There are several strategies one can use when fundraising for charities and non-profit organizations. None is quite as powerful as a tried and true mailer. In a world filled with digital blasts of information, using a mailer to start the appeals process gives you a leg up on another charity who may consider only online programs for giving. However, not every mailer functions the same. Here are a few suggestions to maximize this year’s appeal campaign letters.

Customize and Personalize

The more your campaign can customize and personal the experience for your potential donor, the more likely they will be to give. Personalization can be as easy as using a variable data merge to insert a first name into a letter or mailer. Customize your pieces even more by customizing the message to reflect:

• Last year’s donation amount
• # of people affected by the issue your organization works to solve within a certain mile radius of one’s home
• Change out images depending on delivery area.
• Write the name of the recipient in the graphic, like in the clouds or sea.

Strong Calls To Action

Use strong calls to action on your mailers that include visiting a landing page or website where the recipient can receive an extra incentive, gift or piece of content. Once they visit your site, remarketing tags can be placed on their computers to show Google display network advertising and Facebook/Instagram social media follow up reminders to give automatically without additional advertising. (See our Response Builder product for how this works.) 

Use Pictures To Tell The Story

Emotional appeal is critical when asking people to donate. Nothing is as powerful as a strong image. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. When using a picture to appeal to the giving nature, let’s translate that picture into a $1000 instead. It has to be authentic, represent the cause and be emotional. When in doubt, one marketing rules suggests animals and children are a safe bet. Just make sure the image is relevant.

Lumpy Mail Gets Opened

By adding something to your mailer that makes it “lumpy,” you drastically increase open rates. A pen, bag or lip balm are all popular and affordable give away items for non-profits. Make sure you tie in the small gift into the campaign and make it fun. You will increase your giving rate.

Use Direct Mail In Omnichannel Marketing

Omnichannel marketing is simply put that you use each piece of your marketing efforts to lead people through their journey to giving. Start with a direct mail piece where people can donate directly. Follow it with a message to visit your website. Use telemarketing asking if people received the mailer and personally invite them to give. If radio, television, networking, live events and other mediums are being used, think about each as a step in convincing people to give, not as a stand alone marketing piece.

This year, make your donation appeals programs even more memorable by investing in a system for appeals. Not sure how to improve or where to start? Contact Plumb Marketing.