The Growing Advantages of Insert Media for Fundraising

How do you get started?

The first thing is to contact an agency with a good deal of experience in insert media. These groups perform as creative and offer consultants, and their buying power helps you get the best media rates. Unlike direct mail, your inserts will be delivered to a variety of fulfillment locations, and the logistical support should not be understated. For the initial stage of testing, an agency that can provide turnkey support, creative, print production and media buying saves you the need for internal resouces.

I advise that an initial media plan include a dozen or so programs just as a list test includes ten or 12 new lists. This diversifies your risk, expands your learning and sets the stage for future expansion. Your creative should reflect the look and feel of your control offer and creative from other channels. New creative developed specifically for this channel may be appropriate to test.

Dan Plunkett is senior vice president of marketing for Scarsdale, N.Y. full-service media agency Singer Direct. He can be reached at dplunkett@singerdirect.com or 914.472.7100.