A Look Back — and Forward

I think we were all worried about aging donors — probably still are.

What has changed since 2003/2004?

George Lizama, CEO and co-founder, Production Solutions
Over the past 10 years, we’ve seen three trends in fundraising, and specifically in direct mail:

1. The growth and complexity of postal processing logistics. Compared to 2003, it is much more technical (in terms of geography, density in location, type of package, etc.), therefore pushing fundraisers to be more strategic about their mailings in order to achieve the proper discounts their organizations are entitled to get.
2. Like gum on the bottom of your shoe, fundraisers can’t seem to shake premium mail! It’s still very effective for certain donor audiences and for certain giving levels. It’s the bittersweet pill we bicker about, but premiums are not going away anytime soon.
3. Last but not least, there has been an increase in major and mid-dollar donor spending. Organizations are finding that the investment is indeed worth the return.