WRITING YOUR LETTERS

	Step One Plan before writing. What is the purpose of your trip? Why are you going on THIS trip? What do you hope to accomplish on this trip? What do you hope to see accomplished in YOUR life because of this trip? Why should someone support you in this endeavor? Write a single-sentence mission statement before you start work on your letter. EXAMPLE: On my trip to the Ukraine, I hope to serve God by developing relationships with the people I minister to through Vacation Bible School and to grow in my faith by stepping out of my comfort zone.
	Step Two Gather your mailing list. You need to identify your audience. Know to whom you are writing. Take a piece of paper and begin listing people in your life. Begin with those closest to you and work your way out to acquaintances you have. EXAMPLE: Immediate Family (mom, dad, brothers, sisters) Close Family (aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews, nieces, grandmas, grandpas, etc.) Friends (current & past) Acquaintances (think about where you hang out -- gym, coffee shop, etc.) REMEMBER: The more names you put on your list, the better!!!
	Step Three Keep a specific person in mind when writing your letter. Keep the tone conversational and casual as you answer any question he might have and put forth the challenges you have in going. Make the reader feel as if you are writing a personal note to him.
	Step Four Recruit your reader to your team rather than just asking for money. Enlist them as a prayer supporter, educate them on the need where you'll be going, and promise to enlighten them along the way with updates, prayer requests, and a full report when you get back.
	Step Five Write with emotion in simple-to-read English. Use underlining, highlighting and handwritten notes sparingly, drawing attention to the most important parts of the letter. Utilize bullets, headlines and sub-heads rather than long, drawn out sentences. Assure that your letter is easy to scan. Few recipients read the whole letter but instead scan over the letter and read only snippets. Make sure your most important points are easy to find.
	Step Six Create urgency within your letter. Set a time limit so the reader knows he needs to act quickly. Tie the time limit to your cause. Remember, full payment is due at least two weeks prior to your trip. Set your deadline well in advance of that, just to be safe.
	Step Seven Explain your need and suggest an amount. Make it easy to offer a lower amount but ask for a reasonable amount so the reader doesn't have to guess how much to send.
	Step Eight Assemble your letter package by putting in: 1. Your Sponsor Letter 2. A stamped return envelope with the church's address on it (click here) 3. A Donation Response Form (Click Here) Putting in the response form and the return envelope make it easy to give. Don't forget to put a stamp on the outside of your letter!
	Step Nine Take your stack of letters to the Post Office and mail them.
	Step Ten Allow 2-3 weeks for your letters to arrive, people to make their decisions, and their response to return to the church. Once you see who responded, make a phone call to the rest to gently remind them of your need. Don't be pushy, just gently remind. Some people just procrastinate sending stuff out. EXAMPLE: Hi, this is _______. A few weeks ago, I sent you a letter about my upcoming trip to __________. I just wanted to make sure you received the information and answer any questions you might have regarding the trip.
	Step Eleven Thank those who responded for their support. Send a thank you note or a form letter with a handwritten signature when you receive their donation.
	Tips -- Keep the letter to one page, if at all possible.
	These steps are adapted from an article on ehow.com