3 Fundraising Direct-Mail Trends

Speaking of premiums, these gifts — promised after a donation — have long been a popular tactic for fundraisers looking to grease the giving wheels. In 2011, premiums remained popular, as they still hovered around 17 percent — similar to 2010.

What about freemiums? You know, the free labels, a calendar, note pad, rosary, etc., that are stuffed into a package and that can guilt/encourage prospects into giving? They slipped quite a bit from 2010 to 2011, by 14 percent. The most logical explanation is postal costs, just like with the slowdown of larger packages.