Direct Mail

Here are 11 simple tips to follow when getting ready for that next, all-important direct-mail fundraising appeal.

The cash-strapped U.S. Postal Service said Monday it is seeking to move quickly to close 252 mail processing centers and slow first-class delivery next spring, citing steadily declining mail volume. The cuts are part of $3 billion in reductions aimed at helping the agency avert bankruptcy next year. It would virtually eliminate the chance for stamped letters to arrive the next day, a change in first-class delivery standards that have been in place since 1971.

Sure, there are important differences in creative approach for mail and electronic media. But many marketing and fundraising best practices transcend the medium involved. Here are a few examples.

Members of the Direct Marketing Association and DMA Nonprofit Federation headed to Capitol Hill with the DMA Government Affairs team to participate in DMA’s Postal Hill Day, meeting with key Congressional leaders to ensure that the interests of marketers are safeguarded as the postal reform debate heats up. 

DMA members from the nonprofit community traveled to express their concern with postal legislation issues. Nonprofit mailers highlighted the dire consequences they — and their beneficiaries — would experience if Congress fails to safeguard the nonprofit postal rate preference.

Kim Cubine shares political fundraising takeaways for the 2012 presidential election cycle offered at the panel discussion “The Great Debate: Channel Wars — Red vs. Blue, Old vs. New.”

The U.S. Postal Service ended its 2011 fiscal year with a net loss of $5.1 billion. The year-end loss would have been approximately $10.6 billion had it not been for passage of legislation that postponed a congressionally mandated payment of $5.5 billion to pre-fund retiree health benefits.

Total 2011 mail volume declined by 3 billion pieces, or 1.7 percent, from 2010. The Postal Service’s largest and most profitable product, First-Class Mail, continued its year-over-year decline, from $34.2 billion in 2010 to $32.2 billion in 2011 (5.8 percent).

Sue Sena, founder of Sena Consulting and senior account manager of Tripi Consulting, offers her four top best practices for direct-mail fundraisers.

A look at the 2011 DMFA Acquisition Package of the Year, Center for Urban Community Services NYC Note Cards Package: Scenes of the City We Love.

Charities are protesting Congressional plans to gradually phase out the discounts they receive for mail appeals and other materials.

Today nonprofits pay 26 percent less, on average, than businesses to send direct-mail solicitations and other communications to supporters. Those mailings are important for many big groups; while electronic appeals have taken off in recent years, few large nonprofits have found anything as effective for fund raising as direct mail.

The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has filed a notice with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) of its plan to increase rates by an average of 2.133 percent on each of the market dominant classes of mail, including First Class, Standard and Periodicals mail.  These rates changes are set to take effect on January 22, 2012.