Printing/Production

3 Ways to Increase Fundraising Results
August 7, 2017 at 10:47 am

Engaging your audience through multiple senses ensures your marketing efforts capture the attention of your recipients. Here are 17 different techniques that involve the senses to make marketing materials more impactful.

6 Ways Charity Boards Can Make Workload Manageable
February 21, 2017 at 12:38 pm

People on voluntary sector boards have heavy workloads—so what’s the best way to share the burden? Sub-committees may not seem exciting, but if used properly, delegating tasks will help your board to be brilliant. Here are my six top tips on how to get the most from your sub-committees: 1. Let them delve into detail…

Case Studies: Using Printed Materials to Raise Funds in an Uncertain Economy
April 6, 2011

One of the most lucrative methods of fundraising that nonprofits can turn to in these circumstances is printing items such as donor-recognition pieces, calendars, booklets, posters and greeting cards. With minimal investment, these items can generate thousands in fundraising revenue, with the added benefit of active community involvement and lasting good will. But they have to be done right. As in many fields, pro-active nonprofits are at the forefront of innovative fundraising and awareness.

The Little Mailing That Did
February 1, 2007

The Vermont Foodbank is the only food bank in the state of Vermont. For years, CEO Deborah Flateman says, it had relied on volunteers to produce its acquisition and renewal mailings in-house. The pieces themselves were inexpensive, consisting mostly of a letter with the organization’s letterhead and simple reply elements.

Creating Soldiers of the Sea
October 10, 2006

With this mailing, the Ocean Conservancy isn’t just presenting its mission, educating donors and asking for donations, it’s creating activists — “soldiers of the sea,” if you will. Sent in a 6-inch-by-9-inch four-color outer with a picture of a whale splashing in the sea, the mailing includes a sheet of personalized name and address labels, an “Advocate for wild, healthy oceans” decal and an offer of an Ocean Conservancy windbreaker — along with membership to the organization — with a gift of $15 or more. But the Ocean Conservancy doesn’t just give prospects the tools to pass on its brand and message; it educates them

Direct Mail — With a Conscience
August 1, 2006

For many organizations, the use of recycled paper stocks for printed fundraising materials has long been a key component to demonstrating environmental responsibility. However, the limitations of recycled stocks traditionally have made them a challenge to use. Inconsistent sheet quality can reduce printability, while limited stock choices and higher costs often have relegated their use to special projects such as donor-acquisition campaigns. But that’s all changed over the past few years. Today, recycled stocks are of much higher quality than they were even five years ago, allowing organizations to use them for all of

Two-Minute Interview With Betsey Fortlouis, ASPCA
August 1, 2006

While still the workhorse of most nonprofit fundraising programs, direct mail comes with its own set of production challenges. Here, Betsey Fortlouis, director of member communications for the ASPCA, shares some of the ins and outs of her organization’s direct-mail program, and how it rises above production challenges that come its way.

Nine Successful Habits of Direct-Response Fundraisers
October 1, 2005

This column has always been true to its name, giving you a view from the trenches of technical topics ranging from merge-purge techniques to lettershop relationships. It’s the kind of stuff only direct-response geeks like us could love.

This month, I’m shifting gears and writing the column I always wanted to write.