Fundraising Success: Direct Mail

Today’s Discussion Planning for your direct mail projects Package design Messaging Integration

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?

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

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

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?

What kind of results can you expect?

What will the costs be?

Direct Mail Planning Worksheet Prospecting Donor Total Notes Revenue: Number of Mailings Pieces/Mailing Total Pieces Mailed Estimated Response Rate Expected Responses Expected Average Gift Total Revenue Revenue Per Piece Costs: Total Pieces Mailed Paper Cost/Piece Print Cost/Piece Postage List Rental Total Variable Costs Fixed Costs Total Costs Costs Per Piece Net Income Ratios: Cost Per Dollar Raised Fundraising % Revenue

Planning Assumptions Typical Response Rates: Prospecting: .5%-2.5% Donor: 7%-20% Typical Avg. Gift: $10-30

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

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?

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

Messaging

Timing

Lists

Package Typical package: 8.5x14 letterhead with perfed return card #10 window envelope #9 BRE or CRE

Typical package:

8.5x14 letterhead with perfed return card

#10 window envelope

#9 BRE or CRE

Items to Consider Color Pictures Size Cost

Color

Pictures

Size

Cost

Other Package Elements Photos Surveys Involvement Cards

Photos

Surveys

Involvement Cards

Premiums Advantages Higher response rate Disadvantages Cost Dependency on 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

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

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

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

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 [email_address] 612-735-5540 http://ignitusinc.com www.twitter.com/ignitus Presentation available at: www.slideshare.net/ignitus

Robert Sanberg

[email_address]

612-735-5540

http://ignitusinc.com

www.twitter.com/ignitus

Presentation available at: www.slideshare.net/ignitus