Staying on your donor's good side can be a dicey proposition. People and relationships are full of paradoxes and contradictions. And that's doubly true of donor relationships, which are complicated by the fact that you spend a lot more time talking at your supporter than with her.
Our industry has developed a long list of best practices, based on experience, testing and measured results. But best practices are guidelines. When they're etched in stone they can become tombstones.
Here are 10 direct-mail fundraising best practices shared by Valerie Kagan, president of VK Direct, during her session at Fundraising Day in New York.
There are reports that can make you feel better and other reports that can keep you up at night. We are a data-based industry, so we know that data can be looked at in a myriad of ways.
The ability to manage and measure response is what sets direct marketing apart from advertising. Make the most of that difference.
Today, in an effort to balance my karma and avoid creative hubris, I want to remind all of us on the creative side of the PDF that putting out a direct-mail package or online communication that gets results is a two-way street.
A fundraising letter passes through a lot of hands before it reaches its intended audience. And everyone in the approval process has the opportunity to express an opinion. Here are a few tips that might be helpful as you review fundraising copy.
As you know, both direct mail and e-mail are huge for fundraisers, and it's always great to see what other nonprofits are sending to donors' mailboxes and inboxes. The new Who's Mailing What! lets fundraisers track the marketing trends in the industry, see what's working for other organizations and more.
Effective fundraisers are storytellers, no matter what the platform. And fundraisers should "leave the story better than you found it." What a high calling for us as fundraising professionals and the donors and volunteers we are privileged to work with.
To make sure your envelope is more than a means to deliver a carefully crafted letter and reply system, remember these three important things when evaluating your direct mail.
