Many organizations believe they’re too small to establish a direct mail fundraising program. The truth is, most organizations start small and grow through a strategy that is effective and well thought out. That strategy almost always involves direct mail fundraising. Read More...
Donors often say they don’t like the personalized address labels that almost every nonprofit mails, and we heard those sentiments expressed in our recent National Donor Survey of self-identified, charitably minded individuals across the nation. In fact, labels were singled out in a negative way in individual comments, such as “Address labels annoy me” and “I don’t like address labels.” Within the survey, labels were the least likely element of a package to encourage response among those likely to open a fundraising letter. See the chart below. Read More...
Information we gleaned from our National Donor Survey of self-identified, charitably minded people across the nation may be helpful in your efforts to find new donors, an ongoing challenge for every nonprofit. Several of our findings are significant once they are combined. Read More...
As promised during my presentation to the San Antonio Chapter of AFP today, here’s a PDF of Answers to Your Direct Mail Questions. The PDF includes both the PowerPoint presentation as well as my notes. Feel free to download it and look it over. Please post any comments you have on it right here on the blog. Read More...
Any nonprofit organization that drops a fund raising letter into the mail — especially to prospects — has the sense that it is falling into the abyss. What happens to it? Who if anyone will read it? Who are the few that will respond — and why?
We asked self-identified charitably minded people across the country a series of questions recently in our National Donor Survey because we want to work smarter, just as you do. How many donors open the fund raising letters that come their way? According to our survey, about 80% will give a nonprofit’s letter a good chance! Just over 43% said they sometimes open the fund raising letters they find in their mailbox, and 37% said, yes, they do open these letters. Read More…
Step 1: Set the Goal
Look at the total amount of funds you raised last year and the number of individual donors who made a gift to your organization. Determine the “worth” of the average current donor. If you know what your average donor is worth, you’ll be able to see how many new donors you’ll need to add to reach your goal. Read More…
No matter how many large and loyal donors support your organization, at some point you’ll have to replace them, as all nonprofits do. On the average, nonprofits lose between 20% to 30% of their current donor base each year for various reasons. Interest levels change. People move. Spouses die. Stocks fall and financial priorities shift. Fortunately, your organization has some control over this attrition process through a donor-acquisition program, which is a necessity. Read More...
One way to encourage prospects to open your mail is to enclose a premium. Labels with the recipient’s name and address fit that category perfectly. Organizations that mail labels know they’re popular because they see donors using them and receive requests for additional labels. Read More...
I have over 30 years experience in fundraising and direct mail. I'm the President and manage the Fund Raising Division for Zachry Associates www.zachyinc.com. I am available for speaking arrangements.
