The Miracle of Direct Mail

Fundraising has been a hot topic for NGOs in Indonesia today. The issues of NGO’s independence, shifting donors interests to different issues and other problems encountered have forced NGO’s to start looking at public fundraising. Various fundraising techniques have been studied and discussed. One of the easiest but most powerful fundraising techniques is direct mail.
We can assume that everyone is happy to receive a letter, as long as it is pleasant, polite and valuable. Direct mail is very personalized to its recipients. It is something that is personal and will touch the heart of its recipient. This is the begining of the miracle of direct mail as a fundraising concept. There are many organizations that have succeed in their fundraising by using this miracle formula.
The following are tips for you to organize a fundraising progam using direct mail technique.
Check your brand. Potential donors will be happy to receive direct mail from NGOs that have good positioning and image. Therefore having a good name or reputation is very important. This can be acieved through the values of your organization and actual work in the community. Obviously, an organiza¬tion that is considered good in the communtiy is an organization that has been beneficial to the community. Placement of a logo on the envelope representing your organization image will help.
Know your potential donor. Do not misspell the name, title, and address. If possible let them know where you obtained their name and address. This is important to donors and potential donors. So, never steal data from anyone. Ensure the letter sent is customized. Male donors prefer letters that contain data and a logical explaination of why he has to donate to your organization. For female donors, it will be better to emphasize the emotional value of the donation. Send direct mail only to your potential donors and your segment.
Personalize. Write the letter as if it was written only to one donor. Do not use general wordings like in a brochure. Mentioning the donor’s name in your direct mail will give a personal touch. Do not print direct mail in a printing company then type in the targeted donor, make it a whole package by printing the address and the letter.

Plan for the number of letters and mailing period. Direct mail average response is about 2 percent of the letters sent out. This number can increase up to 10 % if direct mail is sent to regular donors. Therefore, plan the delivery of direct mail in sufficient numbers and the time of delivery. Do not give up in sending out direct mail, because the donating behavior of people is different. There are some who donate every month, every mid-year, every year, or every 2 years. However, you still have to send your direct mail if you are sure about your target and segment. Do not give up and stop this program without support from convinc¬ing research.
Interesting Design. Design, font type, font size are important in the envelope and the letter itself. Give color to the envelope so it’s interesting enough to be opened and read. Remember, not all letters received by donors will be opened and read. Invest in good quality printing. However, if that is not possible, a plain white envelope can also attract the potential donors to open and read your letter.
Provide donation form and how to donate. Provide forms, bank account number and information about how to donate in your direct mail. This is a must. It is not enough just to put bank information. Make the potential donor move so that they will fill the donation form. The channel to donate must be opened as wide as possible. Cur¬rently, there is a wide range of ways to donate: bank transfer, ATM, wire transfer, internet banking, phone banking, SMS banking, check deposit, we can also provide pick-up service and other proactive ser¬vices. Do not forget to put your address, phone number, email and fax to receive donation forms.
Easy, right? You can start fundraising for your organization using these tips. Enjoy the miracle of direct mail.
Moh.Arifin Purwakananta