REVITALIZE YOUR DIRECT MAIL FUNDRAISING

TABLE OF

CONTENT02 REVITALIZE YOUR FUNDRAISING

04 WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY

06 PERSONALIZATION

07 DATABASES

08 DIGITAL PRESENCE

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14

TRACK YOUR SUCCESS

VOCABULARY

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CASE STUDY: WRIGHT STATE UNIVERSITY

DIRECT MAIL CAMPAIGN PLANNING WORKSHEET

HOW TO

REVI-TALIZE YOUR FUND- RAISING

Direct mail is yielding bigger returns for the nonprofit sector

than ever before. Despite “go digital” trends that dominate

other industries, the vast majority of donors respond only to

direct mail pleas. Yes, you read that right: more than 80 percent

of donations to nonprofits come from direct mail campaigns,

dwarfing online receipts of only about 10 percent.

Now, with the powerful capabilities

of personalized direct mail, the stage

is set for it to become an even more

powerful fundraising engine.

2 | REVITALIZE YOUR FUNDRAISING

WE HAVE THE

TECH-NOLOGYOver the past 10 years, advances in digital printing have

transformed the way we think about print. Something

we once considered static—a mass mailing—can now be

made highly interactive with the use of variable data.

Variable data—also known as personalization—refers to the use of

digital technology to customize different parts of a direct mailing. And

personalizing print fundraising campaigns can be incredibly beneficial

for nonprofits.

WHY?

Because it allows you to speak directly to your audience in a more

personal, targeted way than ever before. This is crucial to earning your

donors’ trust—especially when appealing to them for financial support.

Nonprofits who want to maximize the impact of personalization—and

minimize the cost—shouldn’t dive in without some careful preplanning.

Before starting a campaign, you want to think about the following:

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Once this foundation is laid, you’re ready to

decide how to implement personalization

and leverage it for maximum returns.

First, determine what you want your mailer

to achieve. Seems obvious, right? But it’s

essential that you clearly define the purpose

of your campaign. It will be the guidepost

for all the decisions you subsequently make

(including the ones on this list).

ADD VISUALS

Next, define your target customer and build

your mailing list with that audience in mind.

You certainly want to include past donors,

but consider reaching beyond your existing

pool. Donor lists can be acquired from

companies who specialize in fundraising

databases. Consider factors like geography,

income, and past interest in philanthropy.

Lists can be generated based on any or

all of these variables. You might also be

able to network and share donor lists with

other organizations.

DETERMINE YOUR MAILER DEFINE YOUR TARGET

Craft a message with emotional impact. Put

yourself in your customer’s shoes; figure out

what resonates with them. Storytelling is a

powerful vehicle for proving to your audience

that their donations change lives and have

an impact. People love to hear how

others have benefitted directly from

their donations (see case study). When

you can establish a compelling emotional

connection with your audience, you’ve got a

good chance of getting them to act.

CRAFT A MESSAGE

Finally, don’t forget visuals. An infographic

can communicate at-a-glance exactly how

where money was spent, how your nonprofit

is faring financially, and just about any

other data donors might find pertinent.

Photographs can also be extremely effective,

increasing the emotional impact of a

piece and showing exactly who benefits

from donations.

REVITALIZE YOUR FUNDRAISING | 5OREGON PRINTING COMMUNICATIONS

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Address the recipient by name; it fosters the feeling

of a one-to-one conversation.

Recognize a donor’s past support for your cause.

Whenever someone donates, send follow-up thank-

you mailers. Emphasize how critical each and every

contribution is to your success.

When possible, use different messaging for different

recipients, and implement A/B testing to compare

their effectiveness.

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When possible, include personal details like their

home city or state.

Provide details on exactly how their previous

donations were spent.

Send appeals in stages, with the messaging of each

tailored to build on the one before. But be judicious

here—you don’t want to overdo it. Flooding a donor’s

mailbox is just as annoying as overloading their

email. It can turn even the most generous donor

against you.

Code every mailing, especially the response

card or return envelope. Assigning a donor ID

number to contributors will also help you fine-tune

your database.

HOW TO USE PERSONALIZATION TO

ENGAGE YOUR DONORS

Your budget will determine just how deep you can go with personalization. Here are some of the

techniques you’ll want to consider implementing:

6 | REVITALIZE YOUR FUNDRAISING OREGON PRINTING COMMUNICATIONS

SPEAKING OF DATA- BASES…

Your mailing list is your most precious asset.

Treat it accordingly!

If you don’t already have one, you’ll want to consider investing in software to

manage your data. You’ll need it to be able to efficiently organize, edit and

sort your lists. And it’s invaluable for tracking the results of your campaigns.

There are many options available, based on your budget. A comprehensive

list of fundraising software and their capabilities can be found at

Capterra.com/fundraising-software.

The importance of maintaining accurate data cannot be overstressed. You

don’t want to send out an appeal with incorrect information—whether

you’ve misspelled the donor’s name or misstated their contribution

amount, it can have devastating consequences.

And remember, your database is a “living document” that needs continuous

editing for your direct mail campaigns to achieve optimum ROI. It’s also the

principal tool for connecting to and maintaining a long-term relationship

with your donors.

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It’s proven that donors are more likely to open direct

mail than email. But if you don’t have an online

donating option, you could still be missing out.

Embrace this trend by creating an easy-to-navigate,

pleasant online experience. Make your landing

page mobile-friendly, with a prominent, direct link

to donate. Use it as another venue to promote your

cause, share success stories, and provide updates.

Don’t stop there—explore the mighty potential of text

messaging, email, and social media to expand your

reach and remind donors of the amazing difference

their generosity makes.

35 PERCENTOF DONORS SAY THEY

PREFER TO RESPOND TO DIRECT MAIL

BY GIVING ONLINE.

CREATE A

STRONG DIGITAL PRESENCE

8 | REVITALIZE YOUR FUNDRAISING OREGON PRINTING COMMUNICATIONS

Follow-up tracking is essential. First, look at the success of your messaging;

this will inform the thrust and content of future campaigns. (If you’ve

implemented A/B testing, here’s where you’ll see your efforts payoff.)

Then, as results come in, diligently and continuously update your database.

In the long term, this will help you to grow—and streamline—your

mailing list.

With a savvy strategy of careful planning before a campaign and solid tracking after its completion, nonprofits can leverage direct mail capabilities like never before.

TRACK YOUR SUCCESS.THEN TRACK SOME MORE.

“

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“

Nonprofit colleges and universities often rely on donations for

scholarships. Becky Valekis, Wright State University’s Assistant Director of

Annual Giving, says direct mail campaigns are the cornerstone of their

fundraising efforts.

“It’s a way to reach a lot of people at one time with a message,” she says.

“We find there are plenty of people out there who still only respond to

fundraising efforts through the mail.”

Two tactics have proven to be especially effective for Valekis’ fundraising

efforts: (1) personalized mailings and (2) thank-you letters from students

who benefit from donations.

“Promoting students is much more effective than, say, a letter from the

president or a letter from the dean,” Valekis says. Students tell donors how

their generosity has affected them and secured their academic future.

Valekis says that it’s important to recognize that while direct mail has

become an essential part of WSU’s fundraising efforts, a significant time

investment is needed to fully realize its potential.

Success is measured by diligently tracking exactly how much is spent to raise one dollar.

After three years of working to master personalization and fine-tune their

donor lists, WSU has reduced that spending from $.85 to $.52.

Valekis finds effects of these campaigns to be far-reaching, building lasting

bonds between donors, students, and WSU as an institution. Valekis says,

“We get a lot of nice comments from our donors; they enjoy reading about

the students. And it can be very rewarding to see the gifts that come in.”

HOW WSU USES DIRECT MAIL FUNDRAISERSTO HELP STUDENTS THRIVE — CASE STUDY

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Wright State University CSIC Direct Mail Brochure

Wright State University CSIC Envelope

Wright State University CSIC Logo Stickers

1) http://squireassociates.com/why-direct-mail/

2) https://www.mobilecause.com/direct-mail- fundraising-infographic/

1 Using variable data, Valekis customizes mailers for

different academic departments in need.

3 Again, using variable data, the mailers highlight

donors’ personal connection to WSU and its reliance

on their generosity.

5 Student thank-you letters are included whenever

possible, and are often followed up by a call from

WSU students themselves—a gesture that reinforces

a sense of contribution and encourages future giving.

2 Donors lists are also sorted based on the recipient’s

interest in these academic departments. Factors such

as alumni status and career/profession are taken

into consideration.

4 When appropriate, Valekis will often acknowledge

a donor’s giving history and how they decided to

make a difference.

INSIDE A

PERSON-ALIZED DIRECT MAIL CAMPAIGN

12 | REVITALIZE YOUR FUNDRAISING

DIRECT MAIL

VOCAB-ULARY

The use of digital technology to customize

different parts of a direct mail campaign. A

particularly effective marketing strategy for

nonprofits, it saves money by capitalizing on the

efficiency of a mass mailing, while increasing

response rates by tailoring key content to each

individual recipient.

PERSONALIZATION

The process of comparing two versions of

a mailer to determine which one generates

more response. A/B testing is a great tool for

fine-tuning your message and crafting the

messaging of future campaigns.

A/B TESTING

A unique string of numbers and/or letters

printed on the return portion of a direct mail

campaign mailer. The code allows for easy and

accurate tracking of response when returns

start coming in. A donor code can also be

assigned to individual recipients to help build

your database and get a good sense of your

target audience.

TRACKING CODE

14 | REVITALIZE YOUR FUNDRAISING

DIRECT MAIL

CAMPAIGN PLANNING WORKSHEET

CAMPAIGN SCHEDULEITEM/TASK

CONCEPT

DUE DATE ASSIGNED TO FINISHED NOTES

Kickoff meeting held

MAILING

Offer agreed upon

Postage purchased

Design concept agreed upon

Delivery date chosen

Images sourced

Printing complete

Copywriting complete

Mailing delivered to post office

Design complete

FOLLOW-UP

Mailing list purchased/finalized

Follow-up communication complete

PRODUCTION

Results collected

File sent to printer

Mailing list cleaned

Prepress/proofing complete

Lessons learned documented

CAMPAIGN BUDGET

CAMPAIGN LIST

CAMPAIGN DETAILS

ITEM/TASK BUDGETED SPENT

Copywriting

Design

List purchasing

Image purchasing

Printing

Postage

Project management

The number of people we want to reach is:

The mailing list we will use is:

The geographic area we want to reach is:

The age range of people we want to reach is:

The household income of people we want to reach is:

Other characteristics of people we want to reach are:

Our offer is:

If sending multiple versions of a mailer, the element we will change is:

The #1 thing we want people to do once they receive our mailer is:

We will measure and record campaign results by:

We will follow up with recipients after mailing by:

We will document lessons learned by:

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