Special Report: Fundraising 101 Direct Mail

3. The list is the most important component of your mailing
The best offer, the strongest copy, and the most compelling direct-mail design and format won’t work if they’re not aimed at the right audience. The list is the most important part of your mail plan.

Today, it’s more important than ever to minimize risk in new-donor acquisition. Choose lists based on past performance. Measure performance by income per thousand letters mailed and cost to acquire a donor. Cost to acquire a donor is calculated by dividing the net investment (or loss) by the number of donors acquired. As a general rule, the most you should invest to acquire a donor is the average gift of that donor, i.e., the cost to acquire a $20 donor should be $20 or less.