The 5 Best Direct Mail Fundraising Strategies

FYI: Taking the traditional route to fundraising for your nonprofit doesn’t mean you have to lack innovation. And that innovation might just be a direct mail campaign.

Though email may seem more convenient and consistent, direct mail deserves more credit than it gets. Albeit old school, this is the perfect time to introduce a different mode of communication.  Along with the ample benefits that come from incorporating direct mail within your donor strategy, its tangible and personalized touch will bring the edge your donor relations need.

Why Direct Mail Fundraising Works

It surprises you to learn that direct mail is one of the best, most consistently reliable, tried-and-true methods for raising funds. 

“How’s that?” you ask. 

For starters, it’s a lot more memorable. “Only 44% of people can recall a brand immediately after seeing a digital ad compared to 75% of people who receive direct mail,” according to Gunderson Direct, a company that creates direct mail programs for growing businesses. 

Additionally, you have a great opportunity to reach your donors on a more personal level. While email marketing and fundraising campaigns allow for personalization (something you simply can’t do at all with social media and other mass advertising tactics), the open rates for email campaigns is significantly lower than direct mail open rates. 

To make direct mail fundraising work for you, implement these two key strategies as you build your campaign.

DEVELOP DATA HYGIENE

Basically, data hygiene is a fancy term relating to data management and security – the process of keeping your direct mail data meticulous, up-to-date, and secure. 

Think of it this way: Have you ever searched through a file cabinet, only to waste time peeling through old papers that no longer have any use to you? Now imagine that in digital form. 

A lack of data hygiene could mean costly mistakes, like sending mail to the wrong recipient because they no longer live at the address that you have on file. Now you’ve wasted both time and money. 

Maintaining a high level of data hygiene means you’ll never lose campaign efficiency. The more carefully placed your data is, the more productive you can be with your donor information. Data hygiene ensures there are no miscellaneous files; only relevant ones. The goal is to refrain from mishaps. With proper data hygiene, all your donor names stay up-to-date, the addresses are current, and phone numbers ring through. 

Keep Your Data Organized and Secure

As an organization, it’s also important to note that how you store, access, and share data can influence your direct mail marketing strategy. Is your donor database secure? 

With abundant data, charities, nonprofit organizations, and schools are now faced with creating systems to collect, manage and analyze it all. Although overwhelming, it is essential to have effective ways of organizing this information. 

High-quality data is created by high-quality systems. Believe it or not, proper data hygiene will allow for a smoother mailing process, making room for segmentation and more effective personalization.

DESIGN AN AUDIENCE SEGMENTATION STRATEGY

Categorize your audience! Who belongs where, and why? Where did you meet them or how did they find your organization? What’s their age? What are they interested in? 

All of this matters when it comes to carefully grouping your donors. Based on the variables you choose to create groups, the opportunity for creativity increases. Segmentation is a critical way to ensure quality control and optimize the campaign you’re launching, whether you choose to group your segments based on behaviour – for example, the amount a donor gives, or when they typically give – or other typical elements like geography, demographics, or psychographics such as lifestyle, values, or interests.

Getting Creative with Fundraising and Direct Mail

Fundraising strategies have a clear goal in mind: revenue. But by getting to know your donors, enlisting support from the community, and leading with innovation, you open the door to more recognition and higher interest from and engagement with donors.

Although non-profits often champion causes, it’s truly the community that upholds the long-term commitment to advocacy and transformation. Inviting your team to strategize with joy and connection in mind can help raise awareness locally. 

Here are 3 fundraising ideas that will captivate, excite, and encourage your supporters through direct mail.

1. EXCITE DONORS BY INCENTIVIZING JOY

Create a game-inspired initiative with a fundraiser element using postcards or letters. Whether solving a puzzle or entering a raffle, introduce new ways for your donors to fundraise that increase the joy factor. 

Consider holidays or significant times of the year, like the Back to School season. For example, as families prepare for the new school year, this can be an effective strategy to engage parents and the community to give back with a smile.

2. CREATE AN INITIATIVE THAT FOSTERS INCLUSION

Many donors would love to be involved in the fundraising process. By giving them an opportunity to chip in, you’ll gain more than just a new way to boost donations: Your organization garners more exposure by your donors sharing their involvement on their social channels and with their friends and family.

Invite donors to showcase their talents for an opportunity to be featured in an upcoming showcase, exhibition, or annual celebration. Consider creating a gift catalogue that you can mail to supporters with ideas on how to donate on behalf of their loved ones. You can feature photos or artwork in your future mailings and fundraising campaigns. Additionally, you could auction off items and services to raise additional financial support. 

3. DEMONSTRATE DONOR IMPACT WITH CARE

Direct mail offers a unique way to show donors exactly how their contribution, time, or in-kind gifts have impacted the organization. These snapshots help solidify their trust in your work and their desire to continue donating to your cause.

Personalized letters sharing how donations have been used help your donors see the big picture of their smaller contributions. With so many deserving charitable organizations and educational institutions asking for support, it literally pays to keep your contributors in the loop. 

Raise Awareness for Good through Direct Mail

As the world continues to shift and reshape based on the global pandemic, increased demands, and a newfound perspective on what we value, it’s crucial that the social sector follows suit and re-assess best practices to fundraise. There is no better time than now to reevaluate and assess the marketing and communication strategy that has been put in place. 

Direct mail fundraising strategies, when done with consideration and precision, reflect the broader business and marketing plan that organizations have worked relentlessly to design. The disaster relief systems put in place may or may not have sustained growth and sustainability during the pandemic. The power of pivoting with a new plan may have the long-term impact needed to foster the relationships of donors and key stakeholders.