Gamma Iota Sigma
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Outline for a Solicitation Letter1.
Consult your program director, department chair, or development officer to make
sure your fund-raising campaign will not conflict with another campaign targeting the
insurance industry being planned or conducted by your university. 2.
Use letterhead stationary from chapter or school. 3.
Try to schedule solicitation early fall - when many companies budget for the
following year. 4.
Properly identify your prospect: §
Spell his or her
name properly! §
Use the prospect's
correct title. §
Is it the right
person? i.
Is he or she familiar with your program? ii.
Does he or she make the money decisions, or is he or she close to the person who
does? 5.
Address individually; avoid the appearance of a mass produced, form letter. 6. A sample
format for the letter: §
Begin by stating
the reason for writing - "need money" §
Comment on a recent
success of your chapter. §
Describe efforts to
earn your own money - mention projects such as car washes, seminars, etc. §
Identify a
particular financial need of the chapter - something of an educational nature would be
nice. §
Restate requests
for money and suggest an amount based on what you feel the prospect will be able to
donate. §
Indicate to whom to
make the check payable and where to mail it. §
Mention where to
call of write for additional information. §
Offer to meet and
personally provide additional information. 7.
Personally sign the letter - would be nice if it's coming from the president or
vice president. 8.
Enclose a Gamma
Iota Sigma brochure, chapter information, and outline of details of a project or activity
to be funded, a recent chapter newsletter, or any combination of these items; mention the
enclosure in the body of your letter or in a postscript. 9. Follow-up
after three weeks with a phone calls. 10.
If you receive a donation, immediately
respond with a written "thank you," and add the donor to your newsletter mailing
list - keep them informed on whom you're using the money! A sample solicitation letter appears on
the following pages. Good Luck! |