Lend Donors an Ear

“We’re really able to get a sense of how much mail people want and what they’re responding to and what’s the saturation point,” she adds.

CRS also has listened to its donors and recognized that the use of certain premiums -- such as gold crosses and chains -- in direct-mail campaigns is not as effective with its donors, “because the donors we have are looking to us to show good stewardship and ... they may feel that if we send too many little shiny objects that we’re not making good use of their money,” Adair says.