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4 tips for getting more nonprofit donations with direct mail
Nonprofit foundations are dependent on donations from others to fund their causes and direct mail is a highly effective tool for fundraising. Whether it's a regular donation appeal or a call to action at the end of the year, many charities have been utilizing direct mail for many years. This channel is still a useful way to raise donations. Here are some tips on how to use direct mail as part of a fundraising strategy:
1. Include information potential donors want
Direct mail appeals shouldn't contain too much internal jargon about your organization's services and programs, according to Bloomerang, a nonprofit software provider. This can alienate potential contributors. A good mail campaign makes donors feel important. One way charities can connect with donors is by giving tangible examples of how funds would help a cause.
2. Carefully select language
Nonprofit marketing can be very different than corporate advertising. It's important to sound warm and inviting to increase your overall number of donations. In addition, you should personally address recipients. "You" has been found to be one of the top words to drive action. Shorter sentences and small paragraphs make your message easier to read. Be sure to proofread - many nonprofit direct mail campaigns have grammatical errors and typos, and this doesn't do much to drive donations.
3. Consider your formatting
People tend to read underlined words before anything else, the article said. This means the most important point in your message should be underlined, but avoid overusing this structure. In addition, very short paragraphs and lists with bulleted lists are highly readable, making them effective options for communicating the most important information to donors.
4. Use address correction to ensure appeals reach the right people
The end of the year is a busy time for nonprofits. Many organizations receive the bulk of their donations for the year during November and December because many people feel charitable during the holidays. After this rush, charities can find themselves with a lot of inaccurate information on their hands, industry site npENGAGE stated. Maintaining correct records of previous donors is essential to getting repeat contributions. Address validation can help you clean up your data, as well as identify underlying causes for incorrect contact information. Accuracy is crucial for continued growth of fundraising revenue. This approach can ensure appeals have the maximum effect.
