A Premium (and Freemium) Arms Race

When you look at the incentives nonprofits have been offering over the years in their direct-mail appeals, it always seems the same: a hat, an umbrella, a sheet of address labels. But look away, then look back, and you'll see this perception is no longer entirely accurate.

More fundraisers are following the advice of the late Dick Benson: "Two premiums are frequently better than one." This escalation in the use of both freemiums and premiums is being led by some of the biggest organizations around.