respond by mail. The deadline that you set to raise your funds should be at least one month from your departure date.
- Acknowledge your relationship again with an emphasis on thanks, appreciation, gratitude, sponsorship and commitment. This ties your opening acknowledgment to your request.
- Close the letter and sign it. 10. Add a “P.S.” Commit yourself to a specific action you will be taking. (Example: “I’ll be calling you on November 1, if I don’t hear from you by October 25th.If you are sending a printed letter, write your P.S. in a contrasting color of ink.)
