Does nonprofit direct mail still work? It’s a question that marketing teams in many industries ask as they try to come up with new and fresh ways to share a message with their audience. Though direct mail may feel outdated with all of the high-tech marketing campaigns you can create online, it is still a great way to reach your audience, get their attention in a saturated market and connect with them on a more personal level.
Think of it like this: Your audience is overwhelmed by the number of emails they receive, and the advertisements they see on social media and websites; it’s nearly impossible to stand out with everyone competing for attention online. Direct mail, however, is a tangible product in your audience’s hands. Even if your mailer ultimately ends up in the trash, the recipient at least had to look at it and see your organization’s branding, bringing you front of mind in that moment.
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Recent studies have found that direct mail campaigns see very positive results. As organizations become more strategic in building their mailing lists, the volume of direct mail being sent has decreased by about 2 percent each year since 2015. Despite this decline—and very likely because of it—response rates to direct mail can be over 10 times higher than those of digital marketing.
Because of the effectiveness of direct mail campaigns, it then follows that ROI is higher than from online channels. In fact, according to a 2017 report from the Data & Marketing Association, direct mail can have a median ROI of 29 percent, much higher than paid search ads.
How can you make your direct mail campaigns more effective? It all starts with a conversation. Call us or visit Boelte.com, let us walk you through the process, how it works and the success your non-profit campaign can expect!
In a survey of 1,150+ American adults, You.Gov found the following:
- One-fifth (21%) of respondents said that a direct mail solicitation prompted them to make their most recent donation. This is higher than any other channel.
- Older donors (55+) are most likely to respond to direct mail. One-quarter made their last gift in response to a mailing. Among 18-34 year olds, this drops to 14%.
- Lower income households are among the most motivated by direct mail. Nearly 35% of those earning $40,000 per year or less responded to direct mail for their last donation. Among those earning $80,000+ per year, this drops to 18%.
- Only 12% of donors report being prompted to make their last gift by something they heard about on the radio, on TV, or in print. Even fewer (10%) were prompted by email.
- Very few donors (6%) were prompted by social media, such as Facebook or Twitter, although this is stronger among 18-34 year olds (11%).
Contact Boelte-Hall to talk about how we can save you time and money on your next direct mail campaign, or visit Boelte.com for more information.