Direct Mail

There’s a lot of debate in the blogosphere and elsewhere these days regarding the efficacy of different fundraising and marketing channels. It goes something like this: “Is direct mail dying?” “Will social media kill e-mail?” “Will mobile rule the marketing roost?” “Should I tweet … or blog?”

Remember the story of the boy in Holland who noticed a hole in the dike? Fearing a leak could flood the entire town, he shoved his finger into the hole, potentially avoiding a major disaster.

COLUMBIA, Md., June 17, 2009 — Merkle (www.merkleinc.com), one of the nation’s largest and fastest growing database marketing agencies, was recently honored with three 2009 “Benjamin Franklin Awards for Direct Marketing Excellence”, or “Bennies”, by the Philadelphia Direct Marketing Association. The awards were presented during a ceremony at the Farmhouse at People’s Light in Malvern, Pa. on June 4, 2009.

June 4, 2009, Earth911.com — A new study out of the U.K. suggests that consumers who receive direct mail were “surprised” that a company would not consider putting a recycling logo or message on their direct mail pieces. Conducted by OnePost, an independent postal advice and management company, the survey implies the continued demand for the increased responsibility of producers and marketers to reduce their environmental impact and help their customers to do so as well.

June 2009, Professional Fundraising — New research on the most cost-effective forms of fundraising shows that newspaper advertising and direct mail are ranked last.

June 6, 2009, Indianapolis Business Journal — Most of us wouldn’t drop what we’re doing to show our friends a form letter that included our names in the salutation.

May 5, 2009 — The Nonprofit Federation of the Direct Marketing Association (DMANF) today announced a partnership with US Monitor, a mail monitor and list protection service,  to perform a first of its kind study to track delivery results within the United States Postal Service (USPS) nonprofit standard mail.

Recipients "triage" their mail, setting aside certain pieces to open before others. So the goal, according to Tempa Berish, owner of Philadelphia-based consultancy Chelsea Partners, is to make sure your mailpieces stand out.

If fundraising were a person, and he or she was on Facebook, I’d tag her/him with the nasty “25 Random Things” meme. We’d learn some surprising things about fundraising. But since fundraising itself is a mute nonentity, I’ve taken the job upon myself …

Temptation No. 1: Starting the project by writing the letter.
Here’s what’s happening: You’ve been assigned to create an acquisition package. You’re up for it because you have a great idea. You feel really good about that idea. You are sure it’s a winner. So you sit down and start writing the letter, right? Wrong. The letter is the very last thing you should create.