Direct Mail is Dead. Long Live Direct Mail!
Naysayers of a decade ago were right. Postage and printing costs have gone nowhere but up, while response rates have trended—slowly but inexorably—down. Donor acquisition through the mail, at least on the mass scale that once drove revenue growth, is far more challenging than it used to be. Direct mail fundraising, as we once knew it, is gone. RIP.
And yet… today, direct mail fundraising remains one of the most important tools in our fundraising toolbox. A donor appeal mailing can be profitable—enormously so with proper segmentation and creative storytelling. While mass acquisition through the mail has transformed, it has certainly not disappeared. Smaller, more frequent mailings, especially when targeting is enhanced with machine learning and predictive modeling, continue to capture high-value donors at a reasonable cost.
Other societal and technological shifts are also increasing the value of print outreach. For example, as small-dollar giving has declined over the past few years, mid-level donors have become the focal point—and the treasure—of many annual giving programs. While carefully crafted digital stewardship is an essential part of their donor journey, let’s face it: few ultimately make their four- or five-figure donations on a website or digital form. Most still mail a check—usually in a reply envelope included in a well-crafted package they receive in their mailbox.
In our omnichannel world, the print component of a donor journey is perhaps more important than ever. Digital fundraising is extraordinarily effective in its own right—but even more so when print both supplements and complements digital campaigns.
One reason for the growing success of multi-channel campaigns is the resurgence of old tools and techniques that link print and digital channels. Print is now being used not only to reinforce messaging in emails and on websites but also to create easy pathways for online giving.
Those of us who sang the praises of QR codes a decade ago—only to see them fade—have been vindicated as QR code usage exploded during the “touchless” days of the COVID pandemic. Now, QR codes are a critical bridge to online giving for direct mail recipients who are moved to donate but would never be inclined to write out a check.
Another breakthrough for multi-channel stewardship and fundraising is Informed Delivery, the free U.S.P.S. service that provides recipients with a digital preview of their incoming mail. With more than a third of U.S. households subscribed, direct mailers can now reach vast audiences with not just a preview of what’s in their mailbox but also clickable links to digital content, such as websites or donation pages. This provides an extra touchpoint and allows recipients to take immediate action—even if they never retrieve the physical mail from their mailbox.
Perhaps the most exciting trend is the generational shift in media consumption—away from mail but now back to it in a big way. Surveys show that Millennials and even Gen Zers are experiencing some digital fatigue. As digital outreach has exploded in frequency, physical mail can stand out as it feels personal and intriguing.
Those approaching their prime giving years may never put a check in the mail. Some may not even own a checkbook. But more and more, they are moved by powerful storytelling that arrives in their mailbox—and find it easier than ever to jump online to make a gift. Direct mail fundraising isn’t what it used to be. But it’s alive—and doing very well!
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