Direct Mail Advertising for Non-Profits

The non-profit fundraising landscape has become extremely competitive and challenging. Creative marketing helps charitable causes have their voice heard by the potential donors. Direct mail adverting is a great avenue to deliver your message to the right audience.

To compete with other similar organizations, you have to think of creative ways to boost your efforts. You can utilize the cutting-edge and unique data-driven non-profit direct mail marketing/advertising tactics to get potential donors' attention and persuade them to consider your organizations over others!

Multi-channel marketing is becoming more and more popular for prospecting, call-to-action, and also fundraising. A successful marketing strategy always includes direct mail combined with other marketing solutions. Direct mail fundraising is used by many non-profit organizations as a cost-effective option for meeting their annual budget.

Why Non-Profit Direct Mail Marketing/Advertising?

Direct mail campaigns have proven to create up to five times more attention than digital advertising and email campaigns for non-profit organizations. That attention has brought in more donations and volunteers, the two most important components of being a successful non-profit organization. Non-profit organizations depend on the giving of donors to run their operations. A non-profit organization needs to advertise in a way that will get them the best ROI without spending a lion share of their budget on advertising. Direct mail campaigns have proven to do just that for every non-profit organization that has utilized the mail service.

In today's saturated world of digital media, non-profit direct mail marketing allows adding personal and unique touches to the marketing campaign of your modern non-profit organization. Mailing campaign offer a much better ROI than email marketing, display advertising, or paid search advertising. Direct mailers are most likely to increase your revenue and provide higher return on your advertising investment.

Multi-channel marketing is a proven tool with a substantial reliance on direct mailings. QR codes, on your mailed piece, can direct your target market to your website and your donation form. Direct mail piece combined with personalization can increase your conversion rate, and generate more doners.

Here are some of the solid reasons why you should opt for a direct mail campaign:

With non-profit direct mail marketing/advertising, you can find and access your potential donors. You can create targeted marketing lists by income, gender, location, etc.
It enables you to stay in touch with your existing donors. By sending them direct personalized letters or postcards, and it keeps your non-profit organization in their mind when they are ready to donate.
You can inform your donors about the current needs of your organization through non-profit direct mail marketing in an emotionally and visually appealing manner. Is there anything specific your non-profit needs, or does your cause needs immediate funds?
An effective direct mail piece stays on their desk much longer than email marketing or online advertising!

Direct Mail Marketing Types

There are two major categories of direct mail marketing, including the following:

How to Improve the Reach and Effectiveness of Your Non-Profit Direct Mail Marketing Campaign?

Let’s explore some ways which can help you improve the reach and effectiveness of your non-profit direct mail marketing campaign:

Understand Your Organization's Goals and Purpose

Before you send direct mails to your prospective donors or supporters, you should clearly define your goals and create metrics for success. This will enable actionable analytics and reporting for your campaign management. Follow up phone calls would optimize both direct response rate while increasing the efficiency of your marketing campaign.
Choose Your Audience Carefully

The accuracy of your target audience accounts for 40% of your direct mail advertising campaign. Think about those people who are really interested in receiving your message and make sure their information is correct and up to date. You can create multiple mailing lists containing different types of interests and mail different colorful brochures to peak their interest. You can also achieve this by using variable date digital printing. Different types of mailing can also be purchased from list brokers, if you have not collected your own mailing list.
Touch Their Emotions

By using non-profit direct mail marketing, you can touch the emotions of your audience with creative graphic design and quality printing. You can also appeal to their feelings through promotional items, gifts, magnets, etc. You can attract a different demographic that is most likely to contribute.
Resonate Your Online and Offline Strategies

Your online marketing strategies should resonate with your offline strategy. Keep in mind both while considering your marketing campaign. Work thoughtfully to integrate both in your marketing campaign. Your direct marketing efforts would be more successful with combination of telemarketing, and other outbound marketing efforts.
Resonate Your Online and Offline Strategies

Your online marketing strategies should resonate with your offline strategy. Keep in mind both while considering your marketing campaign. Work thoughtfully to integrate both in your marketing campaign. Your direct marketing efforts would be more successful with combination of telemarketing, and other outbound marketing efforts.
Test Different Variables

Any factors can have an impact on the outcomes of your non-profit direct mail marketing campaign. So, before you send your final message to the prospects, test different options on a group or few people you trust. The feedback from your sample population helps you understand which is the most effective way. For example, should your mail package include a replay card and envelope, or a QR code to go to your website and respond. Should you send your mail piece via standard postage rate or first-class rate? The additional postage rate could be justified based on higher response rate and the average contribution.
Talk Directly to Your Contributors

Avoid using third-person statements like ‘them’ or 'they.' Instead, use second-person pronouns that directly address your readers, such as 'you,' 'us,' etc. Talk directly to your audience and have a clear call-to-action, which is directed at them.
Tell Your Unique Story

Every non-profit has a unique story. Within that story, there are several untold tales about your team and organization that you can use creatively to impress your target prospects.

Bonus Tips to Create Non-profit Direct Mail Marketing Pieces for Your Organization

Suggest the amount of donation people can donate and list the benefits each donation amount can have.
Send a mail of appreciation for their last giving and how it helped your cause.
Create multiple donation options such as online, mail, or on the phone.
Create an emotional connection through the personal stories of real people.
Develop emotionally and visually appealing graphic design.
Include the logo and information of your organization in each mail.
And most importantly, ask their input about the direction of your organization.

Application to Mail at Nonprofit USPS Marketing Mail Prices on the USPS website here

Want professional help with creating a robust non-profit direct mail & print marketing campaign? Let's collaborate to discuss your organizational goals and develop a customized direct mail marketing/advertising campaign best suited for your organization!

Direct Mail Advertising for Non-Profits

Why Non-Profit Direct Mail Marketing/Advertising?

Here are some of the solid reasons why you should opt for a direct mail campaign:

With non-profit direct mail marketing/advertising, you can find and access your potential donors. You can create targeted marketing lists by income, gender, location, etc.

It enables you to stay in touch with your existing donors. By sending them direct personalized letters or postcards, and it keeps your non-profit organization in their mind when they are ready to donate.

You can inform your donors about the current needs of your organization through non-profit direct mail marketing in an emotionally and visually appealing manner. Is there anything specific your non-profit needs, or does your cause needs immediate funds?

An effective direct mail piece stays on their desk much longer than email marketing or online advertising!

Direct Mail Marketing Types

There are two major categories of direct mail marketing, including the following:

House file marketing campaigns send physical mails to the supporters who are already there in your database.

Prospecting marketing campaigns send physical mails to those supporters who don't have any pre-established link with your organization.

How to Improve the Reach and Effectiveness of Your Non-Profit Direct Mail Marketing Campaign?

Let’s explore some ways which can help you improve the reach and effectiveness of your non-profit direct mail marketing campaign:

Understand Your Organization's Goals and Purpose

Choose Your Audience Carefully

Touch Their Emotions

Resonate Your Online and Offline Strategies

Resonate Your Online and Offline Strategies

Test Different Variables

Talk Directly to Your Contributors

Tell Your Unique Story

Bonus Tips to Create Non-profit Direct Mail Marketing Pieces for Your Organization

Suggest the amount of donation people can donate and list the benefits each donation amount can have.

Send a mail of appreciation for their last giving and how it helped your cause.

Create multiple donation options such as online, mail, or on the phone.

Create an emotional connection through the personal stories of real people.

Develop emotionally and visually appealing graphic design.

Include the logo and information of your organization in each mail.

And most importantly, ask their input about the direction of your organization.

Popular Products for Non-Profits

Want professional help with creating a robust non-profit direct mail & print marketing campaign? Let's collaborate to discuss your organizational goals and develop a customized direct mail marketing/advertising campaign best suited for your organization!