Tips and Tricks to Creating Successful Donor Appeal Mailings

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Direct Mail is alive and well and that’s good news for non-profit organizations. The world is saturated with emails that end up in the trash folder. The average household receives 157 emails a day, compared to two pieces of direct mail. Of all direct mail, only 16 percent is non-profit. This is your chance to stand out from the crowd. The younger generations love direct mail. It’s physical, direct and tangible. Studies show that people spend more time skimming mail than they do an email…so retention is better.

Direct mail is NOT about the cheapest way to get in the mailbox. A good direct mail piece is the result of a strategic process that starts with a purpose. What is the goal of the mailing? To attract new donors? Introduce a Capital campaign? Make an end of the year plea? What has worked in the past and what has not? Tip: If your direct mail piece looks like the gas bill, it might be time for a refresh.

Tips for a Successful Donor Appeal Mailing:

Be Creative. If Picasso you are not, work with someone who can help bring the mission of your group to life. Incorporate good photography. Make the piece compelling. Consider functional design elements. And make sure it is readable.

Write Strong Copy. Simplify your language. Remember less is more. Consider a larger font size and shorter sentences. Use bullet points. Make it personal. Speak in first person, and remember it’s not about your organization, it’s about the donor. The donor wants to know the impact his or her gift will have to the cause. Be a storyteller. Share giving stats. Make the ask, and make it several times throughout the piece.

Try REAL Handwriting. Yes, actual good old fashioned pen to paper. Handwritten notes and addressing perform better in donor returns. There are companies who do this. We can help! If not physical handwriting, consider using a handwritten font script in blue to add that extra touch. There are hundreds to choose from.

Segment Your Data. We are not asking you to be a tech geek. Partners can help. And there is almost always a ‘Help’ tool with most donor platforms. Data segmentation is key in fundraising. Who are your best donors? Why ask for $35 if they can give $100? Try some A/B testing and different variable asks to see which performs better. Speaking of data, here is a tip…when was the last time you cleansed your list with the Social Security Deceased Index?

Be Friendly with the U.S. Postal. When it comes to mailing your piece, there are a million different things to consider. How many ounces is the piece? What is the size? Here’s a tip: Use a real stamp. Consider applying a mailer’s cancellation so it shows only zip, not city. This helps minimize questions from donors about why your mailing may be coming from another state.

It’s a million little things that can make the difference. So the next time you are looking to create a donor appeal mailing that will yield results, we can help make sure it doesn’t just get in the mailbox, it gets opened.

Editor’s Note: POS is expanding our services and offerings to non-profit groups around the country. We are excited to have Palmer Non-Profit Communications join our team. Together we have grown our services and are helping non-profit groups around the country reach new and existing donors through successful donor appeal mailings.

To our healthcare customers, our services remain stronger than ever. Our team is taking the same passion, creativity and consumer-focused approach with non-profits around the country to help support their brand and mission in their communities.