Fundraiser Alan Gosschalk is testing a new way of raising sponsorship money through Justgiving by tailoring each request to the prospective donor.

Gosschalk, who is currently helping deafblind charity Sense with its fundraising on an interim basis, is planning to do a long-distance sponsored walk in June for Hope and Homes for Children.

Rather than sending out a blanket sponsorship request to all his prospects, Gosschalk began by selecting his top ten givers from previous years and sending them versions of this email, tailored to each person:

Dear <insert name> Joe

Last year a few 'friends' accused me of sending a standard sponsorship email request and I notice that this meant that you <insert 2010 support> failed to support me. I really hope this this was because you forgot and not because you dislike me, my family or Hope and Homes for Children!

<Insert brief small talk re family> So how are you all? I hope that xxx is excited re whichever Uni he is going to, that yyy is still enjoying cricket and that zzz is not worried about 'Nando leaving 'pool.

Anyway I am walking again this year and I really hope you'll see fit to sponsor me. In previous years you have been very generous and sponsored me for <insert amount> £50 so I hope you'll be able to do this again, or even more if possible! It costs just £20 a month to pay rent for a whole family in Africa so your money will go a long way.

<insert appropriate ending> Thanks for considering this, you handsome generous devil and bye for now.

Alan

PS Here's the link! www.justgiving.com/AlanGosschalk2011

Once most of the top ten have made their pledges, Gosschalk will then contact his next ten prospects, “who have something to live up to”.

He said the approach seems to be working – he is just over halfway to his fundraising target of £1,400 with four months to go.  One donor, Caryn Skinner, wrote on his Justgiving page: “Your new ‘personalised’ email had me charmed, you should be a fundraiser in real life too!”