Article: Before you schedule a meeting with a business owner or representative to ask for a donation, send a letter (through mail or email) that introduces them to your organization or project and explains that you want to request a donation. If you're not comfortable crafting a letter on your own, you can do a general internet search for sample letters or templates. Use them as guides for your own letter, but be careful copying them word-for-word they may include information that doesn't apply to your situation. Search for "business donation query letter" or "nonprofit donation letter" and download or print several that you can use. That way you can compare and contrast to find the right wording for the needs of your particular project. Before you draft your letter, you can use a basic outline to organize your thoughts and make sure you're including all the information that is important for the reader to know before they consider making a donation. Working from an outline rather than simply sitting down and writing your letter also will keep you from rambling and help ensure that your letter is direct and to the point. Business owners are busy. Don't write more than a page, and try to stick to the basic facts. You can persuade them once you meet them in person. Outline your letter even if you are planning on sending it as an email. You still want what you write to be concise and well-organized. A short, simple query letter lets the business owner or representative know a little about your nonprofit project, and that you are contacting them to solicit a donation. This way they aren't caught off guard. Start your letter by introducing yourself, and include a sentence or two about your organization or project. Then state that you want the business to be involved. Explain how a donation could benefit that particular business. Use the information you gained from your research to include a personal appeal to the person who will be reading your letter. Close your letter by requesting a meeting to discuss the opportunity further, and thank the person for their time and consideration. After you've sent your letter to the business, give the owner or representative a few days to read it and contact you on their own. If you don't hear from them within a week or so, call the business to follow up. When you call the business, ask to speak to the person to whom you sent the letter. When speaking, be cordial. Explain who you are and ask them about the letter. Be cordial and let them know if the matter is time-sensitive. Try to schedule your meeting within a week or two of the time when you sent your letter. You want your project to remain fresh in the recipient's mind. If you sent your letter through email, it is appropriate so send another email (or simply reply to your original email) to follow up. When you show up at the business to pitch your organization or project and request a donation, be conservative and respectful. You want to come off as someone they can trust with their money. At the meeting, deliver your prepared speech. Take any questions the business owner or representative might have. Stress the benefits donating to your cause will provide to the business. If you're asked any questions to which you don't know the answer, offer to find the answer and get back to them rather than hedging or making something up on the fly. Don't be afraid to say you don't know a businessperson will appreciate your honesty and initiative to find the answer for them. After you've met with the business owner or representative, get their sponsorship pledge commitment in writing. Even if they wrote you a check at your meeting, you still want to get it in writing. In your prospect letter, you want to outline the specifics regarding the amount of money the business has pledged to donate, and what they will get in exchange for that donation (such as advertising). Make a copy of your signed letter for your organization's records before you send it. Attach a copy of the business's check or a receipt for the business's donation to the letter. You can send this letter via email, but in most cases you'll also want to send a paper letter for records. You may run into a situation where the owner tells you that the business is not making any donations at this time. Thank them for their time and offer contact information in the event they change their mind.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Search for templates. Create an outline. Start with a query letter. Schedule a meeting. Meet with the business owner or representative. Follow up with a prospect letter. Accept "no" graciously.

Some cooks have a bad habit of turning the burner up all the way anytime they need to heat something. Instead, try to only use as much heat as necessary to reheat or cook your food through. Anything beyond the minimal required temperature will be a waste. Water, for example, boils at 212F (100C). Once it's boiling, leaving the cooktop on full blast won't make it any hotterit will only use up more gas. When cooking from a recipe, always follow the instructions to a T. Most recipes specify what level of heat to use ("low," "medium," "medium-high," "high," etc.). If you can see the flames licking the sides of the pan, it means the stove is turned up too high. Lower the temperature until the flames are confined to the bottom surface of the pan. Otherwise, their heat will escape into the surrounding environment. For best results, only use flat-bottomed cookware. With these pieces, the entire heating surface will remain in contact with the flames at all times. If your stove has multiple burners of different sizes, choose a burner that's smaller than the pot or pan you're using to ensure that it's not putting off excess heat. To clean your burners, first make sure they're off and cool to the touch. Then, remove the protective grates and wipe away any lingering debris with a damp paper towel. Finally, scrub the area around the burners with soapy water until they're completely free of residue. The flames emitted by your gas stove should burn a bright blue color. Yellow or orange flames could be a sign of incomplete combustion, which means that the gas in the lines isn't being used to its full potential. If cleaning the burners doesn't solve the problem, call a repairman to come take a look at it and replace it if necessary. A weak burner isn't just irritating, it's actually dangerousincomplete combustion can result in the release of hazardous carbon monoxide gas. Pay close attention to strange smells or faint hissing sounds originating from around your stove. These symptoms could indicate a leak. If your stove has a faulty gas line, you'll be losing gas even when you're not cooking. The simplest way to test for a leak yourself is to pull out the stove enough to access to the gas line and brush the fittings with soapy water using a cotton swab. If one of them begins to bubble, you've got a leak on your hands. Leaks should be dealt with immediately, as they can pose a serious safety risk.
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One-sentence summary --
Reduce the heat as much as possible. Make sure the pot or pan is covering the flames completely. Keep your stove's burners clean to ensure that they're working properly. Check for potential leaks.