Suzanne Newell

To identify the lists that work, a fundraiser has to first know his or her organization. The donor profile of your database is the best place to start when considering an outside-list acquisition program. External list donors who already have the same demographic and psychographic profile as your housefile donors are more likely to give to your organization over another one. Your donor profile might look something like this: * Female * Age 55+ * Income $50,000+ * Lives in Georgia * Likes to knit and enjoys walking Identifying common characteristics within your donor base can help you look for lists that meet a

Q: Can a list become tired or overused? A: Yes, in extreme circumstances. If the mailer is taking every name and every segmentation possible and results are diminishing, it might be time to rest a list and return to it in a later mailing. The list broker can determine when a list is being overused; however, it usually takes years to reach this level. Q: Why are there duplications on the same list? A: Not everyone uses the same merge/purge logic, and there can be human error. This is quite common and is part of the standard allowable deductions that a list owner will