fundraising success: direct mail tips
DESCRIPTION
In this economy, you have to be creative to get donations.At Fundraising Success, you'll learn ways to raise more money with your direct mail campaign, including: * Design ideas, production tips and cost saving options * Messaging and copy that will resonate with your donors for larger gifts * Integration with email and other online tactics to lift your response rateTRANSCRIPT
Fundraising Success: Direct
Today’s Discussion
• Planning for your direct mail projects
• Package design
• Messaging
• Integration
Direct Marketing Strategic
Objectives
Strategic Objectives
Discussion• What would you like to get out
of a direct mail program for your organization?
• If you do direct mail now, what are some additional objectives you could pursue?
DM Strategic Objectives
• Increase current donor giving
• Develop new donors
• Recapture past donors
DM Strategic Objectives
• Fund a specific program or project
• Encourage fulfillment of pledges
• Build ongoing relationships with donors
• Identify donors with potential for significant individual giving
Financial Objectives and
Metrics
Financial Objectives
• What kind of results can you expect?
• What will the costs be?
Prospecting Donor Total NotesRevenue:Number of MailingsPieces/Mailing
Total Pieces Mailed
Estimated Response Rate
Expected Responses
Expected Average Gift
Total RevenueRevenue Per Piece
Costs:
Total Pieces Mailed
Paper Cost/PiecePrint Cost/PiecePostageList RentalTotal Variable Costs
Fixed Costs
Total CostsCosts Per Piece
Net Income
Ratios:Cost Per Dollar RaisedFundraising % Revenue
Direct Mail Planning Worksheet
Planning Assumptions
• Typical Response Rates:
• Prospecting: .5%-2.5%
• Donor: 7%-20%
• Typical Avg. Gift: $10-30
Key Metrics
• Cost per Dollar Raised
• Average Gift
• Response rate
• Donor retention rate
• Lifetime Value of a Donor
Plan Your Mail Piece
• What type of package are you going to send?
• What lists are you going to use?
• What is the theme of your campaign? Is it relevant?
Direct Mail Project Design
Direct Mail Project Design
• Package
• Messaging
• Timing
• Lists
Package
• Typical package:
• 8.5x14 letterhead with perfed return card
• #10 window envelope
• #9 BRE or CRE
Items to Consider
• Color
• Pictures
• Size
• Cost
Other Package Elements
• Photos
• Surveys
• Involvement Cards
Premiums• Advantages
• Higher response rate
• Disadvantages
• Cost
• Dependency on Premiums
Messaging – Tell a Story
Messaging cont.
Timing• How frequently to mail?
• Scheduling around other fundraising
• Taking advantage of news stories, outside events
Lists
• Using existing donor lists
• Rental list selection
• Opportunities
• Criteria for list selection
Integration
• MSU survey study found that direct mail followed by email was as successful as multiple direct mail pieces
• DM - .315 Response rate ($10.97 per response)
• DM/Email – .297 Response rate ($1.31 per response)
Kaplowitz, Hadlock and Levine 2004
Integration – How to
• Create follow-up emails with the same message as your DM appeal
• Separate landing pages on your website
• Announce the campaign on any social media
Questions?
Ready to Raise More Money? Contact Us.
Robert Sanberg
http://ignitusinc.comwww.twitter.com/ignitus
Presentation available at: www.slideshare.net/ignitus