On March 13 – 15, 2024, CASE members gathered for the District 1 Annual Conference in Boston, and we were there. Here are three things we learned from a fascinating group of thought leaders in academic philanthropy:
Tag Archive for: fundraising
Digital media plays a key role for fundraisers in targeting their donors. For example, integrating social posts along with email, they can hit donors multiple times on different platforms. But don’t stop your direct mail campaign!
Direct mail also continues to evolve with emerging technologies. In this post, we share the importance of integrating your digital media with direct mail, and we highlight 7 ways you can actually add digital media to your direct mail.
The Importance of Digital Media in your Direct Mail Marketing Strategy
Using digital media in direct mail marketing has increased drastically over the past few years. Today, the online world and offline world are converging. You can see the effect it has had on fundraising, for example, where donors are using online from offline sources to donate.
Direct mail marketing is a type of advertising that includes directly delivering your appeals to your constituents via postal service. To be effective, it must include some element of personalization and relevancy to the donor or else it is ineffective. People enjoy feeling important. 70% of consumers say that direct mail makes them feel more valued.
The Convergence of Direct Mail and Digital Media
The key is to combine your digital marketing and direct mail efforts to boost your overall results. The two are powerful ingredients for marketing as individual efforts, but together — you get incredible results. Research shows that combining digital and direct mail efforts can increase response rates. A study mentioned by Philanthropy Today found:
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If someone’s getting both mail and email from you, they’re more likely to open your letters! Donors who received mail-plus-email show a 60.5% lift in response rates over those who just got mailed.
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Donors who received only an email had a 90.6% lower response rate to the mail than donors who only received the mail itself. The email-only group had just a 1.4% response rate.
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People who received both direct mail and digital media were also more likely to give online too. Clearly, the worst option was to send people only email.
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Another study shows that those who receive emails along with direct mail give 25% more annually.
Our 4 P’s of Direct Mail Marketing
There are four “P’s” in marketing: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. However, in the fundraising world, we created these 4 P’s of direct mail marketing:
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Personalization – Personalized appeals to constituents are more likely to be remembered and acted upon.
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Photos – Adding photos and imagery creates an emotional connection for the donor.
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Planning – Placing your digital ads ahead of your direct mail will help bridge the two channels.
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Presentation – Your direct mail piece needs to reflect the ask. From postcards to letters to self-mailers, your appeal should include your story, your call to action, and your goal.
Developing a successful direct mail appeal, along with digital media, should embody the same design, so it is clearly part of an overall campaign.
Including the same design and creative elements on direct mail, email, social media, digital ads, and the landing page provides the donor a connection to the overall campaign.
The Role of Digital Media in Modern Direct Mail Strategies
Most fundraisers know about the importance of engaging constituents through their digital channels – whether it’s through social media, email, or mobile applications. The digital landscape has changed how we communicate with people and how people communicate with us. Digital media has evolved how we do fundraising campaigns, specifically direct mail.
Here are seven ways to integrate digital media with direct mail.
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QR Codes – Placing a branded QR code as a call to action on your appeal allows the donor to go from the physical to the digital world in a couple of clicks.
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Video – Sounds crazy, but when you add either a URL or a QR Code to your mailer, you direct your donors to a video and continue to tell the story of your nonprofit in a more visually compelling way.
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Landing Pages – Include the landing page URL in the main body of your letter. Don’t be afraid to include the URL in multiple locations on your appeal. From the letter to a buck slip to the reply card, guide the donor to your landing page.
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VACTA – Voice Activated Call to Action is the latest technology to hit the consumer market. Now it’s fundraisers turn to take advantage of this platform. Add a call to action in your appeal that uses Alexa’s Donate to Charity feature or Google’s simple phrase “Hey Google, donate to a charity” to accept donations.
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Informed Delivery – Over 44 million people have signed up for Informed Delivery. This is the USPS digital mail and package delivery online preview. Nonprofits can include a free ad to ride along with the digitized mail.
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Social Media – Remember to add your social media icons to your direct mail when you’re creating a multichannel approach.
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Text – Text to give is a convenient method for donors to send their contributions via text. The process is seamless and takes a few minutes. Adding your text number to your direct mail gives your donors another way of donating to your cause.
The increasing developments in digital media are changing direct mail marketing as we know it. Direct mail once meant appeals delivered through “snail-mail” but now includes targeted messages to your donor base while they are browsing their social channels on their computer or phone.
Conclusion: How to adjust your strategy for your next campaign
Assess your current direct mail marketing strategy. Identify and apply modern digital strategies, as mentioned above. Employ our 4Ps model of direct mail marketing as the base of your appeals. Fundraising efforts should consider all channels, as every channel has the potential for success when used in tandem with one another.
In conclusion:
Fundraisers have been using digital media for a long time. With the continuous advances in technology and new communication channels, direct mail is also adapting to these changes. We believe that the convergence of traditional and modern marketing strategies is what will make you more successful in this fast-paced world.
If you’re ready for a direct marketing partner who provides marketing solutions for your next fundraising campaign, contact us today.
What exactly are QR Codes? How do they work and what’s the best way to use them?
QR codes are a type of barcode that a smartphone can scan. They are used to store information and links in the form of text, images, or videos. This makes them an efficient way to communicate with your donors and provide them with more information about your appeal or drive them directly to a specific site.
QR codes are most commonly used in marketing because they allow you to promote your institution in different ways. As a fundraiser, you can use QR codes on your website, social media profiles, posters and banners at events, but most of all, they work great with direct mail.
How to Use Direct Mail to Increase Your Donations
One good thing to note is that direct mail is certainly not dead, and it can be a powerful tool for increasing donations with the help of digital channels.
It continues to be the foundation for nonprofits to reach out to potential donors who are not on their email list or who prefer to give by mail.
While there are several types of direct mail, you can enhance your mailer with various elements:
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Add the invoice-style “Ugly Betty” to your appeal
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Include personalization in your letter through variable data printing
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Create an infographic to highlight institution achievements to date
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Use a tagline or call-out on the outside of your envelope
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Employ a QR code to drive donors directly to your donations page
We’ve found that QR codes can help increase donations on your next appeal, but it’s important to follow three simple rules.
3 Proven Tactics to Increase QR Code Engagement
One of the most important functions of QR codes is to provide links to your digital assets. When someone scans your QR code, they can visit your donation page or interact with an app. To take this experience to the next level, try these three tactics:
1. Clearly explain what will happen when they use the QR Code in your direct mail piece. Where it will take them, or what they are expecting to see.
2. Provide a URL beside the QR Code for those wishing to go directly to the page without using the code.
3. Make sure your code is large enough for the donor to see.
To sum it up, QR codes are the link between the digital and physical worlds. If you are unfamiliar with how to get a QR Code, we recommend QR Code Generator, or ask us to add one to your next appeal for you.
Our clients have found QR Codes are a direct channel to their donation page for capital campaigns, spring and fall appeals, and on postcard reminders for fiscal year end. If you’re interested in adding a QR Code to your next appeal, contact us today.
Using email and direct mail together only improves your fundraising efforts, and they are a perfect mix for any organization. Since email is the best way to reach out to people who are already digitally connected, direct mail is the best way to reach out to people who are more comfortable with traditional tactics.
Foremost, direct mail is an excellent way of reaching your donor base. You may not have been able to reach through email alone. Second, email provides a more personal experience and direct mail provides a more in-depth experience.
What is Direct Mail and Why is it Important for Fundraisers?
Direct mail is one type of marketing that has been around for over 100 years. Fundraisers have been no stranger to using this one tactic during the last century. And we know you encourage donors to support your cause when they receive a direct mail piece.
As it’s still an important part of many organizations’ communications strategies, direct mail appeals may even be more important now than ever before. As your donors are aging, it’s the younger generations who value their time spent with direct mail.
The many benefits of direct mail are that it’s cost-effective, easy to segment, and offers the chance to connect with your constituents.
How Email Marketing Benefits from Direct Mail
With a high success rate, direct mail has proven to be an effective communications tool. The approach is perfect for reaching out to your donors in the comfort of their home and getting their attention outside of an online platform.
While it’s been around for a long time, direct mail has seen some changes with email marketing. The popularity of direct mail declined over the years as more and more people switched from traditional mail to email. However, as we all hunkered down during the pandemic, direct mail has found its way back into homes our now more than ever before.
Email Marketing is a powerful tool for any institution. It can help you reach a wider audience, drive traffic to your website, and generate more donations. But email marketing doesn’t work on its own. It needs the support of other marketing tools to be most effective.
Direct mail provides an opportunity to connect with your audience in person – something that email can’t do. And it also provides an opportunity to build a relationship with your constituent that will lead them back to your site and keep them coming back for more.
There’s no doubt that both these methods have their pros and cons, but what if you could use them together for better results?
How to Combine Direct Mail & Email Marketing for a Better Response
Direct mail and email marketing are two of the most popular ways to reach out to your donors. But how do you know which one is right for your campaign?
Email marketing and direct mail are both great ways to reach out to potential donors, but they work best when used together. There are a few different ways that you can use email in your direct mailing campaigns. Here are five ways you can use email and direct mail with your appeals.
1. Target email non-responders
No matter how exciting and innovative your email marketing campaign is, some people will just not open your email. This could be because of several reasons. Maybe they are so inundated with emails, or your appeal gets lost in the shuffle. If you are struggling to get your donors to open your emails, a complementary direct mail piece is the option.
2. Sense of urgency
Sending annual appeals with direct mail takes planning, creative and content. Annual appeals sent with direct mail brand your campaign, connect your donors to your institution, and shares your annual goal. Adding an email can create a sense of urgency so your donors act sooner rather than later. The closer you get to the end of your campaign, use an email to update your constituents on the status of reaching your goal.
3. Use direct mail as part of your email drip campaign
Drip campaigns play a role now more than ever in fundraising campaigns. With all the data you have on your donors, infusing a personalized postcard or letter to your donors will help give your appeal a boost to your next drip campaign. Add a QR code to your direct mail and drive them to a landing page that mirrors the same creative as the drip campaign. Incorporating digital and direct mail helps you reach more donors in more places.
4. Email as a follow up to direct mail
Research shows that when you combine direct mail with email communications, the response rate is 25% higher. This approach also means that more donors will visit your donation page. So, the combination of direct mail and email is a good idea because more donors will see your donation page.
5. Event communications
As traditional as they are, there’s nothing quite like an invitation sent in the mail. The formality of an invitation is even more effective when followed up with an email to connect the donor to an event page. Using direct mail and email marketing together is a more effective way of reaching your constituents and drive attendance or donations to your event.
Conclusion: A Combined Approach to Direct Mail & Email Marketing that Works!
Direct mail and email marketing are two of the most popular marketing channels. Using them to complement one another gives each channel a lift. Whether you’re targeting your non-responders or implementing a drip campaign, direct mail and email work best together when you integrate your segmentation data into each. This combination will help you create a better donor experience by providing them with over one option for engagement.
Do you need help to pull together your email and direct mail campaign? The team at BCG Connect can help manage your next campaign and drive more donors through integrative approaches with direct mail and email. Contact us today.
Let’s talk about your Spring Appeal. Direct mail is a valuable tool for any organization trying to communicate their case for support. The challenge is, how do you use this tool to engage your constituents and inspire them to take action?
Here are 3 tips to help your spring appeal make an impact:
Use current photos to show impact
Using powerful images is a widely understood concept for appeals.1 Showing the impact of how gifts have helped current students, allowed for extra safety measures, or provided support to those in need during the pandemic will resonate with current and prospective donors.
See how the California College of the Arts used this approach: CCA Appeal
Make sure it is clear what you would like donors to do
Like a successful email campaign, an effective appeal involves a clear CTA and message. If donors are unsure what your goal is, it will be less interesting for them to take action.
See how this appeal illustrates a clear CTA: Friends Central School Appeal
Don’t rely too heavily on copy
Crafting effective messaging is important and there can often be a lot that you want to say to your audience. However, that message could get lost in translation if there is too much copy drowning it out.2 Finding the balance between images, copy, and a format that appeases both is the goal.
See how we helped York College accomplish this balance: York College Appeal
What are you trying in your current programs? Connect with us today and let us know.
Sources:
1 = SG Engage
2 = Huffington Post
Most fundraising professionals have reaped the benefits of events for years. Whether it be the education, healthcare, or nonprofit space, the value of visibility and interpersonal interaction at events is undeniable.
Thanks to COVID-19, many organizations are struggling1 from both a donor acquisition and revenue perspective due to the loss of in-person events. While some events have been cancelled or postponed, still more have switched to a virtual format instead.
It might seem counter-intuitive to state that direct mail pairs well with a virtual event. How could a perceived “basic” tactic like direct mail compliment a highly sophisticated online gathering?
Here are three ways to use direct mail for virtual events:
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Use direct mail to send special offers to attendees
Events are the perfect time to engage or re-engage donors with a little extra TLC.
While donors are at home looking forward to their daily walk to the mailbox, it makes sense to utilize direct mail in the wake of a virtual event. Sending a pre-event checklist that donors can hang in their home office or a special promo code2 postcard are some simple and budget-friendly options.
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Use direct mail as an extra touch point
One of the current weak spots of a virtual events is, quite simply, the competition. While attending a virtual event has many pro’s, the biggest con in this climate is over-saturation.
Using direct mail as an additional touch point can help break up some of the virtual clutter and overall fatigue.3 Consider sending a personalized direct mail invite or save the date, just like you would an in-person event (example here).
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Use direct mail for appointment setting
Appointment setting is a hugely popular practice of sending an offer to attendees before the event in attempts to connect with them at the show. Usually there is some kind of special offer being teased at the booth or an opportunity to speak to an expert in person.
Direct mail can still be used for virtual event appointment setting. Provide attendees the opportunity to speak with you in a one-on-one chat room. You can also send them a special code to enter your booth prize drawing.4
In short, events may be more complicated for the foreseeable future, but that does not mean they have to be overly difficult. Virtual events exclude more traditional logistical challenges and costs, such as paying for airfare and hotels. Adding the ease and proven track record of direct mail to your event strategy is sure to prove successful.
If you like this post, check out our guest blog spot with the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce on how direct mail can cut through the virtual noise in 2020.
Sources:
2 = Impact
3= 4 Ways to Use Direct Mail in the Current Climate
4 = Event Marketer
Tip #3: Better Together – Email and Direct Mail
This is the last post in our special blog series discussing effective ways you can optimize direct mail programs in a post-pandemic world and beyond.
Many organizations that rely on annual giving have embraced an omnichannel approach in their direct mail efforts. Although they are often pitted against each other, combining email with direct mail is a great example of two mediums that are stronger together.
Combining email and direct mail can help maximize your fundraising campaigns by boosting your engagement rates and increasing your ROI. While these two tactics certainly have merit individually, many organizations don’t realize how powerful they can be when paired together.
This partnership couldn’t have better timing from a content, messaging, and outreach perspective since “digital burnout” continues to plague potential donors.
Digital burnout has many variations, including “virtual fatigue” and “webinar fatigue.” It’s easy to overload your constituents with virtual information if you are relying heavily on email in the current climate.
Consider the following statistics:
- 56% of customers find print marketing to be the most trustworthy type of marketing1
- 44% of email recipients made at least one purchase last year based on a promotional email2
- Digital burn out has been on the rise since 2019 and has worsened since the pandemic3
Utilizing direct mail and email together is more impactful than using just one. Benefits of email include quick and direct contact, easy tracking, and the ability to change messaging quickly. Direct mail can be more logistically challenging, but the ethos it invokes is hard to ignore. Why not combine them and have the best of both worlds?
Here is an example from a client who was able to successfully pair these tactics to create a comprehensive spring appeal program:
Although there is still some uncertainty around the future of fundraising, there are many creative and practical ways that organizations like yours can reach potential donors and convey your organization’s message. Analyzing your outreach methods and seeing how they can complement each other is a great start.
What do you think about our third and final tip in this “Optimizing Direct Mail Programs: Post-Pandemic and Beyond” series? We’d love to hear your feedback. Click here to leave us a comment.
Sources:
1 & 2 = Mann & Co.
3 = Inc.
Tip #2: The Cost of Poor Graphic Design
In this special blog series, we will discuss effective ways you can optimize direct mail programs in a post-pandemic world and beyond.
Our previous post examined the critical step of perfecting data management to ensure a successful and compliant direct mail campaign. But what good is flawless data if you haven’t focused on your design elements?
In the best-case scenario, a fantastically designed direct mail piece will delight your audience, compliment your call to action and invoke donations. In the worst-case scenario, a poorly designed direct mail piece is deemed irrelevant, alienates your audience, or is tossed in the recycle bin. Although expert data management will ensure that you are targeting the correct people, impactful graphic design and messaging is what will ultimately compel them to embrace your cause.
A recent design firm analyzed how much money they lost in one day based on the time their employees spent attempting to decode a poorly organized chart. It totaled $273, which was more than the daily rate of one employee.1
It is possible to underwhelm with an underdeveloped design, but it can be just as offensive to potential donors if you overwhelm your direct mail with information and graphics. Subtlety is not always a bad thing if you are appropriately taking advantage of every available space on your direct mail piece.2 A good designer will be able to usher you through that process, and understanding the nuances will eventually become second nature.
How can you ensure that you are considering thoughtful graphic design practices in your own direct mail initiatives? Here are some general guidelines from our very own BCG Connect graphic design team:
- Focus on function as well as form
- Embrace concise and relevant copy
- Remember to follow your pre-existing brand guidelines for continuity
- Make sure the tone of your message is reflected in the images you use
Effective graphic design can make or break your direct mail campaign. The fundraising world especially relies on empathy and ethos in their outreach to potential donors.
Here are some examples from our clients who asked us to help them balance their data management needs with effectual graphic design.
Data segmentation will never lose its importance, but when you combine it with innovative and well-crafted graphic design, you are elevating your direct mail strategy to a whole new level.
What do you think about our second tip in this “Optimizing Direct Mail Programs: Post-Pandemic and Beyond” series? We’d love to hear your feedback. Click here to leave us a comment.
Sources:
1 = Evergreen Data
2 = Target Marketing
Tip #1: Debunking List Management
In this special blog series, we will discuss effective ways you can optimize direct mail programs in a post-pandemic world and beyond.
Direct mail is known to be an efficient and engaging channel that helps retain and acquire donors in the fundraising world. But has coronavirus changed its credibility?
The answer may pleasantly surprise you. According to the USPS Market Research and Insights Report, 65% of those surveyed stated that receiving mail lifts their spirits, with 54% of respondents stating that mail helped them feel more connected.1
You may be thinking, “Great! Sign me up.” But it’s a little more complicated than that.
In our internal May 2020 BCG Connect client survey, 100% of respondents described their organizations as understaffed. Additionally, 99% of respondents indicated that they do not have the time or resources to focus on fundraising campaigns to their desired extent.
At the best of times, fundraising campaigns require careful planning and copious amounts of attention and detail orientation to yield results. The most successful direct mail campaigns are the ones that are the most highly targeted. In order to develop a customized, engaging direct mail piece, you have to perfect one key element: proper list management. List management can single-handedly make or break your campaign.
The good news is that direct mail is resonating with donors and prospects. The bad news is that many organizations are overwhelmed and understaffed. So, what action should organizations take to run a highly targeted direct mail campaign without straining their already limited resources?
The answer: outsourcing. Utilizing a partner who understands the intricacies of list management can ease the stress of your campaign, increase your bandwidth, and help you meet your fundraising goals.
Direct mail is reaching audiences in meaningful ways during these unprecedented times. It’s more important now than ever to analyze your list in order to optimize it and run a profitable campaign.
What do you think about our first tip in this “Optimizing Direct Mail Programs: Post-Pandemic and Beyond” series? We’d love to hear your feedback. Click here to leave us a comment.
Sources:
1 = Target Marketing
BCG Connect is a steadfast supporter and advocate of Friends of the Children-Boston (Friends-Boston), a nonprofit organization dedicated to breaking the cycle of generational poverty through salaried, professional mentoring. To achieve this, Friends-Boston pro-actively identifies kindergartners who possess untapped limitless potential but face the most significant barriers to future success. They then relentlessly dedicate their resources to them for the child’s entire school aged years – kindergarten through graduation, no matter what. That’s 12+ years!
One of BCG’s most recent collaborations with Friends of the Children was their 2019 Milestone Report. The challenge was to create an inviting and informative report that everyone wanted to read. It was important to understand that these readers were already supporters, so the message had to be tailored to them. Friends of the Children also stressed their desire for this report to have a contemporary feel, complete with story-like infographics and interesting data visualization.
Some of the areas highlighted to achieve this can be applied universally.
Here are 3 focus areas for engaging annual reports:
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Understand the organization’s mission
An organization’s mission statement is its lifeblood, and they must find meaningful ways for donors to contribute to that mission. It is essential to understand, highlight, and appreciate this in order to convey its message successfully.
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Mention successes and failures
It’s important to highlight the organization’s progress, which includes the good, the bad, and everything in between. Executive Director of Friends of the Children, Yi-Chin Chen beautifully expresses this as the ability to “Fail Louder” in future endeavors.
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Communicate data visually
Data is one of the most compelling engagement tools in fundraising, as donors want to know how their gift has impacted an organization. It’s often difficult to translate these stats into an eye-catching format. Stick to simple numbers, appropriate chart types, and consistent formatting.
One recipient of the 2019 Annual Report shared:
“I just received the 2019 milestone report in the mail – congratulations on a really beautiful publication. I immediately wanted to read it and found it really engaging and inspiring. I love how it’s on-brand, authentic, compelling, and provides easy ways to see how anyone in the community might engage.”
-Anonymous recipient
You can view the Friends of the Children 2019 Annual Report here.
For more information on how BCG Connect can create similar projects for you, contact us today.
