Trying to reduce fundraising costs by cutting back on acquisition is like trying to save money by buying fewer groceries. You might have a little more cash flow for a short time, but sooner rather than later your program is going to grow weak from lack of nourishment. It’s a solution that just can’t last.
But, like nutritious food, acquisition is a sizable investment in your long-term health, so you want to spend wisely and aim for a high ROI and relatively low risk. That means you need to test new packages often to make sure you’re getting the best response in the most cost-effective way.
Here are five direct-mail packages that have a history of success across a wide range of nonprofit organizations. Adapting them to your mission and message can help reduce the some of the risk that goes along with testing.
1. Matching-gift package
Organizations have used matching gifts for decades, and they’re still popular with both prospects and donors. Readers like the idea that their gifts will be doubled, effectively letting them contribute twice as much as they normally could. The perception they’re giving more and paying less doesn’t hurt either. They feel they’ll be seen as even more generous, which gives them an incentive to increase the amount of their gifts as well.
2. Annual fund
Funds and drives have a universal appeal for donors. They imply big-picture giving, they position the donor’s gift as especially important and they make the appeal seem more special. Because the annual fund is seen as a more top-down gift, you can create a separate fund brand to show this is a unique giving opportunity. (The brand can include its own graphic element, or it can simply be a type treatment using your approved fonts.)
Including a deadline date for the fund adds a sense of urgency that encourages the donor to respond quickly — which also has the potential to increase gift size since donors are giving while their emotional connection to the package is still high.
3. Sign and return (bounce-back) card
The bounce-back card is a time-tested response booster. The prospect is encouraged to sign the card and return it along with a gift. The card is then either passed along to a service recipient or displayed someplace public like the office’s lobby. It gives the donors a sense of being acknowledged and appreciated for their generosity.
Bounce-back cards are effective anytime but have extra power if they’re linked to a program or holiday. For example, the card could accompany a meal at your shelter, be attached to a child’s Christmas gift or go out around the Fourth of July to celebrate someone who is finally on the road to independence … it’s as flexible as your imagination.
4. Supporter card
The supporter card mailing provides a way of giving prospects a feeling of "membership" — a sense of being an integral part of the organization and its mission. Carrying the card also gives donors a chance to be recognized by others for their caring and generosity — which is a powerful incentive for giving. (Including a visible symbol like a window cling or bumper sticker can further increase this motivation.)
5. Voucher package
Vouchers are an involvement device with a lot of creative opportunities. You can make them the size of checks and attach them to the reply device, they can be little coupons that attach to the letter, or just about anything else you can dream up. The idea is to make the gift seem more tangible by tying it to some kind of gift demonstration, e.g., “Your gift of $25 will provide five blankets for people staying at our shelter,” “$50 feeds a family of four for a full week,” etc.
They can accomplish a lot: keep the reader involved with the package longer, which generally increases response, show prospects that you can get a lot of mileage out of every dollar they send, increase gift amounts by encouraging people to return “one or more vouchers along with your most generous gift,” and more.
One cool thing about these ideas is that they can be used in almost any size package. So they can be tailored to fit your budget as well as any design, specs or message you want to test. Of course, there are plenty more great ideas too. We’ll look at some others in the future. Meanwhile, remember to test early, test often and test big.
- Categories:
- Acquisition
- Direct Mail
- Testing
Willis Turner believes great writing has the power to change minds, save lives, and make people want to dance and sing. Willis is the creative director at Huntsinger & Jeffer. He worked as a lead writer and creative director in the traditional advertising world for more than 15 years before making the switch to fundraising 20 years ago. In his work with nonprofit organizations and associations, he has written thousands of appeals, renewals and acquisition communications for every medium. He creates direct-response campaigns, and collateral communications materials that get attention, tell powerful stories and persuade people to take action or make a donation.