Sometime, just as with backstage letters, when a delicate matter involving a favor is requested, it is more appropriate to write a letter since this will seem a lot more formal and respectful. It might confirm a casual request over the telephone, which need not have been granted or it might simply be a more tactful approach to a possibly unwanted request. The letter shows that you have really active the matter some thought and that you appreciate the extra effort that someone else is prepared to exert on your behalf.

In general, asking for a favor should be an extremely straightforward process. Do not muddle the issue with excess information and do not beat about the bush. If the favor you require is to do with information, for example, get straight to the point and make it as easy as you can for the recipient to reply. Supply him or her with as many response methods as possible and always include a pre-emptive ‘thank you’.

One very specific kind of request letter that requires particularly sensitive wording is the letter requesting a financial donation to a good cause. This cause may be of particular personal concern to you and you may, therefore, feel more sensitive than businesslike about the contents of your letter. This personal concern might lead you to employ a more excessive outpouring of heartfelt words and emotions than you would normally consider appropriate. Your sensitivities,

however, should never stop you from including as much relevant detail as you possess. On the other hand, you should try to avoid sounding like a medical pamphlet or a sales manual. Remember that you are not trying to pitch for an account or writing a report. You are simply raising money for a cause in which you believe. The most appropriate means of self-expression, in these difficult circumstances, is simply to state the facts and then let these speak for themselves.

On the other hand, you should also not downplay the food that your cause does. You should not try to lighten the tone by cracking jokes, since this might be off-putting to a potential donor. On a practical note, it is always worth emphasizing in your letter exactly what you intend to do with all the money you receive.

Accountability is an extremely important aspect of modern charity work. Always include precise information about the charity itself, as well as all the necessary financial information which should utterly transparent: how and where dose one make a donation?

Which credit cards do you accept? To whom does one make out the cheque? All of this detail will give your cause greater credibility and, unless it is absolutely clear and transparent, no one will make a donation.

Always finish by stating exactly how the recipient might find out more about your cause. Try to provide them with a telephone number or an email address- any information that makes your cause seem valid and bona fide is bound to help.

It would be ideal if you could respond personally to every charitable donor as this will show that you really sanctify what they have given, help to build a sense of solidarity among the donors and enrich their goodwill for any future campaigns. People like to feel appreciated and also like to feel that they are at the heart of something good.

Use the thank-you letter to keep them up to date with the fund and with any developments that might have occurred. But most it to say ‘thank you’