Make the Most of Direct Mail for Your Charity
By Teresa Ambord
For most charities, contributions are the lifeblood of the organization. In spite of the popularity of computer solicitations, a well-planned and executed direct mail campaign still works well for many agencies.
Here are some ways to help improve your chances of success:
The List
The key word in a direct mail campaign is "direct." With a focused mailing list, you should be able to target your intended audience rather than shot-gunning your message out to everyone as television and radio ads do.
You probably already have a house list which you may use to send out an informational newsletter. And a list broker can help you put together a collection of prospective donors who, based on known factors, should bring a profitable response. Lists cost money, but a good list will cut down on your printing and postage costs by focusing your campaign.
The Headline
The headline is vital, so don't blow it. You have approximately three seconds to grab the reader's attention. The headline has to tell the reader what they can hope to gain by reading the rest of the letter. If your organization feeds the homeless, you might want to open by saying how many meals a $15 donation provides.
The Post Script, or PS
Some readers want to jump to the bottom line, literally, to discover your point. Don't waste this opportunity with a mundane post script. Instead, make your major point again in brief, concise language.
Persistence
Don't give up on direct mail after just a couple of mailings. If you're reasonably sure that you have a good list that targets the right audience, a rule of thumb is to mail out to the same recipients a minimum of six times per year. Of course, you'll want to vary the contents, maybe mentioning an upcoming holiday or national event to make it timely. But be sure to establish a "look" that recipients will recognize as coming from you.
Facilitate the Response
The less the recipient has to do to respond, the more likely they will. If the response you are looking for is a mailed contribution, include a postage paid reply envelope. Of course, many chartities add a note near where the stamp would go that reminds the contributor that, though they don't have to add a stamp, doing so will increase the value of their contribution by reducing your postage costs.
Test, Test, Test
Everything about your first mailing should be considered a test, the color and thickness of the paper, the time of the year, even the expected arrival day of the week.
And before you do your mass mailing, take a sample to the Post Office and speak to the person who handles business mail. They can advise you how to prepare a mailing in order to qualify for postal discounts and to speed up delivery, such as bundling all pieces of mail going to one zip code.
Size Matters
Bigger is not always better. In fact, when it comes to mailing, postcards are often the best bet. They cost about two-thirds the price of a letter. Many people who would toss an envelope that was clearly a solicitation will at least turn a postcard over and hopefully read your message.
Power Switch On
The message of your mailing should be written by the director, or another official of the organization. You can add power to the message by writing it in first person, as though you were speaking directly to the recipient. Just know that writing an effective letter is not as easy as you might think. If you're not exceptionally good at written communication and sure of your grammar skills, you might want to hire someone to write the message for you. Or find out if you have a talented writer among your volunteers.
For More Information:
Here's a great website provided by the U.S.Post Office that will help you understand direct mail better. Click on this link to find a helpful glossary of mail terms, an explanation of classes of mail, and how you can qualify for bulk mail rates.
