There will be lots of companies you won't hear from. A few sent me postcards or letters saying they won't or can't donate, but many of them just won't reply. For those that do donate, expect packages to just start showing up (which is always fun)! I got a couple of e-mails saying to expect something soon but, for the most part, it was always a surprise to see what the mailman brought that day.
I'm assuming there are companies that I'll never hear from? I've gotten a few letters (I started sending letters/emails about 3 weeks ago) but not a lot in relation to how many I've sent.
Will there be some that send something with no warning?
I am new to Fundraising and I have read through this entire post. I was wondering if anyone had a sample letter they sent to companies requesting donations? If anyone can send me a copy of their letter I would greatly appreaciate. My email address is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Last year was my first year of chairing our committee. I sent the majority of my requests in the mail, only e-mailing those companies that specifically stated they only accept online requests. We had a pretty good return rate on our mailings. If you are asking local companies, however, I would suggest having people call or visit those businesses in person (with your request letter and tax info in hand) as that seemed to be the most successful way of getting donations. Obviously, you can't do that with companies not in your area, but we found that if you have someone go in, it's harder for someone to say no or ignore your request.
