How To Grow Your Non-Profit With Personalised Direct Mail
Non-profits could be missing out on a great opportunity to raise additional funds if they're not using personalised direct mail to fundraise, drive awareness and cement relationships with their donors.
According to research by the Chartered Institute of Fundraising and Royal Mail MarketReach, direct mail outperformed all other channels for encouraging donations and building connections with donors. They found that four out of five of the fundraisers they surveyed used mail as a key part of their fundraising programme, with 93% saying it enhances the supporter experience, building loyalty and engagement.
But when you combine the power of direct mail with variable data printing, the results can become even more impressive. Personalised mailers have been shown to increase response rates by up to 300%! Variable data - which allows us to print mailers with personalised elements unique to each recipient - has the power to boost engagement and response rates and increase the value of each donation.
The RNLI leveraged this technique to great effect during a recent Christmas campaign to raise funds for a new lifeboat. Their mailer prominently featured a computer generated image which depicted the recipient's name etched onto the side of the boat. Raising over £1.6m, the campaign boasted an ROI of £8.77, with an average donation of over £30. Pretty impressive, don't you think?
So, why is variable data direct mail so successful and how can it be used to benefit your organisation? Let's dig a little deeper...
Relevant and Personal
Every donor is different. Direct mail fundraising lets you speak directly to each recipient as an individual, presenting your cause in a personal and relevant way.
Variable data allows you to customise your messaging, directly targeting the demographics of the recipient. An effective technique is to use the donor's address data to deliver case studies about local people who have benefited from the charity's work. Another approach is to draw upon the recipient's donation history data to explain how their money has been spent and the benefits it delivered. For example, you could describe how they helped a child from a nearby town to go on a trip of a lifetime, or thank them for paying for a homeless person to spend the night in a hostel.
Measurable Results
Variable data can be used to add personalised QR codes and web links to your mailers, allowing the success of each campaign to be accurately measured. Personalised data analysis enables you to monitor your campaign's effectiveness by tracking key metrics including click-through rates and revenue generation. Monitoring visitors to your website or donation form provides invaluable insights into which segments of your audience are engaged and, crucially, the demographics of people who go on to make a donation.
Build Loyalty and Engagement
Direct mail can be used to build loyalty with donors, showcasing the good work of the organisation and encouraging people to become more involved. It can drive engagement by promoting upcoming events or local activities that recipients can take part in, helping them feel more involved with your cause and playing an important role in retaining regular donors.
Remember, the most successful campaigns aren't just one hit wonders. A drip feed approach of regular mailings over an extended period of time is key to building a stronger and more committed audience. Tracking each interaction and response, and nurturing relationships with those who have shown an interest in your work, is a surefire way to convert recipients into long-term supporters and donors.
Reconnect
Donor acquisitions is just the start; maintaining relationships with your supporters is also essential if you want them to stay loyal and continue helping your cause. Regularly adding direct mail to your fundraising mix enables you to build on existing relationships, reinforcing your connection with them and continuing to inform, thank and encourage further donations.
Regularly posting out mailers and recruitment packs helps to mobilise and steward your most loyal supporters, encouraging those who haven't donated recently to do so now. You can also remind lapsed donors how they can give and encourage them to reconnect with your cause.
StressFreePrint has helped scores of UK charities and non-profits to leverage direct mail to fundraise more effectively. If you're looking for a better way to boost your fundraising efforts and improve your ROI, we're standing by to assist. We can handle everything from printing and personalisation to mailing and tracking. If you need help taking your direct mail fundraising to the next level, drop us a line.