Marketing Advice That Matters
Though non-profit organizations are not selling anything or don’t need publicity for their public service, they do need some marketing to reach their prospective donors and gather funds. And the best way to market the initiatives of a non-profit organization is to send out simple yet heartwarming postcards and newsletters. Hence, this direct mail solution is the most feasible option for any kind of non-profit event. In this article we are going to discuss how to use mail for fundraising events i.e. direct mail fundraising campaigns.
Why Direct Mail Marketing?
Direct mail marketing is one of the oldest but most effective means of marketing products, services and even non-profit initiatives. Postcards, newsletters, letters, brochures, calendars, flyers; there are a number of ways a non-profit organization can convey its message to its donors. It is preferred by almost all organizations even to this day, and the reason for direct mail’s everlasting success even during the times of emails, smartphones and social media is pretty simple; it is emotional. People have a certain emotional attachment to mail as it brings back the nostalgia of this once loved routine, eagerly checking for mails in mailboxes. In addition to being emotional, mails can also be customized, targeted, personalized and are cheap when compared to other alternatives like newspaper, radio and TV adverts.
Tips to Improvise Direct Mail Fundraising Campaigns
If your organization is hosting a fundraising event and if you are planning to send an invite to all your prospective donors via direct mail, follow the below mentioned tips to make it a successful direct mail fundraising campaign.
1. Preparing your Mailing List- Before you decide on aspects such as content, design, budget and postage, make sure you have a refined list of all the donors you want to reach out to. Based on their previous contributions and promises, prepare a refined mailing list that only includes those donors who are likely to donate this time. This increases your conversion rates, adds value to your fundraising event and also reduces the number of redundant mails and costs incurred.
2. Type of Direct Mail- As mentioned above, there are a number of ways you can convey your message using mail- postcards, newsletters, letters, brochures, flyers etc. In order to have a successful direct mail fundraising campaign, choose the type that will stand out in your donor’s mailbox. Your campaign’s primary objective must be to grab your donor’s attention and not end up as junk mail in trash. Attractive postcards and newsletters without envelopes are normally the ideal choice for fundraisers.
3. Outline and Design- With a bunch of other mail, your postcard or newsletter has to stand out and grab the reader’s attention in a few seconds. Outline of the entire mail piece, content distribution, its design, choice of colors, fonts- every little detail plays a major role in influencing your prospective donors. So in order to make your direct mail fundraising (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direct_mail_fundraising) successful, attention to detail and design is a must. Also ensure the paper quality is good enough to make the invite presentable and dignified.
4. Content- Though looks play a major role in grabbing attention, it is the content inside that makes all the difference once your mail gets picked up. Donors expect a lot of information such as the cause supported by the fundraiser, annual reports of the organization etc. Make sure to furnish every little information that’s worth mentioning and use bold fonts for headlines and other outliners.
5. Acknowledgement- Once the donors seem interested in the fundraiser and officially confirm their participation, it is a courteous gesture to send them a thank you card and acknowledge their contribution. Keep them well informed about the event and also mention how this contribution will further strengthen the relationship between the donor and the organization.
6. Contact Information- Lastly, to keep your direct mail fundraising campaign effective and successful, furnish the mail piece with all the relevant details, contact number & address and links to social media pages. Hand addressed mails are very popular in the non-profit organizations as they add value to the mail piece and make it look more personal.
