Direct Response

Often, we fundraisers and direct marketers want to try something new because we were tired of it long before the donors are. We are always trying to come up with new stories, new ideas, and new approaches. But at some point, the creative juices stop flowing and we’re getting closer to burnout.

Being smaller is no excuse for not making a heroic effort; your mission deserves smart fundraising. And smart fundraising means taking advantage of these big opportunities.

Writing a call to action (CTA) that hits the spot every time is part art, part science. Here are five examples of winning CTAs.

Now is the time to get your development house in order and start investing in mid-level, major and planned giving.

Writing a successful fundraising communication — be it an e-appeal, social media post, direct mail letter, personal letter, program copy or anything else — can feel daunting. Especially given the high rate of failure (since 100% response is rare), having to write the ask can seem like a pathway to failure.

While the concept of fundraising via e-appeals and mail may sound so last century, I assure you it is an important foundational piece for a fundraising program of the 2020s.

Donor engagement can be complicated. Donors are engaged in multiple ways, frequently with different appeals and solicitation amounts. This fragmented donor communications experience is a pernicious problem in the nonprofit industry.

Successful direct response fundraising campaigns feature many finely tuned elements, including demographically appropriate appeals, images, materials, and keen insights about the best timing of solicitations. However, there remains one campaign rudiment that is still often left to rote standardization — the personalization of gift array values.

Direct response is not as sexy as taking donors to the golf course or hosting the annual major donor cruise, but I’m proud of what I do because I have seen the results of the money I have raised over the years. And if someone says to me, “Oh, you do junk mail?” that’s OK.

Due to continued strains on the supply chain regarding paper and supplies, the nonprofit industry is going to face an unprecedented series of challenges over the coming months.