Direct mail fails, but face-to-face and Internet fundraising are big in Italy and Spain.

By Daryl Upsall

There has been growth in donor numbers and revenue in Italy, but there’s potential for even more. Growth has been via cold direct mail and off-the-page advertising with occasional bursts of recruitment via TV telethons and massive response via SMS to emergencies at home. However, in recent years cold direct mail has taken a significant decline in effectiveness; new donor recruitment via new media/Internet is not delivering the same volumes; and a drastic shortage of supply of professional face-to-face/door-to-door fundraising means that charities in Italy are struggling to achieve much more growth in new donors, focusing on increasing the value of their current support bases and keeping attrition low.