One Premium ‘Don’t’

Hitchcock lists 10 things organizations can do to avoid hairsplitting traps. No. 4 relates directly to premiums: Don’t offer premiums for acquiring new members.

Why? A few reasons: “The purpose of direct-mail fundraising is to provide a convenient way for enlightened and generous individuals to support causes and endeavors they believe in. In some instances, offering a premium lowers the response rate. Ill will often is created, as well, since many organizations have a dickens of a time sending out premiums in a timely manner,” Hitchcock writes.