AMiable Solution #116: Survey Says: The End’s Your Friend

One third of all giving happens in October, November, and December.  According to Blackbaud, fundraising and constituent relationship management experts, those months saw 33.6% of 2013’s overall charitable giving, with December seeing the most activity of those three months.

With the end of the year practically upon us, how can you make the most of the most wonderful time of the year?

Heed the advice of Cheryl Keedy.  In her July 2014 Fundraising Success Magazine article, “It’s Not Too Early to Think About Year-End,” she suggests preparing for year-end all year by building stronger relationships with donors.  In your promotions, tell their stories and identify--and honor--their giving and communication preferences throughout the year.  When they respond, thank donors promptly and ask them for another donation.

Those are great tips for next year, but what can you do now?  Keep in mind these other survey statistics:

• ·        Most non-profits receive more than 75% of their yearly gifts through direct mail; they receive only 10% through online donations. (Blackbaud)
• ·        Women of the baby boom and older generations give 89% more than their male counterparts, according to research by the Women's Philanthropy Institute. (Charity Navigator)
• ·        Middle-class Americans give more than “rich” Americans.  The Chronicle of Philanthropy reported that households earning between $50,000 and $75,000 give an average of 7.6% of their discretionary income to charity; households earning $100,000 or more give an average of 4.2%. (Charity Navigator)

Bottom line: if your promotion schedule isn’t end-of-year heavy, it may be time to test, re-evaluate, and re-invigorate your charitable giving campaigns.

AMiable Solution #115: Survey Says: Bigger is Better

When it comes to getting a prospect’s attention, bigger is better.  At least when it comes to direct mail,  according to a study done by the Direct Marketing Association in June 2012 and reported by website and newsletter, Marketing Charts, that same month.

Although direct mail beats email for response rates among existing customers with an average of 3.4% over 0.12%, it’s telephone that scored highest in response rates with prospects at 12.95%.  Direct mail had the next highest response rates among prospects, with oversized mail making the biggest impact: 1.44% for oversized mail, 1.28% for letter-sized direct mail, 1.12% for postcards, and 0.94% for catalogs.

What constitutes “oversized mail”?  Better known in postal terms as “flats,” they’re the large envelopes, newsletters, and magazines with one dimension that is greater than 6-1/8 inches high or 11-1/2 inches long or ¼ inch thick but not more than 12 inches x 15 inches x ¾ inch.

What makes “big” mail work?  To be fair, the same variables and factors--graphics, copy, paper stock, use of color, etc.--can mean the difference between a successful mailpiece and an immediately-recycled one no matter what shape or size it a promotion is.  What makes a “big” mail piece work most often among prospects, however, could be the things you can’t see.

Say you find two promotions in your mailbox.  One is a 9” x 12” envelope.  One is a 4” x 6” postcard.  Based on size alone, you may inadvertently draw conclusions about the senders.   The contents of the envelope must be of better quality.  The company sending the larger promotion must have more resources.  The envelope folks are probably more experienced, more qualified, or more capable.  Right or wrong, size sometimes does imply “better.”

Oversized mail may also draw higher response rates because they literally stand out from the competition.  In a handful of #10-sized envelopes, small selfmailers, and postcards, a large mailpiece will surely grab someone’s attention, if even for a split second, which may be all the time that someone needs to take interest.

Size alone won’t guarantee your recipients will open your mailpiece, much less respond to it, but a larger-sized promotion can increase the likelihood that they will.

AMiable Solution #114: Survey Says: Direct Mail is No Disappearing Act

Marketers who use direct mail in their marketing mix know the power of a well-prepared mailpiece.  Typical response rates, according to a 2012 report by the Direct Marketing Association, are 4.4% for catalogs and 3.4% for direct mail letters (compare that to email’s average response rate of just 0.12%).

But it is also a powerful tool for acquiring new customers.  In 2012, Target Marketing surveyed its print subscribers and discovered that direct mail acquires more new customers than any other marketing channel.  Direct mail’s rate of success in acquiring new customers--34%--outperformed every other marketing channel, including email (25% success rate), SEM (10% success rate), and affiliate marketing (8%), the other most-cited channels.

In addition, the Chief Marketing Officer Council reports that 40% of consumers say that they tried a new business after receiving direct mail.

What makes direct mail so effective in reaching new customers?  Is it an allusion?  Actually, it’s much simpler than that.  Direct mail is less intrusive than email and telephone solicitations.  It’s convenient, available to be read, reread, and studied.  It can be marked with notes and filed for future reference whenever the mood strikes. 

Brian Fetherstonhaugh, chairman and CEO of OgilvyOne Worldwide, also cites endurance.  In his October 2011 article for Direct Marketing News, “Don’t count direct mail out,” Fetherstonhaugh reported on an analysis Millward Brown, marketing and brand experts, did using MRI technology.   According to the company’s research, print marketing “engaged the brain more deeply and more emotionally than digital ones.”  The result: higher response rates.

Even though direct mail is an effective acquisition tool, it’s not a magic wand.  You can’t wave it once and expect to create a new crowd of devoted customers.  You have to convince them that your solutions are real, not just smoke and lights.  And that takes several mailings.  Don’t give up.  Prospects will start to trust you and begin to anticipate the next great thing to come out of the (mail)box.