With the end of 2010 just around the bend, performing these end-of-year tasks will not only maximize your efforts for this year but will also give you a good start into 2011.
Clean out your overage. Do you have extra flyers stored in your warehouse or at the mail shop? Blow off the dust and take inventory of your overage. You may have a quick and relatively inexpensive (the printing is already paid for, after all) mailing on hand. If you have large quantities of pieces that did well--and the pieces don't include any dated references or discounts--you may want to re-mail them to a portion of your house list or to a rental list. Even if you didn't budget for an additional mailing in November, there's always room for a mailing that can pay for itself.
Go back to the beginning. You may have already created your marketing plan for next year, but the most effective marketing schedules aren't set in stone. Update and review the response rate for every campaign you mailed or emailed this year, even those you consider inactive. Were you surprised by any of the results? Did your marketing generate the response you expected? Would the response rate improve if you adjusted your timing a bit?
Survey your best clients. You know who they are: the customers who order often or order big, or the contributors who have supported your organization for years. Assemble a list of your top clients and call them up. Did your customer service perform satisfactorily? Were all products received on time? How about the marketing: did your clients receive notices about new products and services when they needed them? Take this time to find out how their businesses faired this year, too, and what your organization could possibly due to help them in the year ahead.
Say thanks to your supporters. Most people like to know that the organizations or the companies they support appreciate their interest and their income. Whether you choose to mail a holiday card, email a "thank you" letter with a discount or special offer, or post a sincere note on your website, take the time to recognize the folks who chose you this year.
