Why Direct Mail Won’t Die
4 responses to “Why Direct Mail Won’t Die”
Behavioral Science Q & A
Integrating an individual giving appeal with other communications from a charity can have both positive and negative effects, and the outcome largely depends on how it’s executed. Advantages of Integration Brand Consistency: Maintaining a consistent appearance and messaging across all communications can reinforce the org’s brand identity and strengthen brand recognition and trust among your […]
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I’m not aware of any in-market tests specifically comparing recurring vs. gift frequency language. I suspect the answer might not be the same with all gift frequencies, nor with all people. It sounds like a great opportunity for you to test and find out what works for your audience. Based on the literature, here’s a couple […]
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Based on what we know from existing data, those renewal notices can actually be pretty effective in getting people to donate. They tap into our psychology – creating a sense of urgency, reminding us of past support, and using personalization to make the message hit home. They’re playing on our natural tendencies to feel obligated […]
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Interesting question. I had a quick look at the testing done on this topic. On the positive side, in all cases, over half of donors decide to cover the fee. In some cases, it goes as high as 65%. Not a negligible percentage at all. Here’s another test from iRaiser showing consistent results (see point […]
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There’s just one thing to consider when designing a supporter journey: the supporter. More specifically, you need to take into account: Who the supporter is i.e. their identity, which is the reason they support this cause, and their personality, which describes the way they “see” and process the world. These will determine the kind of […]
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I’m not an expert in this but a quick search surfaced this article on the effect of tax reforms on 2019’s charitable giving. The researchers didn’t find a reduction. Actually, they observed an “increase in charitable contributions in 2019, even with the lower tax rates and the dramatically smaller number of taxpayers who itemize their […]
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Good news…Of the 438 emails in my inbox I chose to open yours! It’s always nice to have something simple and quick in your daily diet of emails. Love you guys!
Thanks Lucinda. We feel your love!
Of course that one letter will cost $2 to $3 . . . hello margin compression! Of course mail won’t die . . . that is, until it does die. Great blogs!
Recently I saw a tagline for an Extreme Endurance Race: “Death is cool until you die”. I think this is relevant to our industry. I caution you to interpret this cartoon as confirmation that you just need to continue taking the same, single channel approach of using direct mail.
If you are not embracing and adapting to the new realities of today, then you are in trouble, In fact for some organizations it might be too late to bridge this gap.
To be successful, it is critical that you change now and immediately implement an integrated strategy that utilizes all channels of communication.
It’s “cool” to debate the issue of direct mail’s future, but if you are not changing you will die. Don’t risk your career and organizations future that the same approach is going to always work.
The only question is how fast the transition occurs.
Chip