Direct Mail … You Know You Like It!
OK, we’ve devoted most of this week to ‘alternative’ fundraising … peer-to-peer and email fundraising.
Time to end the week with a simple reminder about old-fasioned direct mail.
Who reading this post doesn’t enjoy receiving real mail?
Who, given the choice, would prefer to receive an important message — a communication whose intent you knew was to move you, a communication you were eagerly anticipating, a communication from someone you felt connected to — by email as opposed to real mail?
Would you rather receive a JibJab birthday card in your email or the ‘real deal’ in a stamped envelope?
Have you ever smelled an email? Lovingly placed it in a box? Carried it around in you pocket or purse? Re-read it more than once?
So go ahead, admit it (even you digital fundraisers), you really do like getting mail!
It’s not hard to understand the continuing warm spot human beings have for physical mail … it’s simply more personal. 70% of Americans agree.
Here’s an infographic via Experian (and, yes, they have a commercial interest) celebrating mail.
It notes that the US Postal Service, which handles 47% of the world’s mail, delivers 509 million pieces of mail daily. $758,356 is spent daily on stamps and mailing items. And ad mailings are projected to increase, not decrease.
Even ‘junk’ mail gets opened by 70% to 80% of recipients. Compare that to the open rate of email. [Next week The Agitator will share a report indicating that, on average, over 18% of nonprofit emails are ending up in spam folders each year … they don’t even get a chance to get deliberately deleted!]
Mail-lovers unite … love your letters!
Tom
8 responses to “Direct Mail … You Know You Like It!”
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YES!!!!
Nailed it Tom!
Direct Mail rocks! Now if only we can convince younger fundraisers to believe it… cheers, erica
I love this infographic. And echo what Erica said… I work with some younger people who simply do not get it. But I was young once too… and it took me awhile to get it. They’ll come around eventually, or get left behind.
Amen, Brother Tom.
Simply my opinion, but it strikes me that (good) direct mail could actually stand to increase in effectiveness as the digital shift continues and people receive less and less via the mail.
As a younger fundraiser myself – I’ve never had a steady flow of anything other than bills and ads to my mailbox. The primary method of communication to me since I became an of-age consumer, from companies and charities alike, has almost always been digital. But those who do land something in my rusty old mailbox certainly get a few uninterrupted moments of my time and attention, junk mail or not.
I think the bigger thing to consider here is how direct mail, in concert with digital methods can lead to even greater results.
I would certainly recommend anyone interested in this topic to take a look at the neuroscience work that Canada Post has been doing specifically around the best mixes for cross channel media when trying to increase brand recall and activation. What a time to be alive, and fundraising 🙂
Sleek and sexy fundraising looks good stuck up on our refrigerators. Workhorse fundraising pays our salaries. We’ll know when it’s time to say “good-bye” to direct mail. It’s not time yet.
To Erik’s comment: USPS has promoted and publicized similar research.