Traditional marketing methods such as direct mail have been a reliable source of marketing over the decades for nonprofits and companies alike. Sending personalized envelopes to donors helps keep these charities in the forefront of those looking to make their annual contribution. 

Other marketing channels lack the personalization required to make an impactful impression on its audience. It is not enough that a charity launches a video campaign with sad shelter animals, these ads must emphasize and empower campaign recipients with a personal message and request. 

What nonprofit marketing needs is a reliable and personalized method of contacting donors with a powerful message and a high return on investment. With the right targeting strategy, your charity can see a high response rate of qualified donors for years to come thanks to the power of direct mail. 

Convenient and Secure

Due to the many federal laws in place to discourage mail theft and tampering, direct mail is a very secure channel to send donations through. Households have their choice of sending funds through cash or check, and there is less concern that their banking details will be compromised. 

When you provide a return envelope and address, your donors can reply with their payment method of choice. Older audiences may feel more comfortable paying with physical cash or checks rather than with an online credit card. Simplifying the payment process by offering multiple payment options is a great advantage for a fundraising campaign.   

You also do not have to sacrifice the convenience of online donation opportunities when advertising through direct mail. Your physical ad could contain a link or QR code for individuals to access online payment options if they prefer. 

Related: How Internet Users Block Digital Advertising

Timing Your Campaigns 

Holidays are a great time to make more connections to new donors and reach out to previous households. With so much commercialization around the holidays, people are looking for ways to give back to their community. 

The overabundance of digital ads during the holiday months makes it nearly impossible to compete for top ad placement. In fact, a HYFN study found that costs per impression increased by 45% from the week before Black Friday to the end of the year. Even if you spend more money for an online presence, this does not guarantee more donations. And what happens when a donor’s contribution does not compensate for the price of the ad bid? 

Direct mail is a great way to reach these new prospects during a time of heavy online advertisement. There is no “outbidding” other advertisers since every mailer delivers to its intended recipient for the same flat cost. 

And with optional holiday personalization, your mailer can stand out at no additional cost to your campaign!

Related: The Emotional IMPACT of Direct Mail Marketing

Higher ROI

One point of contingency with digital advertising is that continuous spending is required to reach new donors. However, once a campaign’s budget runs out, no more ads will display. Depending on the time of year, reaching the same clients may require an increase in overall advertising spending.

Making a lasting impact on your audience is much more manageable with direct mail. The physical presence of direct mail within the home opens more opportunities for it to make repeated marketing touchpoints throughout its lifespan. Every time your mailer is read or passed around is another chance for those households to respond. 

In addition, because direct mail has one of the longest advertising lifespans, it will continue to work for you weeks –or even months –after the initial campaign. Once your audience keeps your mailer within their home, these ads will continue to market your non-profit at no additional cost to you. 

Related: Direct Mail: Multiple Marketing Touchpoints

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