Your donors get thousands of emails. They are possibly subjected to countless social media campaigns. In this case, do you think relying solely on digital campaigns is your best bet?
After helping thousands of nonprofits with their direct mail, we know one thing—reliance on one channel never works. It’s not a case of picking offline over online or vice versa. It’s crucial to have an integrated strategy.
If you have yet to add direct marketing to your list of strategies, the best time is now.
In this guide, we’ll highlight the benefits of direct mail marketing for nonprofits and a few best practices to help you start your campaigns.
What We’ll Cover:
- 8 Reasons Nonprofits Should Adopt Direct Mail
- Best Practices for Nonprofit Direct Mail Campaigns
- Case Study: How a Nonprofit Boosted Donations and Event Registrations With Postalytics
- Adopt Direct Mail To Boost Non-Profit Donations and Registrations
8 Reasons Nonprofits Should Adopt Direct Mail
If you are on the fence about adopting direct mail fundraising campaigns, below are seven benefits to adding direct mail to your marketing channels.
1. Serves as a Tangible Reminder
Direct mail marketing is a powerful tool for nonprofits because it provides a physical reminder of their cause. Unlike digital advertising (think email marketing, social media and online advertising), direct mail strategies like a mailed letter or postcard can be held, kept, and revisited, creating a lasting impact. For example, a charity may send a heartfelt letter asking for donations. The recipient can place it on their desk, where it serves as a constant reminder to donate.
People often take time to consider their support for nonprofits, and direct mail keeps the message in front of them. A well-designed mail piece with a clear CTA can increase donations and strengthen connections between donors and the cause.
2. Feels More Personal
Digital marketing strategies like social media advertising, website ads and email campaigns can be very impersonal and often get lost in the noise. A direct mail campaign adds a personal touch to your marketing campaigns. Receiving physical mail, like a letter or postcard, in the mail creates a connection. It shows that the organization took time and effort to reach out.
For example, a nonprofit could send a personalized fundraising letter to prospective donors. If the donor sees their name and a heartfelt message, this makes a big difference; people are more likely to support causes when they feel valued.
Direct mail can also include handwritten notes that make the recipient feel unique. You can use tools like Postalytics to personalize your campaigns at scale. This could mean adding personalized visuals and copy and taking recipients to personalized donation pages.
3. Resonates More With Donors
Direct mail resonates deeply with donors. When people receive direct mail, they are more likely to take time to read it and feel connected to the cause. This is why physical, tangible mail often feels more meaningful, grabs attention, and stays in the home longer.
For example, a nonprofit can send a direct mail donation request letter along with a brochure showing how donations make a difference. The tangible nature of the direct mail piece helps donors visualize the impact of their contribution.
You can even use triggered drip campaigns to send direct mail to donors at the right time. For example, when they fill out a form on your website, you can automatically trigger a direct mail marketing campaign introducing your organization, cause, and list of donors.
You can set up these direct mail campaigns easily on Postalytics.
4. Helps Build Emotional Connection and Storytelling
Direct mail helps nonprofits build emotional connections through powerful storytelling. It provides a chance to tell personal stories that resonate with donors on an emotional level. For example, including a heartfelt letter from a person who benefited from donations can create a strong bond.
A direct mail campaign allows more space to share these impactful stories, including images or handwritten notes that evoke empathy. A story about how a donor’s contribution changed someone’s life gives the recipient a tangible reminder of their impact.
This connection increases the likelihood of continued support, helping nonprofits foster long-term relationships with donors.
Here’s an example you can take inspiration from.
5. Inspires Immediate Action
Direct mail can inspire immediate action for nonprofits by creating urgency and a personal connection. When donors receive a physical letter, it feels urgent compared to digital messages. For example, a well-crafted letter asking for donations for a time-sensitive cause, like emergency relief, can encourage donors to act quickly.
Including clear calls to action like “Donate Now” or “Help Today” along with prepaid return envelopes makes it easy for recipients to respond immediately. By emphasizing the impact of their contributions, such as providing meals for people experiencing homelessness, nonprofits can create a compelling and emotional direct mail appeal, encouraging donors to take action immediately.
6. Build Long Term Relationships
Direct mail helps nonprofits build long-term relationships by creating a personal connection with donors. Sending regular mailings, like newsletters or thank-you cards, keeps supporters engaged and reminds them of their ongoing impact.
For example, a nonprofit can send an annual letter showing how donations have been used to support a cause. Highlighting positive impact keeps donors informed and fosters trust over time. Including heartfelt stories or project updates can make donors feel like they are part of the mission.
By maintaining this steady communication through direct mail, nonprofits can nurture deeper relationships with their supporters. This turns one-time donors into loyal, long-term advocates for your cause.
7. Gets Higher ROI and Cost Effectiveness
If you’re looking to boost ROI without blowing your entire marketing budget, direct mail is the way to go. It helps reach donors directly and has a higher response rate than many digital channels. Nonprofits can use targeted mailing lists to ensure their message reaches the right people, reducing wasted effort.
For example, a nonprofit might send a personalized appeal letter with a donation form. This personal touch can encourage donors to donate more and boost overall fundraising (rather than directing them to a standard online donation page.)
Additionally, using bulk mailing options can lower costs. By carefully planning direct mail campaigns, nonprofits can manage expenses while maximizing donations. This makes it a cost-efficient way to engage donors and achieve higher returns on their investments.
8. You Can Track Direct Mail Just Like Email
Direct mail can be tracked like email with personalized URLs (PURLs) and QR codes. Each mail piece can have a unique PURL or QR code that links recipients to a specific landing page. When they visit, you get real-time data on who responded and how.
Our platform offers detailed analytics through a dashboard, showing open rates, response rates, and more. This data helps you see which campaigns work and adjust your strategy. By combining direct mail with digital tracking, you get insights that make your campaigns more effective.
Best Practices for Nonprofit Direct Mail Campaigns
Now that you know how beneficial direct marketing is as part of your marketing strategy, it’s time to reap the benefits.
Here are five best practices you must adhere to improve the ROI of your direct mail fundraising efforts and create an impactful nonprofit direct mail fundraising campaign.
1. Know Your Audience
Nonprofits majorly cater to two types of audiences:
- Existing donors – Those who have already donated to the cause
- Prospecting donors – Those who are new or who haven’t donated in a long time
The way you reach out to both of these audiences will vary significantly. For example, the copy for current donor campaigns would be heavily directed toward past donations, how they have helped the cause, and what more the donors could do. Conversely, the copy for prospecting would be focused on outlining the cause, why it’s important, and how donations will help. Sending direct mail to a more targeted audience improves its impact and ROI.
2. Connect Copy With Visuals
Nonprofits should use visuals that align with the message in their copy. When images support the story you are telling, it creates a stronger emotional connection with your audience.
The types of visuals to consider using include photos of people impacted by your work. You could also use infographics to show progress or impact. Charts or graphs can highlight fundraising goals or achievements. Even simple, heartfelt illustrations can make your message more relatable.
By using visuals that match your words, you create a clear, powerful story that motivates people to take action and support your cause.
3. Use Important Keywords
Nonprofits should focus on using the right keywords in their direct mail campaigns. These keywords help grab attention and communicate the message clearly.
Words like “help,” “donate,” and “support” show urgency and inspire action. Use terms that connect emotionally, such as “community,” “hope,” or “change.” These words resonate with your audience and make them feel involved.
Imagine yourself in the donor’s shoes and consider the different words that motivate you to donate – include those keywords and CTAs in your copy.
4. Build a Story
Nonprofits should focus on building a compelling story in their direct mail marketing. A good story draws people in and makes them care about the cause.
Start by introducing a real person or situation your organization has helped. Share their journey, struggles, and how your work made a difference. Use clear, emotional language to make it relatable.
Then, explain how the donor’s contribution can create similar stories of change. This will connect the reader to the cause and show the impact they can have.
5. Highlight CTAs
Nonprofits must clearly communicate their calls to action (CTAs) in direct mail campaigns, such as fundraising appeals. A strong CTA tells donors exactly what to do next, such as requesting donations, volunteering, or attending an event.
Make the CTA stand out by using bold fonts, different colors, or large text. Use action words like “Donate Now” or “Join Us” to inspire donors. Repeat the CTA in different places to ensure it gets noticed. For example, place it on the front and back of the mailer. When the CTA is clear, donors are more likely to respond quickly and take action.
Case Study: How a Nonprofit Boosted Donations and Event Registrations With Postalytics
Want to see the advantages of direct mail advertising in action?
Homestart is a nonprofit that helps residents in the Greater Boston area regain and maintain stable homes. They wanted to continuously attract donors to support their cause. They relied on digital channels but realized they needed to complement them with a direct mail piece that a donor could hold in their hands.
They needed an affordable, on-demand Nonprofit direct mail service that did not have any minimum requirements. Enter Postalytics.
They used our tools to conduct every step of the process. From creating direct mail pieces to adding QR codes and custom images, they could get everything done on one single platform.
What is the result of this integrated marketing strategy? Increased donations and a boost in event registrations. With their QR code additions, they could also track direct mail KPIs.
Carrie Neff, Director of Community Engagement at Homestart, says, “I’ve done events before, and the direct mail part is stressful, but the Postalytics mailings were easy. A few days after we did the design and uploaded the mailing list, people had the postcards and were telling me how good they looked.”
Adopt Direct Mail To Boost Non-Profit Donations and Registrations
From the above strategies and benefits, one thing is clear – nonprofits can greatly benefit from adopting direct mail. It offers a personal, tangible way to connect with donors, helping to build emotional bonds and inspire action.
All you need to do is create powerful campaigns by combining compelling storytelling, strong visuals, and clear calls to action.
To get results from your direct mail marketing strategy, get started with a free Postalytics account.
About the Author
David Hazeltine
David is a career, award-winning marketing, communications, and copywriting professional who joined the Postalytics team in September 2023. He has spent the past 12 years working in demand generation and events for technology & SaaS companies, including Fiserv (FinTech), Pointillist (MarTech), Blackbaud (NonprofitTech), and most recently Cisco Systems (DigitalCommsTech). Prior to joining the tech world, David spent 26 years on the agency side, the majority of which were spent in direct mail and direct response. He ran direct mail production for two agencies prior to forming his own full-service full-service agencies, which provided strategy, creative, list, print/mail production, and analysis services for both for-profit and nonprofit clients. Additionally, David is an accomplished fundraising consultant, speaker, and conference presenter. Born and raised in the Boston area, he and his wife migrated south in 2018 to their current home in Charleston, SC. They have three grown children and a German Shepherd named Zeus.