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Need New Direct Mail Donors? Look For These Three Qualities For
Fundraising Letter Success. |
By:
Alan Sharpe |
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New donors are a lot closer than you may think. And persuading
them to make that vital first donation need not be as hard--or
as expensive--as acquiring them in other ways.
But before you rent a list of names or drop anything in the
mail, examine the people you are approaching with your direct
mail appeal to make sure they are good prospects for a donation
today--and tomorrow. You should look for three qualities in
potential direct mail donors.
1. Capacity to give
Good direct mail fundraising prospects have the resources to
support your organization with gifts. They do not need to be
millionaires (since you will accept small donations). They do
not even need to be employed (since many pensioners donate a
portion of their fixed income to their favourite charities). The
criteria you are looking for is simply the capacity to give.
2. Affinity with your cause
The best prospects have a natural liking for your organization.
They identify with the people you help or the cause that you
champion. You are more likely to attract financial support and
gain new donors when you mail your acquisition letters to people
who already believe in what you stand for.
3. Long-term, profitable relationship
Raising funds through the mail is a long-term proposition. What
you are looking for is donors who will support you over time.
One-time donations are welcome, of course, but if they are too
small they do not even cover the cost of acquisition. You want
donors, not just donations.
One reason that charity sweepstakes and lotteries are such an
expensive way to raise funds is that they tend to raise money in
the short-term only, and do not attract long-term, faithful,
loyal donors who are committed to your cause.
So you need to look at every source of potential donors and ask
yourself this question, "What is the likelihood that these
prospects will not only respond to my mailing with a gift now,
but will also follow through in the years to come with others
gifts?"
One mistake to avoid
One mistake that inexperienced fundraisers make is thinking that
their best prospects for direct mail appeals are big businesses
and well-known, wealthy people. When they think of who to mail
their appeals to, they immediately think of Bill Gates of
Microsoft--not Bob Gates down the street. They think of
extraordinary businesses--not the ordinary business owners that
operate all around them.
This is a mistake because it concentrates attention on only one
obvious criteria of donor acquisition--capacity to give--and
ignores the other two.
Take Bill Gates by way of example. He meets your first criteria,
since he is the wealthiest man in the world. He has the capacity
to give you a donation, the largest you've ever received. But if
your organization is at all typical, Bill Gates has little or
zero affinity with your cause and does not even know about you.
Which means Bill Gates is not a long- term prospect, or even a
prospect at all, for a direct mail solicitation.
So the thing to bear in mind whenever you are looking for new
donors is that they should meet all three of the above criteria.
They should not just be wealthy (with no affinity). And not just
have an affinity (they may believe in your cause but be
bankrupt). When potential donors pass all three tests, you will
avoid disappointment, and save a lot of money in donor
acquisition and donor renewal costs.
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Article Source: http://www.PopularArticles.com/article4613.html |
Article: Need New Direct Mail Donors? Look For These Three Qualities For
Fundraising Letter Success.
Author: Alan Sharpe
Total Views: 56
Word Count: 522
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