Middle and major donors require a different treatment in the mail than your regular donor base. These donors tend to prefer longer letters. Closed-face envelopes, higher quality paper, First Class...
Direct mail as part of an integrated fundraising strategy (Tip #13)
Donors don't behave in silos. They consume media via e-mail, print, TV, radio, mobile, social media and face-to-face. And recent studies suggest that in many cases, they consume multiple media at...
Take major donors out of your mail program at your own risk (Tip #12)
Don't take your major donors out of the direct mail stream. This is one of the worst things you can do for your organization. Typically this happens for one of...
Direct Mail Fundraising Tip of the Week (#11)
One page. Two pages. Eight pages. There is no right or wrong length for direct mail fundraising letters. Don't believe what anyone tells you about this. Those are personal biases...
Direct Mail Fundraising Tip of the Week (#10)
Handwriting increases performance. Ink on paper (especially blue ink) does wonders for improving results. The added personalization and authentic feel handwriting provides can help increase both response rate and average...
How do your prospects rank on the 3 C’s?
All indications are major gift revenue will rebound throughout 2012 (compared to 2010/2011). This is great news! Are you ready to take advantage of this impending increase in major gifts?...
Direct Mail Fundraising Tip of the Week (#9)
Increase your response rates by including mission-relevant involvement devices in your direct mail. These aren't premiums like address labels. Instead, I'm talking about items that require the donor to interact...
Direct Mail Fundraising Tip of the Week (#8)
The priorities are 1) Audience, 2) Offer, and 3) Creative. In that order. When building a direct mail fundraising campaign it is often tempting to focus the most time and...
Direct Mail Fundraising Tip of the Week (#7)
Recency is key in direct mail fundraising. Most nonprofit board members and executives (and even some fundraisers) don't want to believe it, but your best potential donors are those who...
41 Trillion Reasons You Should Have a Monthly Giving Program
Boston College's Center on Wealth and Philanthropy estimates as much as $41 trillion in intergenerational wealth transfer will take place by 2052. Not all of those assets will transfer from...