Some Big Direct Mail Mistakes
Any organization that has used direct mail can testify that it costs money before it brings in money. Further, and sadly, a badly conceived or badly executed direct mail campaign can backfire on your fundraising plan.
Speaking at a recent nonprofit direct marketing conference, Brenda G. Barnes of Joyce Meyer Ministries and Mary Hutchinson of CreativeOne Direct offered a few caveats for direct mail campaigns.
- Gross income may look good, but it can be costing a lot of bottom line money. Fixating on gross income without attention to cost or response rates can work against an organization.
A better measure of success is growth in net income, acquiring more donors than those who have lapsed or tracking to see if donor gifts increase each year.
- Do not keep possible donors on file if they have never given any money. Collecting random names adds non-responsive people who don't care about an organization, even though the organization spends money on them. You want donors, not names.
- Remember that many donors renew the way they are acquired. Don't forget why the donor gave in the first place. Donors respond when they are made to feel that they are important.
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