World’s First Survey Reveals the Truth About Copywriting for Fundraisers and Non-Profits

July 17, 2006 (PRLEAP.COM) Business News
Palm Desert, CA – Representing 2 percent of the Gross National Product, non-profits are a huge market in U.S. business. In sharp contrast with other countries, it is well documented that Americans are “givers,” and that U.S. non-profit and fundraising organizations are not only plentiful, but growing at a healthy pace.

New Survey Investigates This Lucrative Market from a Copywriter’s Perspective

Marketing is the driver of commerce in the U.S., as with other countries. As a long-established copywriter for many niche markets, and a copywriter’s coach, Chris Marlow decided to sponsor a survey and interview experts about the true nature of the non-profit world from a freelancer’s perspective.

Says Chris, “As a copywriter’s coach, who coaches corporate and freelance copywriters, I’ve discovered that the niche freelancers are most interested in working in is non-profit.

“But having been there, I know that non-profit is a difficult business to work in from a copywriter’s perspective. Many non-profits have a poverty mindset and pay poorly for important marketing work. Yet there are freelancers who make well over $100,000 per year working in this niche. On the Internet there are information marketers selling courses on non-profit copywriting who play up the ‘big money’ side and play down the ‘low money’ side.

“I set out to uncover the truth by conducting a survey of copywriters who work in the niche, and by interviewing a truly representative sampling of copywriters who work in this niche either full- or part-time. I interviewed the famous dean of non-profit copywriting Jerry Huntsinger, and today’s undisputed guru Mal Warwick.

“But I also interviewed three other copywriters in the niche who offer varying and invaluable insight into the true workings of the industry. And I conducted a survey. The result is the world’s most accurate portrayal of what it’s like to work in non-profit or fundraising — there is a difference between the two — as a copywriter or other marketing consultant. The result is ChrisNotes: The Truth About Copywriting for Non-profits.

The Survey includes five verbatim interviews, 16 survey questions, and nine statistical charts. It provides information on:

Non-profit copywriters’ annual income
Writer marketing methods
Advice on acquiring lucrative clients
Copy “specialties” of non-profit
The various sub-niches of non-profit
The future of U.S. non-profits

The survey also offers industry insights into performance pay conventions such as bonuses and commissions.

Testimonials for this new report are rolling, including this one from Wichita, Kansas copywriting pro Susanna Hutchinson:

“I found that your report gave a good deal of valuable information —- much of it was a total surprise to me. It was very useful to me as a season pro of some forty years. So I'm sure it is a must-read for someone starting out and wondering if non-profit is for them.

“The interviews with the pros who work in non-profit is invaluable information. I highly recommend this to anyone considering going into non-profit copywriting either as part of their practice or as their total practice.”

The 77-page “The Truth About Copywriting for Non-profits, along with the free report Specialty Copywriting: How to Select the Right Niche Market for You” can be found at http://www.ChrisNotesReports.com. Chris Marlow can be reached at chris@chrismarlow.com or via phone at 760-340-2045.