Category Archives: Premiums
In Direct Mail Donor Acquisition, Ignore Your Initial Results
The secret to success at acquiring donors through the mail is to ignore your initial results. The results you generate in the first few months of your direct mail acquisition campaign might delight you or they might distress you, but … Continue reading
Does UNICEF’s Nickel Donor Acquisition Mailing Infuriate You?
UNICEF is mailing a donor acquisition package that is making plenty of recipients furious. I know why. The package is a #10 window envelope that features, peeking through the window, a shiny 5 cent piece. A piece of teaser copy … Continue reading
Back-End Premiums in Direct Mail Fundraising: Think Twice Before Offering
You should literally think twice before offering your direct mail donors a back-end premium. And neither of these thoughts has anything to do with net revenue. —————————————————————- Receive a free fundraising tip like this each week by email. Sign up … Continue reading
41 Things You Can Mail to Donors in Direct Mail Fundraising
Want to learn a lesson in direct mail fundraising from Winston Churchill? He once observed that a fanatic is “someone who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject.” A fundraising letter fanatic, of course, is someone who thinks … Continue reading
Five Vital Signs of a Healthy Direct Mail Fundraising Program
I spent last night visiting two hospitals with my four-year-old son, Spencer. I noticed that the staff at each hospital took the same vital signs (pulse, oxygen saturation, temperature, breathing) to determine Spencer’s health. Nurses and doctors miles apart, working … Continue reading
In Direct Mail Donor Acquisition, What You Win Them With Is What You Win Them To.
Want to learn a vital lesson in donor retention? Here’s a tactic from Sunday School to avoid. —————————————————————- Receive a free fundraising tip like this each week by email. Sign up for Raiser Sharpe Tips here Browse Alan’s books, handbooks … Continue reading
Premiums in Request Letters Asking for Donations: Examples and Samples of Pros and Cons.
Q. What is a premium? A. In direct mail fundraising letters, a premium is an item offered to a donor, usually at no charge, to encourage the donor to make a donation. —————————————————————- Receive a free fundraising tip like this … Continue reading
